The best way to learn is to ask questions.
I know, this wasn't an original concept and I'm certainly not claiming to have a stroke of genius as a teacher. (No, my stroke of genius was singing John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt in class. Talk about fun : ). I've also heard that asking questions is one of the hardest things to do in a foreign language. I had borrowed a book of conversation starters from my company's office and chosen a few to get the class talking.
Are you an optimist or a pessimist?
Do you ever talk to yourself? What do you say?
What is one thing you want to change about yourself?
How would your friends describe you?
Is it easier to be a man or a woman? Why?
Is religion important? Why or why not?
It is fascinating what people will tell you if you simply ask them a question. Too often I've defaulted to the basic "What is your major?" or "Where do you want to work?" and I'm only realizing now that I've missed out on some pretty cool conversations. Of course, this activity was good speaking practice for my students, but it was also a reminder that people love to share their opinions and ideas, and we are all made up of so much more than a name and occupation.
My mentor was helping me think through different approaches to sharing Love, and she emphasized the importance of asking questions. She's right. Too often we talk about our own experiences or what Joy means in our lives, and we never even ask where the other person is coming from or what they think or who they really are. I know I make assumptions without really knowing other people's stories. It's hard not to, but I'm determined to ask more questions and listen more earnestly to the answers.
What do you think?
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| Students practicing asking questions during winter classes. This is from last Friday when we spent 3 hours doing different speaking activities. |
