This is one of my favorite things to do in class. I don't do it too often, or it would lose its specialness. Probably the best time to do this is near the end of class.
I pass out half-sheets of blank scrap paper. Students are told to write a question on the paper and turn it in. The question can be about anything. Or maybe it could be a statement about something that was covered and is still confusing. I tell the students not to put their name on it.
I collect all the questions (or statements) and pick some to go over in class. Usually, I get some off the wall non-sensical type questions that really don't have an answer. However, some of the questions are pretty good. Answering these good questions can be helpful to the whole class. Also, I find that giving students an outlet for their questions makes them feel better. Sometimes they have a question, but are afraid to ask because they think they will look silly. Typically, they think they are the only ones that don't understand. We (as instructors) know this is not true.
