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Blog written by Schoolwide Instructional Coach 

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Blog written by Schoolwide Instructional Coach 

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A Shift That Just Makes Sense

When students ask their own questions, it sparks curiosity, independence, and self-confidence, cultivating students' ownership over their own learning. This is a shift that just makes sense. So how does an instructional coach, like myself, create this shift and promote curious conversations in the classroom?

At our school, asking and answering questions is an essential standard for all grades and there is a need to promote conversations between students, especially our English Learners population. At the end of the 2017 school year our team of administrators and Site Instructional Coaches went on what we call "instructional rounds," we gathered data on what we observed in classrooms, noted the types of questions students were being asked, the opportunities for students to ask their own questions and how engaged students were in conversations. In most cases, we found that teachers were asking most of the questions and, at times, even answering their own questions. We needed to find a way to not only engage students in productive conversations, but also equip students with skills to form a variety of questions in this discourse. We needed a shift.

How the QFT Became A Solution at Colton Unified School District (CUSD)
CUSD: District Collaboration
When district personnel and I collaborated at the Question Formulation Technique professional development workshop in California, it sparked conversation about how the QFT could simultaneously be productive at elementary, middle and high school classrooms and provide Professional Learning for Educators (PLE). Instructional coaches went back to their sites at the elementary, middle and high school levels, and began to introduce teachers to this new powerful tool for students asking questions. The district personnel immediately implemented the QFT when they facilitated Instructional Leadership Team (ILT) meetings at different school sites, using school data as the QFocus. Because ILT teachers at other school sites marveled at this technique and integrated it into their classrooms, our ILT at Zimmerman Elementary felt validated and supported in using the QFT. Additionally, it was effective to have alignment within the district; there was a collaborative effort in using the QFT for discourse, not just at the student level but also for professional learning at the district level.
Zimmerman Elementary: A Schoolwide Approach
As this work was happening around the district, I set out to bring the QFT back to my colleagues at Zimmerman Elementary school. To introduce the strategy, I collaborated one on one with the first five teachers interested in learning the QFT. My principal was very supportive and allowed me to schedule an all day substitute teacher to cover classrooms while we collaborated.

We began our meetings with having each teacher become a member of the Educator Network on the Right Question Institute website so they can be exposed to the forums and resources available. Each teacher designed their lesson using a standard PowerPoint, but then adapted it for their individual objectives and content areas. Some used Google Slides for students to type their questions and some chose to use to record their student's reflections. After planning the QFT, I modeled the first lesson using a co-teaching structure. After each lesson, the teacher and I debriefed on what went well and what needed some fine tuning. This setup allowed teachers to observe the QFT in action without having to simultaneously worry about implementing it. Teachers saw that the QFT gave students an opportunity to think for themselves and collaborate. Previously, teachers had noticed that students were trapped in their own way of thinking but through the QFT process, students were able to listen to others ask questions and hear different perspectives.

The QFT process is helping my students to become more aware of the skills needed to ask the right questions when analyzing a topic. I'm beginning to see an increase in my students abilities to ask open-ended questions. These types of questions are great for group discussions as they require explanation and elaboration. QFT impacts my teaching because it allows me to see where my students may have gaps in their understanding or learning. Using QFT allows me to see where to focus my lessons and allows me to get a grasp of the students knowledge to see what they need to understand better.
Teacher Buy In
All people have a tendency to grapple with change. To me, one of the key levers in implementing a school wide change like this is empowering teachers by inviting them to be a part of the PLE and present as a team. That's how we approached the professional learning about the QFT.

Three of the pioneer teachers who had implemented the QFT and were from different grade levels hosted a forum for teachers to ask questions about the successes and challenges of the QFT. I showed videos of our own students at Zimmerman engaging with the QFT so other teachers can see what the QFT accomplishes with our students in our classrooms. During this PLE, teachers also went through the QFT process, so they themselves could experience what the students experience. All of the above were intentional measures taken to help teachers feel comfortable with this change. After the PLE, I emailed teachers for feedback on how they perceived this technique would benefit their students and provided support for teachers who expressed interest in implementing the QFT. By identifying some QFT cheerleaders, we were able to create excitement amongst grade-level teams about this technique and helped spread it throughout the campus.

Challenges in Implementing the QFT

As a "trial" run, I focused on the entire kindergarten team to use the technique as a starting point for students to become familiar with the process. Initially, kindergarteners were giving statements, not asking questions. We discovered that the QFT required some adaptations for the younger grade levels. We used various scaffolds like providing kindergarteners with question starters, "Who, what, where, when, why_____?" Within a few uses of the QFT, we saw a difference in students' language in posing questions. Furthermore, we observed an improvement in the quality of their questions. Through consistency, we recognized an evolution in their question asking abilities and noticed the nuances in their questions.

