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WHAT YOUR TEACHERS WILL NEVER TELL YOU ABOUT
ASKING QUESTIONS
By Crystal
Jonas
See Reprint
Permissions Below
What
you don't know can make you look silly!
Don't ask what you should already
know. You’ve
seen this happen. You’re
in class, a student who usually not only
sleeps but also snores through most of the
period, raises his hand and begins, “This
is probably a stupid question.” For
some reason, the teacher answers, “Now,
there are no stupid questions.” And sure
enough, here it comes, the most ridiculous
question you’ve heard all year.
If you’re thinking there are
such things as stupid questions, you’re
right. Only
to soften the blow, let’s call them
ill-advised questions, shall we?
Let’s go over some questions you don’t
want to be caught dead asking.
Right off the bat, let me say that
anytime you do not read the assignment for
the day, you may not ask questions. Not
trying to be a control freak here, just
looking out for your best interest.
Why not ask if you haven’t read? Quite
simply, you can end up really looking silly
if the question is already answered in the
text. It’s
a big, black mark against you. Makes
you look not only ill-prepared, but lazy. Your
teacher is thinking, you didn’t do your
part, now you want to use class time for
something you should have done yourself.
Bad idea. Also,
if you have one of those teachers who like to
rub it in when it’s obvious that a student
hasn’t prepared, you may be in for some
serious teasing throughout the term.
You can also forget getting others to
be your partner on a group project. Once
others know you don’t do your work, they
won’t want to let you ride on their
coattails.
And obviously, no body wants someone
in a study group who won’t carry his own
weight, either.
See?
Some questions are best left unasked.
Now that I’ve got some of you
sufficiently paranoid, two important points:
1.
If
you have prepared, yes, please do ask a
question, if you need a point clarified. Jump
right in there
2. If
you do ask a question, DO NOT, under any
circumstance, begin by saying, “This is
probably as stupid question.” Be bold, it
earns you more respect.
Why leave off the “stupid question”
disclaimer?
Because it’s weak, and makes you
look like you don’t have confidence in
yourself.
You know, we teach people how to treat
us. We
do this by how we treat them, and ourselves. This
includes how we talk about ourselves. Saying
we have a stupid question really undermines
our own credibility.
©2006 Crystal Jonas
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