When we ask a question of a student and they don’t respond right away, we often struggle to sit with the silence.
We may ask somebody else.
We may offer them a prompt as a lifeline.
We may ask if they want someone else to answer for them.
We usually don’t wait.
We usually don’t sit with that silence.
We usually don’t allow for enough wait time.
Some students just need a little bit of time to think.
Some need time to formulate a response.
Some need to first understand the question better.
The next time you ask a question, wait at least 10 seconds for an answer. It will seem like an eternity. It’s important though to give students that time to think and respond.
Learn to sit with the silence.
Rich (@RACzyz)