I have a bad habit. It is hard for me to not answer questions and give children an opportunity to answer first.

It’s a bit of a knee jerk reaction I would like to correct.

I have realized the folly of this and how unproductive it is to children and their natural curiosity.

I have to remind myself that it takes a few moments for children to process and it’s well worth the wait.

I want to allow for questions. My future plans include pausing when I feel impelled to talk and ask a few questions instead.

Questions can extend the conversation and allow for more reflection.

Going forward I want to remember the value of questions.

“What do you think?”, would be helpful.

I have a few more ideas.

Adding statements like, “I wonder if…,” or, “maybe…”.

“Why do you….?”

“What do you…?”

“How might you…?”

“What makes sense to you?”

“Let’s see about that.”

Using open-ended questions can promote curiosity. This leads to expansive views for both adults and children.

I look forward to making progress in this area.