Who's Answer Is It?

Posted Fri Nov 30, 2001 in University

One of my students came into my office yesterday morning to go over some questions about a homework assignment. We looked at her work, then talk turned to general topics in engineering and teaching. She commented on the difference between my style and that of another of our instructors. “When I ask him a question,” she said, “he just answers it. When I ask you a question, you answer it with a question.”

I had to laugh because she really has me pegged. It may be a flaw in my approach, but I don’t think so. I tend to lead students to answer questions for themselves through a series of questions. This doesn’t always work, but it’s surprising how often it does.

I was still laughing as I told her “That’s because if I just answer the question, the answer is still mine. But if you answer it for yourself, then the answer is yours.”

“Ooh,” she said, “is that your quote or did someone else say it?”

“It’s mine.” Then I grinned. Not bad for an old professor. No, not bad at all.