Ten, Questions

"PLEASE DON'T COME TO CLASS ANYMORE.
IF YOU DO PLEASE STOP ASKING QUESTIONS WITH OBVIOUSLY NO CLEAR ANSWERS.
THAT IS WHAT OFFICE HOURS ARE FOR.

MAJORITY OF CLASS"

-February 18th, 2004 passed person-to-person up to me in the front row of Genetics

I ask a lot of questions. Sometimes relevant, sometimes not. But I've come to realize that my learning process is deeply embedded in this question-asking. So, I might ask questions and not learn from it, but it is very difficult for me to learn without asking questions.

Often I ask questions that are self-explanatory. I used to explain this by the idea that even if it only occurred to me for a moment before I had solved it, others might want to know, so I'd go ahead and ask whatever occurred to me for the benefit of the rest of class. Looking back on it, I guess I was a bit presumptuous thinking that I was able to figure stuff out but others around me were having trouble with it. But, I still like to think that at least one person was glad I asked questions in class because they were able to keep up with stuff.

Some people learn best when they sit and absorb a lecture with no interruptions. This is where rightful strife can enter into a classroom. One set of students learns with no talking, sharp attention. The other learns with interaction and pointing out of key things. I've spent much time wondering how to teach with these two groups of people. Obviously the majority are "listeners" since they don't ask questions as they occur to them. Does that mean that the questioners must give up the route for their proper learning? I know most people with questions hold them until the end of a lecture, but sometimes, you lose the moment to keep that important fact in your brain and asking it later doesn't help in retention as much as during the lecture.

So what is a Questioner in a land of Listeners to Do?