What Makes You Say That? - The Magic Question

One of our core mindsets at AISM is our belief that ‘Learning is a Consequence of Thinking’.

Let’s unpack that for a moment. Learning is a consequence of thinking. Learning is not a consequence of sitting silently and listening! 

That said, sometimes sitting silently and listening can be a good starting point. If we’re going to be thinking, we need something to think about, so if sitting silently and listening means that we are exposed to some interesting knowledge and information, this is a good beginning. 

But it is only when we do something cognitively with that information that we truly begin to develop our understanding. It is only when we ask interesting questions, or share an opinion, or justify our thinking, or make connections, or explain an idea to someone else, or capture the essence of a concept, that deep learning can take place. Learning happens when we are motivated to think in a variety of different ways about the content we explore. Learning happens when we are in a context where we choose to switch our ‘Minds On’!

As teachers, parents, friends or family members, there is one particularly powerful ‘magic question’ we can practise asking over and over again if we are keen to support our children in becoming powerful learners.

“What makes you say that?”

This question is best asked as a follow-up to any statement, assertion or opinion expressed by someone else. 

Seemingly simple on the surface, this question requires children and young people to make visible the thinking that underpins their perspective or point of view. It places them in the role of ‘justifier’, holding them to account for their thinking, and encouraging them to talk more about the rationale behind their thoughts.

As parents, if our child says , “I really like this book”, we might ask them, “What makes you say that?” 

If they come home from school and say, “Learning about space is so cool!”, we might reply with, “What makes you say that?”

If they say, “Today we learnt something really interesting about trigonometry”, then it’s another occasion for “What makes you say that?”

If they ask, “Why is the sky blue?”, you might ask, “What makes you ask that?”

If they say, “I’m feeling sad today?”, it could be another good time to ask, “What makes you say that?”

As educators, we call WMYST? the ‘magic question’ because it is always amazing to see how much of our students’ thinking it reveals that previously lay hidden. We find that by asking the question regularly in class with our students, we are able to build a rich culture of thinking, where students are delighted to share their theories, ideas and explanations, and feel valued as thinkers and learners.

Tone is important when it comes to asking WMYST?

If we use a dismissive tone, emphasising the final word - “What makes you say that?” - we can easily make our children feel belittled and crushed for sharing their thoughts!

But if we ask the question with just the right sense of genuine interest, it is one of the best ways to make our children feel valued. It sends a message that we are genuinely interested in their thinking and genuinely interested to learn more about it. In a world where sometimes it feels like people talk over us most of the time and are more interested to jump in with what they think than listen to us, it sends the exact opposite message.

“I value you and what you have to offer,” it tells people. “I really want to know what you think about this!”

When we first start asking the question a lot, it can take children a little time to adjust. If they come from a culture where it’s less about thinking and more about ‘memorise and recall’, they might feel that WMYST? is just another way of checking whether they’ve got it right. They won’t feel encouraged to speak up and share their thoughts or opinions if this is the prevailing culture.

The spirit behind WMYST? is not to check whether they ‘have it right’. It is to surface their thinking for further discussion. It is to create a culture where thinking is celebrated, shared and collectively analysed for the benefit of everyone.

So, parents and guardians, I urge you to try out the ‘magic question’ with your children this weekend. Look for opportunities to ask it. Challenge yourselves to ask it as many times as you can. 

I wonder if your children will notice, and what they will think of it… I’d love to hear about your experiences if you try!