The Power of Questions: Teaching Students to Ask the Right Ones

Every teacher’s been there. You’re in the middle of a lesson when a student poses a question you didn’t see coming—the kind that makes the whole class pause, lean in, and actually want to know the answer. It’s the moment when real learning happens—not because the teacher delivered the perfect lesson, but because a student’s curiosity took center stage.

We all love those golden moments when a student asks a question that cracks a lesson wide open. Most of the time, however, the questions sound more like, “Wait, are we turning this in?” or “What’s for lunch?” It’s not that the kids don’t care—it’s just that no one’s ever really shown them how to ask meaningful questions.

So, how do we change that? How do we create classrooms where curiosity isn’t an afterthought but the driving force? Let’s dig in.

Why Student Questions Matter (More Than We Think)

Questions do more than help students gather information—questions shape the way they think. I’ve seen it happen: one student asks something unexpected, and suddenly, the whole class is re-evaluating what they thought they knew. In fact, research backs this up. A study from the Right Question Institute found that students who learn to generate their own questions engage more deeply and retain information longer.

And yet, many students don’t know how to ask great questions because they’ve spent years being rewarded for simply answering them.

Step 1: Normalize Not Knowing

Here’s something we don’t talk about enough: students won’t ask good questions if they think they’re supposed to have all the answers. Unfortunately, that’s how many schools have conditioned them to think. The focus is so often on getting it right that students don’t feel like there’s room for not knowing.

So what do we do? One simple shift: celebrate curiosity. When a student asks something interesting, don’t rush to answer. Take a moment to acknowledge it. You might say, “That’s a great question—I hadn’t thought of it that way before.” That shows students that wondering out loud is valued, and their thinking matters.

Another trick? Model curiosity. Admit when you don’t know something and think through it aloud. Students need to see that not knowing isn’t failure—it’s the starting point for discovery.

Step 2: Teach Students How to Ask Better Questions

We assume that questioning is an innate skill, but like anything else, it needs to be taught. One powerful strategy is the Question Formulation Technique (QFT), developed by Rothstein and Santana. The process is simple:

1.  Give students a stimulus (a quote, image, data set, or problem) and ask them to generate as many questions as possible in a short time. No filtering, just listing.

2.  Sort and improve: Have students identify open vs. closed questions and discuss when each type is useful.

3.  Prioritize: Ask students to choose their best questions and explain why.

After using QFT, teachers often notice an immediate difference—students ask sharper, more insightful questions, leading to richer discussions. (https://rightquestion.org/what-we-do/)

Step 3: Shift the Classroom Culture

If students are going to ask good questions, they need to believe their questions matter. Here are a few ways to reinforce this:

—Use student questions as lesson starters. Instead of beginning with an objective, try kicking off class with a student-generated question related to the topic.

—Respond with curiosity. When a student asks something unexpected, don’t rush to answer—pause and let it settle. A simple shift in response can make a big impact. Flip the question back to them with, “That’s a great question! What do you think,” or “How could we figure this out?” When students see their curiosity being valued, they start asking even better questions.

—Encourage “I wonder…” statements. If students aren’t used to asking questions, give them an easy way in: “I wonder why…” or “I wonder how…” tied to the lesson. It’s amazing how quickly those little prompts build confidence.

When students see their questions shaping the conversation, something shifts. They stop waiting for permission to think and start taking charge of their own learning.

Step 4: Embed Inquiry into Everything

Once students are comfortable asking questions, the real magic happens when inquiry becomes part of the daily routine. Try:

—Reverse Quizzes. Instead of giving students questions, have them write their own test questions on the material. (Bonus: You quickly see what they do and do not understand.)

—Socratic Seminars. Socratic Seminars transformed my classroom. When students are the ones driving the discussion—asking the questions, pushing back, connecting ideas—it stops being about “the right answer” and becomes real thinking. The key? Step back. If I jump in too soon, they default to me. But when they know it’s on them, the conversation takes off.

—Curiosity Journals. Instead of waiting for students to ask questions in the moment (which can be intimidating), give them space to jot down their thoughts throughout the week. Some of my quietest students end up writing the most interesting questions. When we finally dig into them, it’s as if the floodgates have opened.

Final Thoughts

Students who ask great questions don’t just learn more—they think differently. They challenge ideas, connect the dots, and wrestle with the messy parts of understanding. And that’s what we want, isn’t it? Not just students who memorize facts, but students who actually wonder.

And the best part is, you don’t need to rewrite your entire curriculum to make it happen. It’s not about adding more—it’s about shifting the way we respond when students start thinking out loud.

So the next time a student hesitates before asking, “Wait… but what if…?” don’t rush past it. Let the moment breathe. Because that’s where the real learning happens.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, asking great questions is a life skill that extends far beyond the classroom. It helps students become thoughtful citizens and engaged community members. It shapes them into better friends, colleagues, and even parents—people who listen, think deeply, and seek to understand rather than just react.