To freely flourish is to not be afraid of inquiring

To freely flourish is to not be afraid of inquiring

What is a dumb question? Oftentimes, students or people in general are afraid to ask questions because we might ask “dumb questions” – questions that reveal our lack of knowledge and understanding of a subject matter.

Now that I’m on the other side of the classroom as a teacher, I realize that dumb questions are perfectly fine especially at the introductory phases of a module. What is frustrating is what I would call “ignorant questions” – questions that reveal a person’s deliberate ignorance over the topic. Maybe the student did not read or watch a pre-assigned material. Maybe the student did not actually try to understand a subject matter; they merely wanted to rely on being spoonfed what and how to think.

A fulfilling dialogue in a classroom, whether physical or digital, is when we clarify our (mis)understanding. In good faith, there are attempts from all parties to understand a subject or a phenomenon. And the invitation is for teachers to cultivate a psychologically safe space and for students to have the courage to understand and to inquire.

Luke 9:43b-45. Its meaning was hidden… And they were afraid to ask

[DAILY GOSPEL INSIGHTS AND REFLECTION FOR MANAGEMENT AND ORGANIZATION 267: SEPTEMBER 24, 2022]