The Power of Questions

Questions are one of the most powerful learning tools we have here at The Village School.

Unfortunately not all learners have access to great questions, and instead are inundated with explanations, rules, and commands.

Of course there is a place for explanations, rules, and commands; but if that’s all that’s encountered at school—or if that’s the majority—then a learner’s development will be slowed.

At The Village School we’ve developed a long list of research-informed questions that we ask learners regularly to help them learn, self-reflect, build self-belief, and think deeply about their goals and challenges. We deliver these questions during weekly “check ins” with our learners with the goal of helping learners keep track of their learning progress and to think deeply about their goals and the challenges they’ll face in achieving them. We don’t judge learners’ answers, and instead challenge them to think deeply about themselves—their identity, interests, goals, and plans. When we perceive they may be getting in their own way (for example, self-doubt, stinking thinking, victim mentality, or misinformation), we use questions to invite them to run small experiments and learn for themselves the merit of their perspectives.

Below are some questions that we ask to empower our learners:

How are you? How do you feel?
When were you most yourself recently?
What are your expectations of yourself today and this week? How can you pursue your goals and interests and have fun?
What are your boundaries today and this week?
How are you doing at getting into flow? What’s helping you? How can you improve?
Did you meet your learning goals last week? If so, how did you accomplish them? Do you feel proud of yourself? What challenges did you encounter? If not, what challenges did you encounter that didn’t allow you to accomplish your goals? Moving forward, what can you do to overcome those challenges?
Are you behind, on track, or ahead with your learning goals for the year? What makes you say that? If you’re behind, what does that make you think? Do you know what you would need to do to get back on track?
How do you feel about your workload today and this week? Do you feel like you’re in your Challenge Zone, Comfort Zone, or Panic Zone, and why?
What learning strategies are you using and finding most successful? How will you manage your tasks for the day? For the week? Would you change any strategies or your schedule for this week? For what reasons?
If you have been learning virtually (from home), what are the biggest opportunities and challenges you face?
How are you getting along with others? Are you expressing your feelings?
Are you having any conflicts with others? If so, how do you feel, and what is a healthy way to function with others in that situation? What are your boundaries? How will you learn to live together?
What do you enjoy most from your day, and why?
If you could learn anything in the world, what would it be, and why?