Improving Classroom Management Issues by Asking Questions: Part 1

Asking questions is a time-honored technique for learning in a variety of contexts dating back to antiquity, but it is also an often-overlooked technique for classroom management. This column, the third in a series about classroom management and the first of two on the particular topic of asking questions, contains two specific questions with which to prompt students before and/or after behavioral incidents. The first question necessitates students to reflect on their own actions, and the second question is about asking students to pay attention to their feelings. Additionally, there are connections provided between these questions and the larger constructs of metacognition and self-esteem.