Inquiry Based Classroom
By: Jennifer Novak
As
I begin to implement inquiry based standards in to my lessons this year, I have
realized I do a lot of this already, but I guess I didn’t realize it was
inquiry based. Allowing the students to
ask questions and “wonder” is something they love to do. This is very easy when we do science because
science is all about wondering “why” things do this or that. Using these standards allows for more critical
thinking on the students end and allows them to share their knowledge with the
class. I have found using these
standards, especially in science, has allowed me to use less paper-and-pencil and more hands-on, creative, and student-centered
learning. We use technology such as
Google and You-Tube to observe videos of the Sun and the Moon, or different
types of Earth materials. The students
enjoy seeing this because they can visualize actually being there-a real
experience.
In my lessons, I want to ensure
that the children are learning content, but also learning to communicate and collaborate with their classmates. My goal is for them to be engaging in the
lesson and developing questions (hypothesis) to help direct my instruction.
In
an article I read about inquiry based instruction, a teacher from North Carolina
(name unknown) stated, “Inquiry based instruction is helping children gain
active control over the process
of thinking so they learn how
to learn, which will serve them well throughout their lives.” I feel this quote is a great summary of how
we need to be teaching our students.
Yes - allowing students to ask the questions and then use their resources to find the answers is definitely a life-long skill that will serve them well throughout their education and into adulthood. Rather than simply presenting established facts, we are giving students opportunities to question and problem solve. In the end, we are really teaching them and directing them through the thinking process. It seems a little crazy to say, "We teach students to think." But, that's what inquiry based learning is about. It is a skill that I think we have been lacking. I am so thankful these standards have been added. It will help us as teachers to be more purposeful in our lesson planning. Thanks for your words, Jennifer!
ReplyDeleteYes!! Even though the new inquiry standards might "feel" like something new to add, it's really something we are already doing, just like you said. Encouraging kids to ask their own questions is an important part of inquiry--and the learning process as a whole!
ReplyDelete