The QUESTion Day
The QUESTion Day is an exciting combination of events – a school-wide assembly, performances and class discussions – around student’s most important questions in life. In the process, thousands of questions are gathered and posted in public spaces all over the school. Students, teachers and staff explore topics that relate to their own journey of discovering who they are, finding purpose in life, overcoming challenges, and stepping back to look at their lives from a bigger perspective and a larger context.
This event serves as a powerful step towards creating a school-wide culture where big questions are valued, negative social barriers are dissolved, and meaningful, community-building conversations are the norm.
We work with schools to customize each QUESTion Day so that it fits the needs of the community. The basic elements include:
- A 45-90 min whole-school assembly that explores choice, purpose, fearlessness, interconnectedness and the bigger picture in students’ lives;
- Live performances (group skits, poems, dance, spoken word, original videos) by Student QUESTion Ambassadors and their peers;
- Community discussions about the biggest questions on students’ and teachers’ minds;
- A guided self-reflection exercise into the QUESTion Project’s 5 pillar journey, using our signature “Self-Assessment Matrix” as a visual evaluation tool.
The thousands of questions gathered and posted throughout the school (typically 1,000 – 5,000 in total) remain on the walls – outside classrooms, in stairways and on bulletin boards – for up to one week. Students stop to read these questions and spark conversations with their peers. The anonymity of the process allows them to share a deeper part of themselves, foster stronger relationships, and recognize the common challenges and uncertainties they face.
The QUESTion Day is a core part of bringing big questions into education and accessing every student’s potential to be curious, authentic and inspired. By speaking about these core human themes, students and teachers challenge their interpersonal barriers and connect in unprecedented ways. This day serves as a catalyst for creating a culture in the school where big questions matter, as well as a kick-off event for the QUESTion Class and the QUESTion Ambassador Program. In year 2 and beyond, the Student Ambassadors at each school are responsible for creating and hosting the event. The QUESTion Day has proven to create a memorable and transformative experience for the entire schools.