1. Introduction to the Question Formulation Technique (QFT) Strengthening Parents’ Skills to Ask the Right Questions

2. Overview Housekeeping
About the Right Question School-Family Partnership Strategy
An experience in the Question Formulation Technique (QFT)
Unpacking the QFT
Integrating the QFT
Closing Remarks & Assignments
Q & A

3. Free Resources
The Right Question Institute offers many of our materials through a Creative Commons License and we encourage you to make use of and/or share this resource.
Please reference the Right Question Institute as the source on any materials you use.
Source:

4. An Interactive Webinar
Time:
Time’s up!
5 s

5. Let’s see who’s here! Please share in the chat box: Your name
The region you are from
Make sure you are sending the message to everyone!

6. After the Webinar Fill out evaluation Download free resources
Complete assignments to obtain certificate of participation
Look out for announcements and stay in touch!

7. Before we start…
Please select three most common things you do when working with parents:
Offer advice
Provide information
Have them prepare their own questions
Give them tips for supporting their children’s education
Encourage them to ask questions
Teach them parenting and other skills
Give them suggestions on how to partner with you
Provide a process so they can focus on key decisions
Other? (Please list)
Share the number of your three choices in the chat box.
Time:
Time’s up!
30 s

8. Honoring the original source: Parents in Lawrence, Massachusetts, 1990
“We don’t go to the school because we don’t even know what to ask.”

9. Components of the Strategy
The strategy has three components that can be used separately or as a unit.
The Question Formulation Technique (QFT)
The Support, Monitor, and Advocate Model
The Framework for Accountable Decision-Making

10. Outcomes
Parents have foundational skills they can use to partner and advocate more effectively
Parents and school staff are resources for each other on behalf of children
Educators and school staff have tools and a strategy to engage and prepare parents to partner more effectively

11. An integrated strategy
A Strategy, NOT a program
Complementary to existing programs

12. An Experience in the Question Formulation Technique (QFT)

13. Rules for Producing Questions
ASK AS MANY QUESTIONS AS YOU CAN
DO NOT STOP TO ANSWER, JUDGE OR DISCUSS
WRITE DOWN EVERY QUESTION EXACTLY AS STATED
CHANGE ANY STATEMENTS INTO QUESTIONS
What might be difficult about following these rules?
Time:
Time’s up!
30 s

14. Question Focus (QFocus)
Some parents are not asking questions.

15. Some parents are not asking questions.
QFocus:
Some parents are not asking questions.
Follow the Rules
Ask as many questions as you can.
Do not stop to answer, judge, or discuss.
Write down every question exactly as it comes to mind
Change any statements into questions.
Number the Questions
Time:
Time’s up!
3 min

16. Improving questions: Identify closed and open-ended questions
Definitions:
Closed-ended questions can be answered with a “yes” or “no” or with a one-word answer.
Open-ended questions require more explanation.
Identify your questions as closed-ended or open-ended by marking them with a “C” or an “O.”
Time:
Time’s up!
1 min

17. Advantages & Disadvantages
Closed-ended questions
Advantages
Time:
Time’s up!
30 s

18. Advantages & Disadvantages
Closed-ended questions
Disadvantages
Time:
Time’s up!
30 s

19. Advantages & Disadvantages
Open-ended questions
Advantages
Time:
Time’s up!
30 s

20. Advantages & Disadvantages
Open-ended questions
Disadvantages
Time:
Time’s up!
30 s

21. Work with Closed and Open-Ended Questions
Change one closed-ended question so it becomes open- ended.
Change one open-ended question so it becomes closed- ended.
Add the new questions to the bottom of your list of questions.
Closed
Open
Open
Closed
Time:
Time’s up!
1.5 min

22. Prioritizing Questions
Review your list of questions
Choose the three questions you consider most important.
Keep in mind your QFocus: Some parents are not asking questions.
After prioritizing consider…
Why did you choose those three questions?
Where are your priority questions in the sequence of your entire list of questions?
Time:
Time’s up!
1.5 min

