Challenge: Make sure all requests are responded to, and preferably by a student.

Why:

• Many students are afraid of asking.
• If we, or the teacher, answer every time, students are not motivated to help each other.
• Teachers don't have time to answer everything

So.. what you are saying is that we should make sure everyone gets an answer, but we can not answer ourselves? How is that done?

Never said it would be easy, did we? Still, its doable.

Possible strategies

Here are some possible strategies:

1. Wait. Wait.

   If you answer right away, others don't have the chance to respond and you train everyone that they don't have to get involved. Instead, wait with answers.

2. Acknowledge that you have seen the question

   But we hate waiting. If a student is stuck, (s)he wants to be unstuck NOW. Combine waiting with acknowledging you have seen the question. "Good question! Anyone else wondering the same thing?"

3. Ask the crowd

   Address the crowd and ask if there anyone out there who knows and just need a small push "any of you brilliant students able to help our Sara? Thanks, @everyone❤️"

4. Be open about you are not sure

   Uncertainty is OK. It might be that others are 90 % sure, but the remaining 10 % keeps them from answering. Be the first one to say "I am not sure. Have wondered about the same. Could it be ..?"

5. Reach out to first followers

   Send a direct message to some of your favorite students and ask if they are able to answer. A direct request might do wonders.