A second challenge teachers noticed were students having difficulty in categorizing and converting open- and closed-ended questions. We decided that students needed an introduction to these types of questions before implementing a QFT lesson. Through a collaborative effort to problem solve, one teacher created a PowerPoint to instruct students on these types of questions and incorporated games to excite students. This PowerPoint was then shared with other teachers as a pre-lesson before the initial QFT lesson. Students began to make interesting observations. Students noticed, in most cases, if they deleted the first question word in an open-ended question it could become a closed-ended question. Teachers noticed a substantial change with not just the decrease in time in regarding open and closed identification and conversion, but their students had mastered open and closed questions and set the students and teachers on this trajectory to move forward with curiosity empowerment.

Teachers had concerns that the QFT took time away from their daily routine. I reminded them like with anything else, with consistency and practice, time will actually be saved because they will notice their teaching will become more focused based on students' questions. Teachers will not be spending a lot of time teaching what students already know, but what they are interested in learning. It can also simultaneously help teachers understand what students are thinking and easily align to standards. Consequently, using the QFT is a tangible way of engaging in the school's focal point and mission of prioritizing students asking questions.

Consistency Through Continued Support

As an instructional coach it is my role to support instruction. However, the best support I can provide teachers is to allow them to be a part of the decision making and the learning. One reason I liked using the QFT in the PLE is it helped me to accomplish that. Fostering conversations filled with curiosity is now happening not only between our students but also between teachers and instructional coaches.

Author Bio

Monique Almendarez is an instructional coach at Zimmerman Elementary in California. She provides instructional delivery assistance and support to teachers including co-planning, co-teaching, and demonstrating lessons. She also meets with teachers on a regular basis to select, diagnose, instruct, assess, and monitor students. Monique also provides Professional Learning Experiences as well as facilitates school-wide events.

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An Instructional Coach's Experience with Question Formulation Technique

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When students ask their own questions, it sparks curiosity, independence, and self-confidence, cultivating students' ownership over their own learning. This is a shift that just makes sense. So how does an instructional coach, like myself, create this shift and promote curious conversations in the classroom?

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Copy of Todd Poole case study pdf final 

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QFT in the Library: Information Literacy & Beyond - Right Question Institute

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Here are three key resources using the QFT in the library: for media literacy, information literacy, and beyond.

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Blog written by a professional learning consultant 

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Blog written by a professional learning consultant 

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Leveraging the Question Formulation Technique for Professional Growth - Right Question Institute

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How can the Question Formulation Technique (QFT) be not only transformative for students, but also for teachers and adult learners?

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Check out the extra professional learning examples at the very end of today's powerpoint

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Check out the extra professional learning examples at the very end of today's powerpoint

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Download the powerpoint from the morning session

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RQI at Olentangy Schools - Right Question Institute

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The Right Question Institute will be delivering two half-day workshops with the Olentangy Schools for […]

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Find everything you need to use the QFT in class tomorrow. Get started in three easy steps, then find more helpful tools for addressing common challenges. Watch classroom videos to see the QFT in action for various instructional purposes, and browse classroom examples to see how it can be applied in every grade and subject area. Already know the QFT and go deeper? Hone your skills with insights from experienced teachers, read the latest, and see what else there is to explore. Need more help? Watch our screencast for finding education resources on the RQI website.

See all resources Explore the Primary Sources Hub

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QFT Teaching and Learning Resources - Right Question Institute

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Everything you need to use the QFT in your classroom: A step by step guide, lesson planner, and downloadable classroom handouts and classroom examples.

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More science examples than you could ever want

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More science examples than you could ever want

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High school and higher education, most with real student questions

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QFT-Primary Source Lesson plans by grade level 

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QFT-Primary Source Lesson plans by grade level 

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Each one includes real student work

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Primary Sources - Right Question Institute

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Teaching students to ask questions about primary sources helps unlock their magic — sparking curiosity, engagement, and critical thinking. Explore RQI’s free resources and online learning opportunities for using the Question Formulation Technique with primary sources, made possible by the Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources (TPS) Program.

