Chapter 3: Critical Questions, Close Reading

Chapter 3: Critical Questions, Close Reading

• Critical questions are different because they're fundamentally interpretive- there are multiple answers possible. (p.54)

I find this interesting and I definitely agree. In the text, it mentions that teachers use questions a lot as a form of learning and to get information from the students. Unfortunately, teachers use a lot of closed questions; questions which can only be answered in one way--the correct answer. I believe that I fall into this category. Most of the time, in Math, there really is only one correct answer to a question. I find myself at a loss of what to say when a student answers incorrectly in class. I usually go with "not quite" or "you're on the right track...keep working".

I know I need to incorporate some critical, open-ended questions into my discussions. The only time I really get to use these types of questions is when I am asking a student HOW the got the answers. For as black and white as math usually is, thankfully there is sometimes more than one way to ARRIVE at the answers. When I ask for an explanation, students usually struggle. They give me a few words, and even then, it seems like they are presenting the findings in a questioning way. It seems to me they have not been asked to verbally explain their critical thinking skills in a math setting.

This is something that I would like to work on in my own classroom to help to make my students more comfortable thinking critically and answering critical questions. If I could do this, I believe that my students will be more confident in answering the not-so-open-ended questions.

Barking Seals:

I selected this cartoon because I feel like it really aids in the closed question idea of math. A student having a thought or idea that is off target, and the teacher only being able to say that they are wrong due to the fact that there literally is only one correct answer to this problem. Unfortunately, through my own schooling and my teaching, I have found that there isn't a lot of room for interpretations of correct answers. You either get the question right, or you get it wrong. There usually isn't any room to read between the lines and each student offer up their own ideas and reasoning.

DECONSTRUCTION: Five Critical Questions

1) Who is the author and what is the purpose:
The author is an unknown cartoonist. The purpose, I believe, is to get a laugh out of the audience regarding the topic of math. Even as a person who likes math, I can easily see how this cartoon can be found humorous. Unfortunately, because math does seem to have a bad reputation, it's easy to just joke about being "bad at math" and leaving it at that. People use this as a reason to justify the fact that they struggle with or dislike math. And when you don't like something, it's all too easy to agree or identify with a satirical image based on that topic.


2) What creative techniques are used to attract and hold attention?Humor is definitely used. I even chuckled at this. Another technique used is relativity. A lot of people, not only students, can related to this child.


3) How might different people understand this message?
I think there are a few ways this cartoon can be understood. One point of view is from a person who is good at/likes math. That particular person could see this as nothing more than a funny little cartoon about math. They might laugh and then never give it a second thought. Another point of view is from someone who doesn't like/ struggles with math. This person could see it and scoff, thinking how true it is and that, because the struggle is real, it isn't very funny. The angle from which I see it is from a math teacher's point of view. I did laugh, but I don't particularly think it's funny. I think more along that lines that it's too true for it's own good. It's no secret math is hard, and it's no secret it's probably the most hated subject.


4) What lifestyles, values, and points of views are represented?
The point of views that I feel are represented are listed above. As far as lifestyles and values go, since this is just a drawing in black and white, I feel like not a lot jumps out at me. I think this image is what the text means when it says that the power of communication comes from the way that messages represent reality in some way. Show this to a calculus 3 class, I bet they chuckle. Show this to a remedial math class, I bet they don't.


5) What is omitted?
Because this is a "funny", there are obviously things omitted. For example, the truth about how a lot of students actually have negative feelings about math. Also how teachers, like myself, struggle with trying to not just tell the student they are wrong, but to try to help them understand WHY.



I think that this deconstruction brings to light different ways to see this media message. If I were to show this to my students, I am sure that I would get 28 different interpretations of what it's message is. As I continue to teach math at the college level, I will look for ways to ask my students open-ended questions regarding the topics that we are studying. Obviously, if we are solving equations or using specific formulas, there is only one correct answer. However, I will strive to find ways to get my students to use their critical thinking and reading skills in a math setting and to help them better verbally explain their problem solving process.

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Hobbs, R. (2011). Research as Authentic Inquiry. In Digital and media literacy: Connecting culture and classroom. Thousand Oaks, Calif.: Corwin Press.