Chapter Four: Creating a Culture of Success

"Sometimes a student feels like they have to know everything about a question to ask a question about it. You only feel comfortable if you know enough about the question to ask the question" -Vance (page 67).


I wholeheartedly agree with the fact that students feel like they cannot ask a question because they do not know about the particular question. When a student has difficulty voicing their question or putting their inquiry into words, then that student will most likely not ask their question. It is so sad to think that children are sitting in class, confused, because they are too afraid to ask a question.


This particular comment jumped out at me because students are not supposed to know everything about their question. That is the whole point of an inquiry: we do not know everything. We never will. Students should never be ashamed of asking a question that they do not know a lot about. If students can feel comfortable asking these questions, then true learning will be emphasized in the classroom. The students will feel comfortable in their learning environment and their curiosity will be piqued due to the ability to inquire content without feeling ashamed, embarrassed, or stupid. Students will come to accept questions as a natural, acceptable, and efficient way to learn material in class. Teachers, in turn, have to be patient with all questions asked and must not rush a student who is having difficulty wording or understanding their own particular question.