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Student Questions Led the Way to Deeper Musical Understanding - Right Question Institute

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by Yating Yang A favorite pastime with my niece, Chelsea, is playing question games. We think of silly questions for each other while laughing and bonding. One day Chelsea asked, “Would you rather have chicken all day or snow all day?” followed by, “C’mon, this is an easy one.” I replied,“ I would rather have snow instead of chicken!” She had this look of why would anyone eat snow? I added, “I enjoy a bowl of Asian-style shaved ice dessert any time, any day. It’s just like snow!” That day, Chelsea learned something new about me through her question. Incorporating the Question Formation Technique (QFT) in my music pedagogy is like the play between Chelsea and me. This tool allows my secondary-level students to think out of the box and revive light-hearted play in learning. In the keyboard unit, which I usually implement in general music and music theory classes, I want students, regardless of music experience, to view music reading as a skill that is approachable. It can improve with time and it is a window into more music discovery. While a music sheet can seem daunting with its hundreds of floating dots, students can learn to navigate it by decoding what’s on the page and by asking questions. They can also draw from the music bank into which they’ve already intuitively deposited knowledge from their everyday interactions with music. Hence, I took a dive with my eighth-grade general music classes in Westchester, New York, this past academic year. Instead of starting with notational charts of ABC’s and an easy version of “Ode to Joy,” right off the bat I presented an intermediate-level musical excerpt called “Rush E” to all of my eighth-grade general music classes. These classes consisted mostly of non-musicians with mixed learning abilities. “Rush E” is a popular in-demand piece among them due to the excitement that arises out of its quick tempo and young people’s belief that “Rush E” is one of the more complex songs around. In fact, these students challenged my piano expertise, requesting to hear the piece performed live. Taking advantage of their high interest, I asked students to investigate the opening section of the “Rush E” sheet music (which I called “a notational sound map”) in the way one would navigate with a map, or by using GPS, when visiting a new place. The process turned out to be fun and effective for the students as they formulated questions they were curious about and as they learned to find reliable resources for their questions. Students’ curiosity went beyond what was on the page and they were ready to dive into the composer’s intention for writing the piece and to develop deeper analysis of the music by the end of this process. Example 1: Learning to Read Music Context: Eighth-Grade General Music Class. Skill Level: Mix of both non-musician beginners and students in the instrumental program, all of whom had varied learning abilities. Q-Focus: “Rush E” music excerpt, by Andrew Wrangell. Procedure: The class watched a video of “Rush E,” with graphic representation of sound, followed by student observations on the relationship between the graphic and music. I projected images of a traveler holding a map and a traveler holding a GPS, and we conducted a brainstorming activity on how one would navigate a new city with a map or GPS. I showed the class music notational graphics from different periods of history: an example of Georgian chant from the Middle Ages; an example of late medieval “eye music” called, “Belle, Bonne, Sage;” and an example of contemporary minimalist music, a composition called “Observing Squirrels,” by Jason Freeman. We discussed how navigating sounds through each of these music notational systems relates to using a map or GPS. I facilitated a QFT session, and the QFocus was the sheet music to an intermediate-level piano excerpt of “Rush E.” Students worked in groups of four to formulate questions and prioritized them. Then, they shared their questions with the class. With teacher guidance, the class discussed how to find answers to their priority questions while other questions were parked on posters hung around the room. As a reward for the students’ hard work, I performed the piece. Example of Student Questions Students’ Priority Questions (as phrased by students) Set #1 What are the open and closed notes mean? How many notes can be attached by a line? What does it mean when there is a line crossing through a note? Set #2 How do you read it? What are the different meanings for the notes? Why are the sets split up? Set #3 What is this “ >” called? Does accelerando mean to get faster? How fast is moderato? For the experienced instrumental students, during one-on-one and small group instrumental lessons, I also used the Question Formation Technique to guide students’ preparation in learning new music and sight reading. I use the technique with two goals in mind: 1) As an assessment tool to evaluate how much students have retained about learning to approach a new piece. 2) So that students will have ownership of their new skills by creating their own sight-reading checklist. With any eight-measure music excerpt as the QFocus, students formulate their own questions about the excerpt instead of trying to check off a teacher-approved list of do’s and don’ts for sight reading. This takes the pressure off students trying to remember the 20-plus items we remind them about, and it provides an opportunity for them to grow in confidence as they learn to trust their own intuitive thinking and mature into independent musicians. Students will eventually become adept in spotting essential elements in new music and taking in information through their own questioning after repetitive practice. Example 2: Learning to Approach a New Music Composition (a.k.a. Sight Reading) Context: Small group lessons for string students and one-on-one lessons for piano-studio students. Skill Level: Intermediate and up. Q-Focus: Three sight reading or new music excerpts that are eight measures in length. (As a starter, one excerpt is presented per lesson for three consecutive lessons.) Procedure: Based on an excerpt, students formulate questions relating to understanding and mastering the performance of the piece. Students prioritize their top three questions. After using a minimum of three different music excerpts for QFocus prompts, students compare priority questions between excerpts to see which questions are recurring and which questions are unique to each specific piece. Students take these priority questions into consideration and formulate their own preliminary sight-reading checklist. They use this checklist when approaching other sight reading activities or new music excerpts, something they will continue to encounter as musicians. Note: As students continue to read more excerpts after creating the preliminary checklist, this checklist may be adjusted with each comparison. Through the practice of asking questions, students will learn to spot main features of a music excerpt in incrementally reduced time. This will eventually lead to meeting the time requirement in music adjudication settings where only 45 to 60 seconds are given to prepare and learn a new music excerpt. Students’ Priority Questions on One Excerpt Where are the sharps in the excerpt? Where are dotted quarter notes located? What are the dynamics? Student’s Preliminary Checklist based on Three Sets of Priority Questions Where are the sharps or flats in the music passage? Where are the “abnormal” notes in the music? (staccato notes in a mostly legato piece, dotted rhythm, etc.) What are the dynamics in the music? While it is prudent to consider whether students may harness the QFT in the direction we hope for, I’ve found my students often asking questions that are aligned with my intended teaching objectives. The QFT also allows me to design lessons that are exploratory and more challenging in level, while students’ own questioning leads to varied possibilities for in-depth learning and analysis. There is higher engagement and support in the classroom when we teach our students that asking questions is a sign of curiosity and showing interest in others’ work. I also witnessed firsthand how instrumental students who started as timid and reluctant to express their thoughts opened up to asking questions. High-achieving students are often afraid to give the “wrong” answers and quietly consider whether the questions they want to ask are “good enough.” At first, some would take the entire five minutes to formulate just one question in the QFT process, yet this question was often profoundly insightful. With time, their inquisitive nature took over as they continued to sharpen their question asking skills and develop a more relaxed posture. I feel accomplished when students have the confidence to ask poignant questions to discover the unknown — and as they spread their wings to expand their musical horizons independently and grow their love for music. Yating Yang is a New York based music educator with M.A. in music and music education from Teachers College at Columbia University. She enjoys walking alongside young people in their music journey. Her professional experiences include coaching secondary school choral and instrumental performing ensembles both large and small, supervising and developing courses in community music school settings, and maintaining her independent teaching studio. Her students range from young children to adults.

