017: How to Respond to Questions From Elementary Children

Have you ever been stumped by a student’s question? As children grow and learn, their questions get more complex and difficult to answer. How you respond–or don’t respond–to these hard questions is telling of your confidence as a teacher, and it’s an opportunity for you to model humility and curiosity for your students.In this episode, we’re sharing some techniques for responding to students’ questions when you aren’t confident in your answer. We’re explaining how question asking plays into childrens’ development and helps them build confidence. Plus, we’re sharing some ways you shouldn’t respond to a student’s repetitive questions.What’s in this episode:How asking questions fits into a child’s phases of developmentWhy we get uncomfortable when we can’t answer a child’s questionHow to respond to student’s questions when you aren’t sure of the answerHow your tone when responding to questions can affect the child’s confidenceWhy it’s important to help children realize that they can ask questions of their peers, not just their instructorsHow delegating questions can help you avoid burnout and frustrationWhy it’s sometimes helpful to not provide the answer but instead to encourage self-educationHow some students use repeated questions as a way to connectHow to provide a brief, succinct answer that will encourage students to seek more information themselvesWhich responses you should eliminate from your teaching repertoire For full show notes, resources, links and to download the transcript, visit https://www.trilliummontessori.org/how-to-respond-to-questions-from-elementary-children/Resources Mentioned in This Episode:N/AConnect With UsVisit our websiteFollow us on InstagramConnect with us on FacebookThe Montessori Classroom Bootcamps will be open for enrollment July 21-29. Classes begin August 1.Elementary Classroom Planning Bootcamp for 6-12 with Letty RisingClassroom Setup Bootcamp for 3-6 with Seemi Abdullah