[I read "Identifying Instructional Moves During Guided Learning" by Frey & Fisher and "Every Child a Reader: What One Teacher Can Do" by Gary Su Pinnell.]

One of my favorite things was Frey & Fisher saying of asking questions to check understanding, "The intention of this question is an important one, as the existence of a punctuation mark alone does not qualify it for this category".

They said the most common type of questions asked was elicitation. While these questions are good to ask and important, certainly the other types of questions allow the student to demonstrate/foster a deeper understanding of material. The least frequently asked question types-- divergent, heuristic, and inventive-- could be used more often. How can teachers avoid falling into the trap of "just the facts" questions, especially when a lot of this has to be done on the fly? Having some go-to patterns of questions might help.

There is a lot of emphasis in both readings on having a set of techniques ready for different situations. I think that makes it somewhat less intimidating, knowing it's a set of habits I can make to become super-teacher. I wonder how some people come upon the theory they decide to stick with. How will I know when I've found my teaching philosophy soulmate?