“How might I apply questioning to enhance my teaching and my life?” - CEP 812, MAET
Well, as I mentioned in a previous blog post, I've been asking questions since I can remember.
My parents learned I'm not questioning their authority, I'm just curious.
I moved across the country because I grew up in the flat Midwest and was eager to explore mountains.
Colleagues come to me as they know I'm not intimidated or scared to ask daunting questions.
Leaders acknowledge my drive to ask questions and include me in committees to challenge my peers.
However, I've become more aware of the types of questions I ask...turning them into more beautiful ones using Why, What if, and How. I wasn't the sibling with the high IQ, but my passion quotient (PQ) and curiousity quotient (CQ) definitely compensated to help me become the growing, successful and happy educator I am today.
My curiosity for learning continues to grow as I gain experience inside and outside the classroom. I ask more "Why" questions trying to understand and learning what works, and why. Listening to Ted Talks, podcasts, and speakers fuels my passion for education and inspires me to keep asking more questions. The Why questions allow me to continue to grow my curiosity. On the other hand, the What if questions push my imagination and How questions encourage me to problem solve and think critically.
Like my curiosity, my passion has been growing for as long as I can remember. Specifically in 2nd grade, my teacher inspired me to become a teacher. Fifteen years later, I refocused my passion when my curiosity led me to #edtech where I received a Computer Educator License. I chose to specialize not because I had to, but because I wanted to; Berger (2014) suggests this is because I want to "climb the mountain to embrace the challenge (p. 181)." Without allowing my passion to evolve, I wouldn't have been offered the opportunity to teach technology in New Zealand or been interested in pursuing a Master of Arts in Educational Technology.
To demonstrate my driving curiosity and evolving passion, naturally, I decided to jump on the TikTok trends...
Before going online in March, my students were obsessed with creating TikToks. My passion for (and experience growing up) dancing made it easier for me to recreate a few trends, for educational purposes. Asking how and why students were creating these videos, my curiosity grew as I was eager to use TikTok to engage and relate with my students. And, like Berger (2014) questions, what if you could not fail?
As many teachers do, I love learning! To continue fueling my curiosity and passion for education (and TikTok), I plan to keep learning, listening, analyzing, practicing and reflecting. What are you going to do to continue evolving your passion and driving your curiosity?
References:
Berger, W. (2014). A More Beautiful Question: The Power of Inquiry to Spark Breakthrough Ideas. New York, NY: Bloomsbury
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