What can questions do?

How many questions do you ask each day?

How many questions form in your mind each day?

What does it mean to have questions?

Is it Ok to have questions that don't have answers?

I think asking questions is a good thing (even the WHY? questions from my child).

If you are asking questions, that means you want to know more .... which means you are engaged in learning, even if it is not always the traditional definition of or setting for learning to take place.

This past weekend, I was at a traditional learning setting ... NC State University. I was even in Poe Hall which houses their College of Education. However there was what one might consider untraditional learning taking place ... at least for me!

I got to attend my first EdCamp Unconference ... EdCampNC. The title of the event explains it in many ways: a bunch of Educators got together to talk and learn from each other but not in a structured conference setting.

Now as someone who likes to have things planned, organized, and on a time schedule ... there was a chance that this Unconference would not work too well for me, but I can happily report that was not the case. I had a great time ....and it was mostly focused on questions ...

The day started with a grid on the wall with blank paper for people to write questions and/or things they would be interested in learning more about and/or sharing. There was a piece of paper for each time slot and room. There were not specific topics or session planned ahead of time. When it came time to start the unconference, I looked at the wall to see what questions I had about the suggested topics and chose a room to go to for that conversation.

The conversations were initiated by questions ...

The conversations were fueled by questions ...

The conversations promoted, encouraged, and caused even more questions ....

And it was OK to have all those questions and to discuss all those questions and to think of even more questions ....

I enjoyed hearing the questions of others and reflecting on their questions and how the connect with my own questions ...

I am sure that in the midst of all those questions, we can find some new ideas, resources, and opportunities for learning ...

Do you think asking questions is a sign of curiosity and a desire to learn?

I can answer that one for me ... Yes!