“When the pupil is ready the master appears” is a well known Zen proverb that seems paradoxical and is often misunderstood.

Many decades ago, teachers were trained to ask questions in the classroom, a practice touted as a teaching technique.

I use this technique. But over the years I learnt that though this practice had some merit, pupils learnt more if they asked their own questions. The role of tutoring, so often claimed to be the action of the teacher, becomes the action of the pupil. When the pupil is ready the master appears.

The creation of a question followed by attempting to find an answer to it sets in motion learning mechanisms. Every good teacher knows this and respects the pupil who asks questions.

But when working among colleagues and asking questions at meetings and the like, teachers are rarely met with the same respect that’s given to their inquiring pupils.

I wonder if this is a cultural double standard among western educators that, through denial of asking questions, supresses the recognition of the need to foster this behaviour among pupils?

Ka kite
from Middle-earth

I love your zen master quote as well as your question.

My sense from being in schools a long time is that in some environments, teachers who are questioners are considered instigators or troublesome. I think it does depend on the environment in the school and the leadership and tone set though.

I just recently bought a book on Socratic questioning because I think that’s a skill that is hard to master as well. By questioning well, you can model for students the art of questioning and conversation, I think.

Looking forward to reading and sharing that.

I too have found that teachers can be labelled the same way through the simple act of asking (relevant) questions.

I will await with interest your post from your readings on Socratic questioning

Sounds fascinating.

Cheers