One Hundred and Eighty-five, Memories

One of my favorite teachers in high school taught me history.  As the Engineer pointed out to me tonight, she often would draw a boot on the board and say, "And here, scholars, is clearly a map of Europe."  Learning from her about events long gone instilled in me a deep respect and love for history.  Hearing about events that occurred centuries ago and how they shaped the world was very moving.  As you learned, some minor events could end up shaping the world (such as a single assassination in Austria).  Other events you knew would be important as you learned about them.  The number of "firsts" that this relatively young country has seen proves to me that today is a day schoolchildren of the next millennium will have to memorize (or at least to know what decade this occurred).  Today a new president was elected.  Not because the way he spoke or the color of his skin or his gender, but because of his beliefs in how to run this country.  That doesn't change the fact that history books of the future will look back and note that this was the day when a non-Caucasian person was first voted to the title of President-Elect.  What does matter is that this nation didn't vote its first black president into office.  No, I know that the majority of this nation finally voted for an American whose beliefs they likened to who happened to be a man of color.  

On that note, I begin NaBloPoMo [five days late].

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?