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Tips from teachers who work with ELs, special education students, early learners, and others

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Tips for Making the QFT Work Well for All Students - Right Question Institute

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Download this resource to read tips, insights, and ideas for engaging all students in learning and using the Question Formulation Technique (QFT). Many thanks to the special education, English language learner (EL or ELL), and early elementary teachers around the United States who contributed to this document. Do you have a tip to share? Please email contact@rightquestion.org to tell us more about how you’ve tailored the QFT to work for all students.

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Here are 3 key resources for implementing the QFT in the math classroom.

First Day of School: Using the QFT in AP and Honors Calculus by Christine Relleva

"The QFT allowed my students to hit the ground running on the first day of class. They could discuss mathematical information without any fear. Students could get their brains going, be engaged, and walk out feeling good about their new math class ... This was the most rewarding first day in 30 years."

The Question > The Answer: A Discussion of the QFT in Math from the Right Question Institute Archives by Sarah Westbrook

"One educator asks a question that we hear often at the Right Question Institute: 'at the end of the day what types of math questions get answered and what math actually gets learned? Are [students]...able to generate questions about a specific area of math that actually allows the student to learn - math?' "

Download classroom examples. From smiley-face fractions to immigration statistics: 13 ways real teachers have used the QFT in the math classroom.

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Here are 3 key resources for implementing the QFT in the math classroom. First Day of School: Using the QFT in AP and Honors Calculus by Christine Relleva "The QFT allowed my students to hit the ground running on the first day of class. They could discuss mathematical information without any fear.

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Resources for using the QFT in English/ELA 

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Resources for using the QFT in English/ELA 

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Here are 3 key resources for implementing the QFT in the English Language Arts classroom.

Biography and Bioethics: 9th Graders Ask Questions about the Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Ellen Gammel

"More than 7 years after the publication of the book and 65 years after Henrietta Lacks lived, 9 th Graders in Ellen Gammel's honors English class in Fitchburg, MA were burning with some of the same questions."

Questions Lead to Insightful, Original Analysis in AP Literature by Lauren Carlton

"High achievers, for the most part, long to answer questions. Answering questions is safe, comfortable, familiar. Asking questions? Not so safe."

Download classroom examples. From pre-reading to Socratic Seminar, Emily Dickinson to Oscar Wao: 13 ways real teachers have used the QFT in English Language Arts and literacy classrooms.

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QFT in English Language Arts - Right Question Institute

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Here are 3 key resources for implementing the QFT in the English Language Arts classroom. Biography and Bioethics: 9th Graders Ask Questions about the Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Ellen Gammel "More than 7 years after the publication of the book and 65 years after Henrietta Lacks lived, 9 th Graders in Ellen Gammel's honors English class in Fitchburg, MA were burning with some of the same questions."