What if a Student Asks a Question I Can’t Answer?

Students view professors as experts and authority figures.

Because of this, when a student asks a difficult question in class and you don’t know the answer, it’s easy to feel flustered, embarrassed and anxious.

• Should you stumble through your response?
• Ramble off on a tangent?
• Make something up on the spot?

There’s no need for any of that.

Develop a reliable teaching technique strategy for fielding students questions without losing your cool or undermining your credibility.

In this Magna 20-Minute Mentor, the presenter outlines an effective method for managing these difficult moments.

Learning Goals

This teaching strategies seminar will help you:

• Consider the negative implications of certain strategies
• Overcome reluctance to ask students if they have questions
• Cite research on the importance of encouraging students to ask questions
• Say, “I don’t know” in a variety of appropriate ways
• Identify better response alternatives

Topics Covered

In What if a Student Asks a Question I Can’t Answer?, you will learn how to:

• Employ an effective three-step method for handling difficult questions
• Identify responses that work well for you…and others that miss the mark
• Modify strategies for the research it yourself approach
• Use clarification and acknowledgement in dealing with tough questions
  • Increase your confidence and credibility in the classroom
  • Make class preparation more manageable
  • Recognize the pros and cons of your current response repertoire

Takeaways

Supplemental materials include:

• Examples of different classroom situations in various academic disciplines to illustrate a range of teaching applications
• A suggested framework of Response Dos and Don’ts
• Questions for Further Discussion
• A list of Recommended Resources

Purchase

Order What if a Student Asks a Question I Can’t Answer? now and learn to develop a reliable strategy for fielding students questions without losing your cool or undermining your credibility.

Product Code: PM10AA