Sunday, February 12, 2017

Cultivating Curiosity

Excellence in Education: 100 Questions
This idea comes from Cultivating Curiosity in K-12 Classrooms in which author Wendy Ostrofff recommends asking students to generate 100 questions before discussing a topic. Her examples come from Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

“Why was Charlie’s family so poor?”; “What made Willy Wonka close his factory to outsiders?”; “What if only grown-ups had found the golden tickets?” The students may then progress to more analytical questions, “Do the Oompa Loompas ever miss Loompaland?”; “What happens if they want to go home?”

After running out of questions, she recommends allowing students to pair up and to see if they can meet the challenge of getting to 100.

When I first read this strategy, it seemed silly and excessive, but as she points out it’s imperative for students to get in the habit of asking questions. This will stretch their minds, prime their brains for learning and will get them in the habit of challenging texts and people around them.

To spur questions, it may be helpful for teachers to share visuals, brief videos or readings with students. Additionally, the technique can be used before, during or after the a unit of study. Perhaps, even using the strategy throughout the unit.
Useful Links:

Portfolio Assistance If you have a student who needs assistance setting up his/her portfolio, click here

Technology / Website Permission Request Form http://go.shr.lc/1HovEA6 Please use this form to request use of a website that requires student log-in if the site is not already on the approved list. DART approved list



Calendar and Memo Items
Please remember that the copy room and mailroom are off limits to students at all times.
Faculty forums (voluntary) on 2/7 at 8 and 2/8 at 4pm. Both will be in the forum.

February 20 and March 31 are NORMAL school days now.

Help Save The Next Girl: 9th and 10th grades, Feb 28; 11th and 12th grades, March 1 Here’s a draft schedule; you may comment on it directly or email me before it is finalized. Please note, we’d like every student to see one of the two Help Save the Next Girl presentations. Because of mixed grade classes, it is possible that a student’s class goes on both days or neither day; please use your discretion and professionalism in determining how you would like to deal with these situations.

Birthdays
February 6: Ruth Tapscott
February 8: Ronnie Brown, Jesse Turner
February 9: Melanie Menefee
February 10: Eric Bredder
February 11: David Waters
February 12: Jeff Lloyd

Shout Out
Congratulations to Chris Stanek who earned a $5000 grant for aquaponics!

Great weekend for our Robotics students and their sponsors (Mr. Bredder and Ms. Peairs).

Worth Your Time
After viewing this, we gotta’ step up how we greet students at the door. (Embracing)


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