Are questions scary?

My life has been about questions. I think it is a deep-seated cultural/religious thing!

As Chair of PCMA's Student Task Force, I served on the PCMA Annual Meeting Planning Committee. In that role, bouncing around session concepts, speakers and design with PCMA members and staff, it was evident that I drove Chair Neil Schriever a little meshugge! (C'mon .. no 'poor Neil' comments! And Neil? If it makes you feel better, I am sure my parents (of blessed memory) felt the same from all my questioning.)

Why and how?

In addition to being curious, I am a questioner, aural learner and an MBTI "P" who needs to ask and hear questions out loud to process the information. My learning preferences made me as curious about room sets and delivery formats, about interactivity in sessions, about how students would be incorporated into the entire Annual Meeting, as others were about session titles and speakers.

I asked lots of questions and to many, questions are scary. Questions make us think differently and delve deeper. Brainstorming (v. Q-storming™) is easy because it allows all ideas to be put on the table; Q-storming™ makes us consider all angles before we make final decisions. It can take a bit more time and often, in this process and in life, decisions are needed quickly.

There was lots of good that came from the questions during the AMPC experience:
- Students will be seen and heard from more, beginning at the Student Union on Sunday. [Note: MegaMentors, among PCMA professionals, are still wanted. A commitment to being with us on Sun., 1/9 from noon - 3 and a desire to help students grow is all that's needed. Email me at eisenstodt@aol.com if you can and will participate.]
- PCMA will incorporate some new informal learning venues and ventures including facilitated discussions of general session learning applications.
- A session where you can learn to ask better questions will be held on Monday, 1/10.

So why ask?

Why not?