Written and Compiled by Jane Santa Cruz
We had a great Boston seminar on Monday July 14th and Tuesday July 15th! Thank you to all the participants who attended Teaching Your Students to Ask Their Own Questions and contributed to rich discussions and constructive problem-solving around how to implement the Question Formulation Technique (QFT) in their own classrooms and schools. About 80 seminar participants visited Wheelock College’s campus, representing every grade level and subject area from across the United States. We were also honored to have fellows attend in memory of Patricia Nelson, New Hampshire adult educator, and the late Rick Abrams, Trustee of Wheelock College.
On the first day, Dan and Luz walked our participants through an entire QFT process, highlighting the specific QFT elements and explaining the shift in practice required for implementing successful QFT use. Participants also had the opportunity to see the QFT “in action” through lesson plan examples and a new RQI video that shows how a high school English class seamlessly incorporated the QFT into their learning agenda.
The second day of the Boston summer seminar had a number of guest educators sharing their perspective on and their work with the QFT in their classrooms. After Matt Parrilli’s keynote speech and Joan Soble’s session on learning during the QFT, participants chose one of four breakout sessions focused on implementing the QFT in various subject areas and grade levels. At the end of the day, everyone reflected on the seminar as a whole in addition to brainstorming next steps for their respective classrooms, departments, and schools.
Here are some thoughts from our participants about the seminar and applying the QFT to their teaching practices:
“The first seminar I’ve attended where everyone had a genuine interest and passion for the topic are are invested in improving student/teacher learning.”
The specificity of the technique, the ease, and variety with which it can fit into units makes [the QFT] something teachers and schools are looking for. A seemingly easy answer to many complex requirements.”
“It is permissible to delegate thinking to the learner!”
“[The QFT] is a way to allow students to dig deeper on thoughts and opinions they didn’t know they had.”
“When students are empowered, they are more likely to take risks/challenge themselves when learning. By learning how to form good questions, students learn how to focus, how to listen, and to be more aware of their own thinking. [The QFT is] A great motivator.”
“It’s a tool for reviving curiosity and developing the skills needed for innovation.”
We’d like to extend our gratitude to many people who helped make our event so successful!
Guest Speakers
Joshua Beer, Chad Cornwell, Jane Hundley, Karen McCarthy, Matt Parrilli, Rik Rowe, and Joan Soble
RQI Team Members
Lavada Berger, Jay Dodd, Becca Howe, and Marcy Ostberg
RQI Board Members
Enid Shapiro
Mary Wendell, President
Our Intern Team
Jessica Faust, Emily Litka, Aashika Nagarajan, Laura Ricciardone, Jane Santa Cruz, and Nick Taylor
Wheelock College Faculty and Staff
Dr. Joan Gallos, Vice President for Academic Affairs
Jackie Jenkins-Scott, President
Sanjeev Joshi, Campus Services Coordinator
Liliana Zambrano, Catering Manager
And all Wheelock staff members who helped set up, answer questions, and welcome the RQI team and our seminar participants to Wheelock’s beautiful campus!
We appreciate everyone’s attendance, participation, and enthusiasm for our Boston seminar! The Right Question Institute will be hosting their final summer seminar in Chicago on August 15th! For more information, please visit our Events page.
compiled by Jane Santa Cruz
photos by Jessica Faust, Nick Taylor, and Jay Dodd
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