23. Action Plan Next Steps: What information do you need to get?
What are specific things you will do to get the information?
Time:
Time’s up!
1.5 min

24. Share Your Work Please share: Your three priority questions
Your rationale for selecting those three
Number of your priority questions in your sequence
Your action plan
Time:
Time’s up!
2.5 min

25. Reflection: What did you learn? How can you use it? Time: Time’s up!
1 min
Time:
Time’s up!
1 min

26. Parent Reflections
Ask the right questions to be sure I understand the standards expected of my child
Communicate better with my child’s teachers
Have a plan of action when it comes to my child’s education
Monitor my child’s education more closely and ask questions to obtain answers

27. Let’s peek inside the black box
The Question Formulation Technique (QFT)
Let’s peek inside the black box

28. The QFT, on one slide… Question Focus Produce Your Questions
Follow the rules
Number your questions
Improve Your Questions
Categorize questions as closed or open-ended
Change questions from one type to another
Prioritize Your Questions
Share & Discuss Next Steps
Reflect
Ask as many questions as you can
Do not stop to discuss, judge or answer
Record exactly as stated
Change statements into questions
Closed-Ended:
Answered with “yes,” “no” or one word
Open-Ended: Require longer explanation

29. Three Thinking Abilities in One Process
CONVERGENT
THINKING
DIVERGENT THINKING
METACOGNITIVE THINKING

30. Integration Opportunities…

31. Parent Engagement Activities

32. An Integration Example
Parent Teacher Conference
A teacher helps a
mother generate questions to
address an issue
Question Focus:
Sam seems to be having trouble doing his homework.

33. An Integration Example (Continued)
Is he behaving?
Is he causing problems?
Is he doing his homework?
What do you mean by “trouble”?
How do you know he’s having trouble?
When did this start?
Did he do his homework before? 
Is he getting punished for not doing his homework?
What’s going to happen to him?
Why do you think he’s having trouble? X
What should I do to make sure he does his homework? X
What happens when he doesn’t do his homework?
Will he be held back? X

34. Developing Partnerships

35. Facilitation

36. Tips for Question Focus (QFocus) Design
It should not be a question.
The simpler the better.
One word can make a huge difference.
“What questions do you have about your child’s school environment?”
“Your child’s school environment” V.
“Sam seems to be having trouble focusing in class and doing his homework. I wonder if there is anything going on at home”
“Sam seems to be having trouble doing his homework.” V.
“Your child will be held back in the same grade for another year.”
“Your child might be held back in the same grade for another year” V.

37. Facilitation Tips Introduce the process as quickly as possible
Do not explain the question focus
Do not stop to answer the questions as they are being produced
Make sure to leave time for reflection

38. Facilitation Example

39. A Few Closing Words

40. See Chapter 6 on Septima Clark in Freedom Road: Adult Education of African Americans (Peterson, 1996).
Democracy
“We need to be taught to study rather than to believe, to inquire rather than to affirm.”
- Septima Clark

41. Assignment Complete evaluation Watch videos
Watch videos
Using the QFT with Individual Parents
Watch the video Using the QFT with Groups of Parents
Jot down your observations and reflections and submit to obtain certificate of participation.
Complete Google Form, OR
Type up your answers and send to

42. Certificate

43. Upcoming Webinars
Webinar Series: Building Stronger School-Family Partnerships
Speakers: Luz Santana & Siyi Chu
Part 2 - The Support, Monitor & Advocate Model:  Three Key Roles Parents Can Play in Their Children's Education.
Tues. March 12, 2019, 12:00 – 1:00 PM, CST
Register now!
Part 3 - The Framework for Accountable Decision Making: Strengthening Parents Skills to Participate in Decisions.
Tues. April 16, 2019, 12:00 – 1:00 PM, CST
Learn more:

44. Thank you. Now, some time for your questions
Thank you. Now, some time for your questions. We are eager to connect with you and explore how we can support your work: Register to access free resources at: