Inquiring into inquiry…

How would you define inquiry learning? What are the characteristics? Can you give examples and non-examples?

Are the responses below similar or different to yours?

Our Learning Team Leaders are revisiting inquiry in this month’s meetings. We organise our thinking individually first, using the Frayer Model, before discussing our ideas as a group. Despite the fact that we work, learn and plan together, everyone responds in different ways and the perspectives are interesting.

Next, we view the beautiful video ‘The Potter’ (again!) and reflect on the ideas it portrays.

The discussion:

• Curiosity drives learning.
• It’s important to have opportunities to try and fail.
• You need to understand the principles before applying them to make the magic.
• Learning is enhanced by persistence, enthusiasm and resilience.
• The teacher’s role is sometimes to guide and inspire, rather than instruct.
• Teachers need to know when to let go and when to step in.
• Creating a safe, secure environment supports the learning process.
• Empower the learners to own their own learning.
• The teachers role is to support the learner in finding his own way.
• It’s not always necessary to teach skills first. Allow the learner time to experiment before the teacher steps in.

Follow up – We’ll each read a blog post related to inquiry and unpack the big ideas at our next meeting. Inquire Within will probably be sufficient inspiration, but would you like to share your favourite post about inquiry?

What surprised me?

A group of teachers inquirers, who have been working together for years, can still learn from each other and offer different perspectives, as we continue our never-ending inquiry into what inquiry learning can be…