Take an Inquiring Disposition

Presented by:

Farrah Abougoush, Corrie Cavers,

John Cheeseman, Michael Craig,

and AllisonAllison Handelsman

For WestCAST - February 2004

What is Inquiry

Inquiry-based Approach Student-driven practice that

engages the natural curiosity of learners into meaningful and authentic ideas and topics. It is used as a tool to help students uncover and discover the curriculum

Why does this matter? What matters about this subject/topic?

Traditional Approach Teacher-driven practice that

is focused on a literal interpretation of the curriculum. Subjects are taught independently of each other and often divided into manageable and so-called age appropriate learnings within the subject.

What do I teach? How do I teach it?

Encounters with Inquiry

Encounter One - Farrah Inquiry was hokey, impractical, unstructured and too

much work. The fear of it was a barrier. Realized that she was teaching this naturally. Inquiry is a disposition not a practice. Ultimately she still is never really sure if she is doing

it, she is just working on doing it better.

Encounters with Inquiry

Encounter Two - Corrie Open to the idea but felt that Inquiry was idealized Experienced frustration with the pace. It was not happening the way it is supposed to look. It required collaboration between staff but there were

conflicts with the idea of where it should go. Then suddenly all of this did not matter when it was

ultimately owned by the students.

Encounters with Inquiry

Encounter Three – Allison Wanted to see it on the whole school level. Frustration with trying to get it to catch with the

students. Conflicts between student-led and teacher-led What is the difference between inquiry, project

based, and theme teaching? Saw one student’s curiosity ignite the rest of the

class. Came to the realization that it can be small part or a

large part of your classroom.

Encounters with Inquiry

Encounter Four – Mike Pro Inquiry. Biggest discovery was the question “What Matters?” Inquiries can be big or small Challenge between having control and giving it up.

What about teacher accountability? Set the kids up to succeed, then trust the kids, trust

the process it will all work out.

Encounters with Inquiry

Encounter Five – John Very positive towards inquiry and how it could re-

envision education. Stop doing education to children in favor of

educating children. Inquiry is about authentic learning, excitement,

understanding, involvement and engagement with the learning.

Students are capable of so much more and holding them up to their own capabilities.

Let's Try

1. An Explanation and Example of “What Matters?”

2. Stump the Panel

3. What Did We Miss

4. Practice Together

Planning

In the traditional model, it is easy to plan ahead and perfect a lesson thus controlling the class, the material, and the lesson.

In the traditional model, you are the one who knows, and your job is to tell what you know.

In Inquiry, the traditional model of Plan, Implement, Evaluate is replaced with Prepare, Improvise, and Reflect.

Become the Guide on the Side not the Sage on the Stage.

Taking on the teachable moments as they happen.

Differentiation

In Inquiry, students push themselves as far as they can go because they are engaged in the learning.

There are no pre-set limits or boundaries. Different levels – Every student, or group of

students, is engaged in a personal search for answers to similar but not identical questions, at different levels.

Different products – Students can express their knowledge in a medium that works best for them.

Collaborative Work – Students listen to each other and build on each others’ ideas with respect.

Classroom Management

Teaching the class rather than managing the class. Community as manager - rules are constructed and enforced

as a group. Engagement in learning means less classroom disruption. Students, not the teachers, take responsibility for making good

choices. Students are self-regulated, self-disciplined and self-directed. Respect is born of inquiry because the teacher is modeling that

they are actively interested in their students' learning. Inquiring into the reasons behind acting out.

Assessment

The students ask the questions and the students answer those questions. The questions drive the inquiry process. The students are provoked by what they are learning and what to learn more.

Inquiry involves the students in the assessment. Students are aware of the expectations for them to construct their

knowledge. With the use of journal entries, student conversations, and work

samples, assessment is formative and subjective, ongoing and anecdotal.

On-going assessment helps prevent students from getting stuck in a particular area and enable students to build on what they are doing well.

Non-competitive assessment Adapt assessment to fit the student

Summary

Authentic Learning Engaged Learning Shift in disposition toward classroom

education Naturally occurring assessment, classroom

management, and differentiation A natural disposition

Questions?

Galileo Educational Network

http://www.galileo.org/

Glendale Elementary School

http://schools.cbe.ab.ca/b143Check under Current Inquiries