Over the past week, I have come to understand better what inquiry based learning looks like and its purpose. At the beginning of the week and signing up for this course, I was under the impression that I was using inquiry based learning primarily in my science lessons. The students were given time to connect the topic to their background knowledge, formulate questions, experiment with materials, build vocabulary, discuss their findings, record their observation and reflect on their own understanding. I thought I was doing a pretty good job in this area but through this course I would be able to orchestrate my lessons to make them even more effective. After reading the material on the links provided, I have come to see that actually I’m using inquiry based learning for most of the day. The environment that I have built in my classroom allows for students to feel safe to take risks and share their thought processes. They respect each other’s learning styles and needs within the classroom. They applaud and encourage each other along their journey. They regularly lead discussions and learn from each other. For example, every morning the class writes either in a journal or on their blog. I then select students to share their journal writing in author’s chair during our class meeting. After they read they call on students to give them feedback. The students try to use the six traits of writing tell them something positive they did that they should continue doing and something they could do to make their writing even better. It is wonderful for improving grammar and sentence fluency because I can display their blog on the Smartboard and we can all see where they need to make changes. Students can then go back and edit their work right away if applicable. This has been a powerful way to improve their writing because both the reader and responder are thinking about what quality writing looks and sounds like. I did not realize until now that this was inquiry based learning that I have been practicing. Now that I know I am excited to learn more about how I can plan and facilitate their learning through this activity.
I was intrigued to read about the lesson planning of inquiry based learning and how it differs from direct instruction. I reflected on my own lesson planning particularly for my science lessons which I want to be inquiry based and I did notice the fluidity of the lesson. I was able to build a framework for what we would accomplish but as the lesson was taught it takes on a life of its own and I move in and out coaching and guiding as needed. At the end of the lesson I have students reflect in their science notebooks and explain their thinking. So I think I am following John Dewey's spiral path of inquiry. How much information should I provide to students and how much do I let them discover on their own? For instance, if I give students a discovery period to explore parts when do I show them the model for how I want the parts arranged? In weighing and balancing this week I gave them a beam, fulcrum and unifix cubes. Ultimately, I needed them to build a beam balance with the fulcrum positioned in the center like a teeter-totter. When do I model that for them?
When looking at my math lessons, I realized that I often use direct instruction lessons even when we do skills groups. I take a small group, instruct them on the skill I want them to learn and then send them to the next station to practice that skill. At the third station they drill and practice math facts. I am trying to take on Daily Five Math to add more choices and more inquiry into my math lessons. One way I think I am using inquiry is by having students use the app ShowMe on the iPad and Smartboard to explain how they are working through a problem and defend how they know their answer is correct. How else can I add inquiry into my math lessons?
There are many questions I still have about inquiry based learning. I feel like the more I know the more I want to learn so I imagine I will always have questions. Hopefully, throughout this course I will continue to find answers.
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