Table of Contents
What is the most powerful question?
John-Paul told us that the three most powerful questions he knows are: “What do you want?” “What are you most afraid of?” “And how do I know that you will do it?” (i.e. what does success literally look like?) 7 Key Questions: Who, What, Why, When, Where, How, How Much? 7 Key Questions: Who, What, Why, When, Where, How, How Much? Much religious education now, and perhaps more to come, is based on a consideration of what some have called ultimate questions. Questions like ‘Who am I ?’ , ‘Why are we here ?’ , ‘What is the purpose of life ?’ , ‘Does the universe have meaning ?’ The kings three questions were: → What is the right time to begin something? → Which people should he listen to? → What is the most important thing for him to do?
What are powerful questions?
Powerful questions are open ended and empower the person responding to choose the direction they take. They create possibilities and encourage discovery, deeper understanding, and new insights. They are curious and non-judgmental as they seek to further learning and connection. John-Paul told us that the three most powerful questions he knows are: “What do you want?” “What are you most afraid of?” “And how do I know that you will do it?” (i.e. what does success literally look like?) Thick questions deal with the big picture and large concepts. Answers to thick questions are involved, complex and open ended. Thin questions deal with specific content or words. Answers to thin questions are short and close ended. Essential questions are open-ended and don’t have a single, final, and correct answer. Essential questions are thought-provoking and intellectually engaging. They also promote discussion and debate. Essential questions call for higher-order thinking, such as analysis, inference, evaluation, and prediction. Universal questions (level three) are open-ended questions that are raised by ideas in the text. They are intended to provoke a discussion of an abstract idea or issue. Here are some examples of Big Questions: Are animals essential for man’s survival? Explain. How would our culture be different without computers?