Asking Great questions and leading great discussion

1. Asking Great questions and leading great discussion Ken Braddy, Manager – Ongoing Curriculum

2. Which quotation do you like best? • “Judge a man by his questions rather than his answers” – Voltaire • “My greatest strength as a consultant is to be ignorant and ask a few questions” – Peter Drucker • “Teaching isn’t telling; learning isn’t listening” – Dr. Howard Hendricks, Dallas Theological Seminary • “The one who talks is the one who learns” – Karen Dockrey, author • “Conversation is the laboratory and workshop of the student” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

3. Insights from Scripture • Jesus invited people to talk • Jesus asked questions • To help draw conclusions • To correct thinking • Jesus moved from the simple to the complex

5. Questions

6. The Yakety-Yak Principle: people learn better when they discuss what they are learning Teaching the Bible Creatively, p.61

7. “The first step of transformation suggests that teachers may help persons by …raising questions” Basics of Teaching for Christians, p61

8. Types of discussion questions • Icebreaker • Bridge • Closed • Open • Inductive • Text-based • Experience-based

9. Discussion-killing questions • Idiot • Unreasonable • Long-winded • Compound • Leading-the-witness • Spur-of-the-moment

10. Questions that boost discussion • Thoughtful/provocative • Controversial • Follow-up • Emotional

11. Leader tips • Encourage discussion by finding something to agree with in each answer given • Never laugh at or ridicule the person • Allow group members to talk more than you do • Engage in active listening • Don’t be afraid of silence

12. Silence is golden • “Research indicates that the quality of student responses improves if the wait time after a teacher’s question extends beyond the normal one to three seconds to twenty seconds” – Basics of Teaching for Christians (Pazmino, p.68)

13. Leader tips • Be intentional • Be consistent • Be patient

14. “What is often remembered from a special meal is the conversation that occurred during and after the meal, when people linger and open their hearts and minds…this assumes that dialogue and interaction are key elements to anticipate and plan for in advance of the actual teaching” – Basics of Teaching for Christians (Pazmino, p.35)

15. “I am convinced that depth in learning God’s Word is often directly related to how much people interact on a personal level as they discover, wrestle, and apply principles from the text to their lives.” Heart Deep Teaching, p127

16. “…good questions do not just happen…questions formulated on the spot are often vague or unproductive. It is best for teachers to write out questions in advance. They should avoid yes/no and short answer questions in favor of questions that motivate thinking” (p.191)

17. Let’s Practice! James 1:1-4 1 James, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ: to the 12 tribes in the Dispersion. Greetings. • Consider it a great joy, my brothers, whenever you experience various trials • Knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. • But endurance must do its complete work, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.

18. Questions we developed for an upcoming James 1:1-4 lesson • Who in your life is good at making lemonade out of sour circumstances? (icebreaker) • What keeps you from reacting joyfully when the pressure of life feels overwhelming? (bridge) • What emotions did you feel during your most recent trial? (emotional) • During your most recent trial, how did you see God walking with you? (experience) • How have you been encouraged by the endurance of others during trials? (experience)

19. Suggested resources • Field Guide For Small Group Leaders, Sam O’ Neal • Creative Bible Teaching, Richards & Bredfelt • Teaching the Bible Creatively, McNabb & Mabry • Heart Deep Teaching, Gary Newton • Basics of Teaching for Christians, Robert Pazmino