How Do You Answer When They Ask “Why?”

Over the past few years, we’ve seen how conversations have heated up around a number of topics. And in your classroom, you’ve probably heard a diversity of opinions on every one of them. As educators, we often have the wonderful opportunity to participate in passionate discussion with young, sharp minds.

But in exploring these ideas with our students, there’s something more at stake. For our classroom, we’re as much a resource for critical inquiry as we are their support when they ask difficult questions. After all, it’s not always easy, even for adults, to take on questions that don’t have easy answers.

The way we respond when they ask “why” or “how” is as critical in encouraging inquiry as the answers they find.