Peter D. showed how to do it. He listened attentively and politely. When I asked for questions, comments or criticism, he waited while someone asked a question. Then, he asked a question. As soon as it was out of his mouth, the room exploded in laughter. He had not been trying to make a joke nor poke fun at anyone. He just remembered a few comments made to the class the day before by a professor and he genuinely wanted to know what my opinion of the subject was. However, by even inquiring about a slightly controversial topic that had seemed near and dear to the heart of another faculty member, the class realized there was a bit of a challenge to his question. The other students were delighted at the implied question and the question, knitting two separate occasions of presentation and advice together, showed the continuity of their instructional experiences.
The firm, polite, pointed question, delivered in a firm, polite way, is the essence of good classroom experiences. Unhappily, it is rare in too many classrooms. Even in graduate classes, the bulk of the time is the teacher talking and the students noting. Graduate school is expensive. The students have earning potential but are foregoing the chance for monetary gain to learn. Too many don't seem to realize the individuality of their brains. They have questions and insights of great value to everyone in the group, including the teacher but they are too tired, too habitually silent to take advantage of the opportunity to fire off their comments or criticism or doubts.
Pete is older than most students and that is often the key. Older students know that they want to know, they know what they want to know and they know how to find out. They do. A good bunch of questioners and commenters and critics remind me of a pack of wolves or hounds. I have not actually observed this but I have seem pictures and movies. Each canine is too small and weak to bring down the game alone but together they get the meat they need and want. Through fast team work and good thinking, a group of inquiring students move in with their questions and get the information and its limitations they seek.
