I feel as
though I have been tip-toeing through my research journey; as if making my way
through a dark room with unknown obstacles. My steps are shuffled and my arms
are outstretched, hoping not to brush up against anything unsettling. The steps we’ve taken so far in identifying an interest
area and narrowing the focus have even felt too wide a stride at times, like I’m
not quite ready and being given a little shove from behind. It’s not a
comfortable feeling. I had some difficulty this week in identifying resources
that pertain to my topic of interest: The use of effective questioning in
building children’s critical thinking skills. I have had an interest in this
area since I began doing quality assessments in Pre-K classrooms several years ago and specifically working with the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) (Hamre, Goffin, & Savre, 2009). Looking
specifically at teacher-child interactions and questioning. I found that most teachers
have difficulty maintaining quality.
I am not
finding a whole lot that pertains directly to early childhood. I am not certain
I am using the library searches correctly and probably need to call and talk
directly to a librarian for assistance. I don’t have an issue with stopping for
directions when in my car so I’m not sure why I’m hesitating in my online travels.
I will feel so empowered having
conquered this 8 weeks!
Hamre, B.,
Goffin, S., Savre, M., (2009). Classroom assessment scoring system (CLASS)
implementation guide: Measuring and improving classroom interactions in early
childhood settings. Retrieved from http://www.teachstone.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/06/CLASSImplementationGuide.pdf
Tammra,
ReplyDeleteYour topic is one that I have spent a lot of time working with teachers in our Head Start program. Here are some of resources I found googling open ended questions:
http://www2.ed.gov/teachers/how/early/teachingouryoungest/page_pg6.html
http://www.responsiveclassroom.org/article/open-ended-questions
http://gardenpreschool.org/docs/ece%20asking%20open%20ended%20questions.PDF
http://www.iched.org/cms/scripts/page.php?site_id=iched&item_id=asking_questions
http://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/hslc/tta-
system/teaching/center/practice/engage
Also see what you can find about the CLASS (Classroom Assessment Scoring System). There are several sections about critical thinking skills.
This is an important skill and is one that is at the forefront of early childhood education. Good luck in your research.