Roberto Germán [00:00:01]:
Welcome to Our Classroom. In this space, we talk about education, which is inclusive of, but not limited to, what happens in schools. Education is taking place whenever and wherever we are willing to learn. I am your host, Roberto Germán, and our classroom is officially in session. Welcome back to Our Classroom. I want to begin today's episode with a question, not an answer, because I think that's exactly where education needs to begin. We're living through one of the biggest shifts education has ever experienced. It's similar to another shift that's happening in the financial world.
Roberto Germán [00:00:49]:
Some of y'all know what I'm talking about. Nonetheless, artificial intelligence can summarize a chapter, could write an essay, could generate lesson plans. Some of y'all did that It could explain algebra, translate languages, create study guides in a matter of seconds. Students have access to information and more information than any previous generation in history. And yet, I don't think information is our biggest challenge anymore. The question that's been sitting with me is this: Are we preparing students for answers? Or are we preparing them to answer better questions? Because here's what AI has revealed. Answers are becoming easier to find, but meaningful questions, critical thinking, that's becoming, hmm, well, more valuable than ever. The classroom has changed, right? And so for generations, School rewarded students for finding the right answer.
Roberto Germán [00:01:57]:
Raise your hand, fill in the blank, choose A, B, C, or D, memorize, recall, repeat. Again, those skills still matter. Facts matter. Knowledge matters. Learning foundational content matters. But information is no longer scarce. We could get that Snap of the fingers. It's everywhere.
Roberto Germán [00:02:22]:
It's accessible. Our students don't need another device to get the answers. They need teachers who help them discern which answers are worth trusting— keyword discern— and which questions are worth pursuing. Maybe the role of the teacher is changing, not because teachers are becoming less important, but because teachers are becoming more important than ever. A lot of people not thinking critically. And so we want to leave with curiosity because curiosity is a skill, my folks. Think about young children. They are naturally curious.
Roberto Germán [00:03:06]:
Why this? Why that? Why this? Why that? And sometimes it's tiring. I'm not going to lie. Why is the sky blue? Where does the moon go during the day? Why do people speak different languages? Why? Why, why, why, why, why? Why do leaves change color? Listen, I could go on with the whys. They're constantly asking questions, and we should encourage that. Somewhere along the way, many students stop asking questions, and not because they stop wondering, but because school sometimes rewards certainty more than it does leading with curiosity. We praise the students with the correct Answer. But we don't celebrate the student who asks the thoughtful question. Well, most of us don't.
Roberto Germán [00:03:55]:
Imagine if our classrooms became places where questions were valued as much as answers. How might that change learning? Questions. It's the questions. It's the questions. Why? Because questions build better readers. As an English teacher, I think about this all the time. Strong readers don't simply understand the text, they interrogate it. They ask, whose perspective is missing? Why did the author make this choice? What assumptions am I bringing to this story? What questions does this text leave unanswered? Reading isn't passive.
Roberto Germán [00:04:37]:
It's a conversation. The same is true for history. Science, math, art. The goal isn't simply to absorb information, it's to engage with it, to question it, to wrestle with it, to build upon it, to think critically. And questions build better humans. This goes beyond academics. Questions shape relationships. Think about the difference between these 2 approaches.
Roberto Germán [00:05:09]:
One says, I already know. The other asks, help me understand, I have questions. One shuts down conversation, the other opens it up. Imagine if we lived that way, right? Think about your respective neighborhood. Think about differing communities. Think about the political differences, so on and so forth. Curiosity makes us Better teachers. It makes us better learners.
Roberto Germán [00:05:40]:
It makes us better leaders, parents, neighbors, citizens. One of the greatest gifts we can give students isn't confidence that they always have the right answer. It's the humility to keep learning, to keep listening, to keep asking. Humility is a choice. Hahaha. Questions. It's the questions. It's the questions.
Roberto Germán [00:06:10]:
The questions I hope students leave with when students leave our classrooms, because I don't expect them to remember every lesson, and I hope you don't either. I certainly don't remember every lesson my teachers taught me, but I hope Our students leave with questions like, how can I make my community better? We need to see improved communities. We need to see a people united. We need to see a community in a society that advances. I want them to leave with questions such as, whose voice haven't I heard yet? What can I learn from someone whose experience Is different from mine? How do I know if something is true? What kind of person do I want to become and how do I become that person? Who could help me along the way? Those questions don't end with graduation. They're questions for life. Life, life, life, life, life, life. Yeah.
Roberto Germán [00:07:22]:
Maybe you saw the movie, maybe you heard the song, maybe you didn't. Leave with curiosity nonetheless. So as we continue navigating this new era of education, maybe it's time to redefine success. Success isn't simply students who can recall information. I know many of us know that, and yet we are so programmed that end result ends up looking as such. And still, success is students who lead with curiosity, students who know how to investigate, students who know how to practice active listening, students who know how to ask— ask with a K— thoughtful generous, courageous questions. Because answers will continue to change, technology will continue to evolve, new tools would— will emerge. But curiosity, and leading with curiosity, that's always going to be a thing.
Roberto Germán [00:08:36]:
And I'll leave you with this: the best classrooms aren't the ones where students Are afraid to be wrong. They're the ones where students are excited to wonder, where asking a great question is celebrated, where curiosity becomes contagious. Maybe the future of education isn't about producing students with all the right answers. Maybe it's about cultivating people who never stop asking thoughtful questions, being critical thinkers. That's it. Thanks for joining me for another episode of Our Classroom. And if this conversation encouraged you, you know what time it is. I'd love for you to share this with another educator who's preparing students not just for school, but for life.
Roberto Germán [00:09:23]:
Haha. And if your school district is exploring how to cultivate deeper thinking, rich discussion, and more meaningful learning experiences, I'd love to partner with them. We at Multicultural Classroom would love to support professional development that schools and organizations are doing and provide coaching and partner in regards to curriculum in whatever ways that you see fit. But until next time, teach with truth, lead with courage, and belong to a community that gets it. As always, your engagement in Our Classroom is greatly appreciated. Be sure to subscribe, rate the show, and write a review. Finally, for resources to help you understand the intersection of race, bias, education, and society, go to multiculturalclassroom.com. Peace and love from your host, Roberto Germán.
Roberto Germán [00:10:29]:
Peace.
