For Early Achievers, and for the best child outcomes, we are
looking for teachers to have quality interactions with children. Those interactions include asking open ended
questions and having conversations.
For many, this is a new skill that needs practice. Asking open ended questions is not always
intuitive for everyone.
Here’s a tip – make yourself some “cue cards” to post in the
room and remind you of open ended questions and conversations you can have with
each type of material. See sample you
might include below.
Another option is to start each day with a few 3x5 cards in
your pocket that have you open ended questions.
Use your cue cards until asking open ended questions becomes
second nature.
Questions/Conversations - Book Area
What do you
think this book will be about? Why do
you think so?
What do you
thing will happen next? Why do you think
so?
What was
your favorite part of the story?
Questions/Conversations - Block Area
Tell me
about what you are building.
How did you
come up with that idea?
What else
does it need? How could you do that?
Questions/Conversations - Fine Motor
Area
How did you
figure out how to put that together?
Can you tell
me how to do it?
What can we
do with these?
Questions/Conversations - Art Area
Tell me
about what you’ve made.
Why did you
decide to make that?
How will you
know when it is done?
Questions/Conversations –
Science-Nature Area
How do you
think it works?
What do you
know about this?
Have you
seen this before? Tell me about it.
Questions/Conversations – Music Area
You lead a
dance and I’ll follow you – show me how.
Can you make
up new works for this song?
Why do you
like this song (or music, dance)?
Questions/Conversations – Dramatic
Play Area
What should
we play today? What will we need to do
it?
How do you
do this at home?
What are
some more ideas?
Questions/Conversations – Math-Number
Area
How can you
tell which is more (or heavier, bigger)?
How do you
know if you are right?
How can we
sort them out?
