It’s OK to be a Curious Cat: The Benefits of Asking Questions
Before we started school, most of us displayed a high level of curiosity about the things we came across and asked the adults in our lives as many questions we could think of. Where does rain come from? Why are the leaves green? How do dogs bark? What is a Prime Minister? When do volcanoes erupt? You name it. The 5 Ws and 1 H. You probably wouldn’t fully remember those times, of course, but your parents or older siblings would certainly do if you ask them.
As pre-school kids, most of us were naturally curious, but as soon as we started learning in classrooms, chances are, our motivation to ask questions, may have diminished. It’s probably because we’ve grown shy or maybe fearful of what our peers might think of us. While for some of us, it’s simply because we don’t want to seem like we’re not intelligent or smart enough; this is not true. What’s more, being inquisitive offers advantages:
It keeps you and others well-informed.
Not all students are in the same wavelength, but when you ask questions, you’ve probably prompted your classmates to go, “Yes! I was about to ask the same thing.” They were most likely on the same page as you were but just could not find the right way to pose the query. Learning as a group is always a good thing. When you’re inquisitive, you and your classmates have more opportunities to become well-informed on topics that were initially unclear to you and them.
It helps you more efficient to avoiding mistakes.
Learning is a continuous process, and making mistakes are a part of it. However, constantly asking questions means that you’re constantly getting answers, which trains you to steer clear of errors later on. For example, if you’re confused about when to correctly use “despite of” and “in spite of” in sentences, ask your English teacher for clarification. Having that matter explained to you now means you’ll be more aware of the proper use of those phrases in the future and avoid using them incorrectly altogether.
It shows you’re interested to learning more and you lead by example.
If you find yourself often raising your hand to offer your teacher a query, don’t feel upset about it even for a second. This means that you’re engaged in the subject or topic, and your teacher will appreciate the effort you put in and your classmates will recognize it in you as well. Being attentive of school lessons is a good sign that you’re passionate about learning, and it is also an effective way to inspire the others in your classroom who are not as engaged as you.
It helps fill in the gaps in teaching.
Teachers are qualified professionals, that’s why they are in the position they are in. They are always accommodating in taking in questions, and they’re always happy to provide you with the answers. However, keep in mind they’re not perfect and their lesson plans are not set in stone. There might be questions which might catch them off guard, but this is a good thing as it means there is room for improvement in their lessons plans, and it means you are an instrument in identifying those areas for enhancement.
It leads to enlightening discussions.
At times, the answers to the questions you ask won’t be found in any book, and that’s OK. You and your classmates have to realize that some queries don’t have right or wrong answers. Rather, these questions foster insightful discussions between you and others in the classroom, and knowing about different perspectives allow learning from each other.
Still frightful of raising your hand to ask a question? Don’t be. Remember the advantages you’ve read above, and keep asking those questions!
SOURCES:
https://www.teachthought.com/critical-thinking/always-on-inquiry-asking-more-questions-classroom/
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