The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, but the illusion of knowledge.
Questions are an everyday staple of school life. From the “How are you?” at the gate to “Where’s your homework?” in lessons, we live in an environment which is full of requests for answers. When more than one question is asked, especially when they are attached to points, we are on our way to another appreciated feature of school life – The Quiz.
Some school quizzes gain almost legendary status. Mr. Potter’s Big Wednesday Quiz and the Senior School House quiz to name but a couple. Mr. Brown’s Christmas lunch quiz is also a cracker. Come the end of term then quizzes abound – they are much enjoyed. Within lessons they make an appearance from time to time. Few pause to give much thought to the importance of the humble quiz in the mosaic of education, for quizzes are powerful educational tools. Many of our quizzes are conducted in teams or groups – speaking up can be a challenge for some and the discussion that comes before an answer may be one way of building confidence. Who hasn’t thought ruefully when the answers are revealed “I was right, I wish I had said something”. When answers are disputed, we learn to put our case, to stand up for what we believe is the correct answer, and that is a valuable experience. Regular retrieval practice is seen as a vital educational tool which assists with the retention of information. Quizzes can be used to build leadership skills, captaining a quiz team can put you in awkward situations, particularly when the answer is disputed between team members. There are egos to be managed. They also build a degree of resilience. A wrong answer is not the end of the world, and it is always good to be reminded of our weak areas (rap music and horse racing are two of mine). Once identified we can work on these shortcomings, although I’ll give rap a miss. After a bad performance in one round you have to move on to the next with positivity. It all adds to a resilience that is necessary for success.
Proficient quizzers are good listeners. They know that answering the question in the right way is often as important as getting the right answer. Some perfect the art of interruption in order to grab the point for their team, it is an important skill in calculating risk. As every teacher has told every pupil from the beginning of time – understanding the question is the key to getting the right answer.
Not all questions we ask in school are trivial. During our Senior School assembly our female prefects posed an implicit question through their descriptions of the women who have inspired them. We were inspired by the biographies that were shared, but left asking why their contributions to the development of science, history, music and medicine have not been recognised?
Our questions in school can be quickfire or may require a longer response. Some are trivial and others are profound. As many will find out tonight, one of the most important roles of the quiz is to bring people together and to have fun. Thank you to the BSP Society for organising the Parents’ Quiz this evening. May the best team win.
Nicholas Hammond
Headmaster
