- Early Childhood
Every year Hangzhou International School asks us, as teachers, to set goals for ourselves. This year my professional goal was to try to increase student engagement by embedding daily hands-on, interactive activities into my lesson planning.
My aim? To see at least 80% of my students actively participating in each class. After all, children are naturally curious, and I wanted to tap into that amazing curiosity to make every minute of learning with me count!
And so, my journey began. I started by recording my lessons, hoping to catch those magical moments of interaction between myself and the students, and among themselves. I was on the lookout for activities that really got most of my students involved and excited.
What I discovered was truly amazing. Asking thoughtful questions worked wonders.
When we ask questions that inspire our little ones to think, wonder, and take brave intellectual leaps, they stay captivated and engaged. In our Kindergarten world, active games and spontaneous questions help build a strong foundation for inquiry.
It's heartwarming to see our young learners draw from their knowledge and inspire their classmates to do the same. The real magic also happens when, as teachers, we become guides on this exploration journey, while creating a sense of safety and respect within all our interactions with our students.
Inquiry thrives when teachers shift from giving answers to guiding exploration: "What do you notice? What patterns are emerging? What evidence supports your claim? What might be another perspective? How could we test this idea?"
How, you might ask, could you, as parents, support this process? Parents can extend learning at home with prompts like: "What surprised you at school today? What question are you still thinking about? Can you teach me one concept in your own words? Where do you see this in real life? What would you try next time?" (On a side note - This can and should be done in the child's mother tongue, which will consolidate the concepts and make learning real-world relevant.)
Questions pave the path to excellence – one thoughtful step at a time.
