Does the Textbook Actually Contain the Answers We Seek?

If the textbook contains the answers, then what are the questions?

In response to this quote, pulled from Understanding By Design, I thought maybe this is a trick question. I don't believe a textbook contains the "answers" anymore than a dictionary does. These materials contain what I would call information. I think most people would call it that. I'm talking about facts, dates, places, people, and definitions. These are not the answers to the questions we are (or should be) presenting to our students in the classroom. Simple solutions to questions that they can google is not the goal here. Teachers need to be asking questions that evoke thought and consideration from the students. Questions need to be asked that spark discussions and different points of view. Children are capable of digging deep and providing insights that even their teacher had not thought of.

We need to be asking the right questions, however, for this HOT to occur. What are the "right" questions? Well, there is no single best answer to this question. It certainly depends on the content and the students. Simply put, questions need to push students to make connections. Idealy, there would be multiple answers to one question. Questions and their answers should instigate the asking of other questions. "Good" questions focus on the big idea-what's important? What does this mean to me?

The questions that texbook answers are the ones asked at the end of a chapter. And while sometimes it is important to know the facts, the questions we really want to be asking our students cannot be found in a textbook.