Who's On First?

I keep six honest serving men 
(They taught me all I knew); 
Their names are What and Why and When 
And How and Where and Who. 
[The Just-So Stories (1902)]

I have just finished volume one of my Book of Mormon Studies for kids. This will get you through the first half of the Book of Mormon. As I finished, I realized the second volume will need to move to another level of learning. The first volume is based on the teaching method of "ask a question and allow the child to find the answer in the scriptures." This method works great to get the kids into the story and to begin understanding the language of the scriptures. But I discovered that about half way through, the kids are ready to move to another level of learning. They are ready to begin leading the search instead of following it. 

They are ready to ask the questions. Here are five reasons asking questions can be better than answering them.

1) Questions enhance knowledge and enlarge faith. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints began when Joseph Smith asked a question in prayer. "One need only peruse the Doctrine and Covenants and recognize that, in fact, virtually all of these revelations—both to individuals and to the Church generally—came in response to carefully reasoned and faith-laden supplications to our Father in Heaven."

2) Thoughtful questions allow us to progress. Without questions, we just keep doing things the way we always have. Questions lead to discoveries.

3) Questions help us to admit we don't know everything. It is freeing to our kids and to ourselves when we admit there is more to learn. Think of how great it will be to discover the answers to unknown questions together with your children.

4)  "Asking questions seems to drive creativity. It cultivates an open mind." 

5) It is fun. How fun is it to ask questions and not feel the need to find every answer? "Not every question needs a meaningful answer. Part of the mystery of life is that answers are so slippery, so frequently absent. If answers were straightforward, life would hold little interest."

I can't wait to begin volume two of Book of Mormon Studies. What questions will the kids create? How will they learn to find their own answers?

"Questions are ships that sail us into unfamiliar territory. It’s the strangeness of the question that compels us forward, not necessarily the answers we find."

Sources:
"The Importance of Asking Questions," by Cecil O Samuelson
http://speeches.byu.edu/?act=viewitem&id=248


"Asking questions is more important than finding answers--why?" by Tom Johnson
http://idratherbewriting.com/2012/04/27/asking-questions-is-more-important-than-finding-answers-why/