At the beginning of my career, I heard about the power of the SIOP model, but it was represented as a way for foreign language and ESL teachers to instruct.  Little did I know it was to scaffold language development in the homeroom.  

Since then, I have heard virtually nothing about it, until I began at Bogaerts International School North Campus.  My school director of pedagogy, Rafael Angel, is a multi-lingual learner, so he looks at learning differently.  

In this picture below, he was sharing how we might scaffold language acquisition with our learners who have limited English.  We did an engagement to understand Mandarin characters of numbers to dates.  

I have been researching SIOP online and I have found several resources that I think will help anyone who wants to scaffold the experience.  One is about the structure of SIOP and the other is about engagements under each structure. 

SIOP® 8 Components and 30 features From Tupelo Public School District
​SIOP® 99 Ideas & Activities by Langley School District

I love when schools adopt a program and make it their own, so it's a bit easier to understand.  If you have ever been on the fence or are new to SIOP, I hope this will help you. 

I am so excited to share that my resources are being translated into Spanish by Kim Galbraith.  She reached out to me to offer her services, so her fellow PYP educators could have a better understanding of the program.  This touched my heart so much and now, we have a beautiful guide to help so many others.  This is what it truly means to take self-initiated action. 

Due to Toddle TIES, I had to create a general services guide and one for library design.  This process really helped me to think about what services do I offer and how I can help fellow educators.  What an amazing experience!  I wouldn't have been able to do it quickly without the help of Misty Paterson, the author of Pop-Up Studio. 

​Check them out!

by Lu Gerlach

As I was beginning to write "Think about Inquiry", I had an aha moment about the process of these inquiry guides.  They were all part of an inquiry golden circle.  Take a look first and we will unpack these ideas together. 

The inquiry golden circle examines first, what is something you will inquire into?  This is defined by completing a normal golden circle process. 

Then, how will we achieve it?  We will use inquiry thinking strategies and questioning strategies found in "Think about Inquiry".

Finally, what must I do to make it plan?  I need to create a solid inquiry plan and use the guide, "Planning for Inquiry", which should be re-leased shortly.  

All of these steps make up the inquiry golden circle.  Make sense now? 

Just like this teacher, this guide will help you explore ways to tinker with ideas on your own and make connections that are engaging, challenging, relevant, and significant. 

by Lu Gerlach
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As we begin this new year, what will be your legacy that will be long remembered after your students have left your care?  Will it be that you were burnt out and a bit frazzled or will you be a pillar of self-care and cool under pressure?

​I won't fib and paint a picture of tranquility on my part.  I perpetually made an annual goal of being more balanced between work and home life.  I never quite got there, which greatly impacted my effectiveness during stressful moments.  Here's what I'd do differently now that I know better.

As a teacher entering 2022, I would tell myself to show self-care.  We are no good to anyone if we are low on fuel.  Self-care looks differently to everyone, but it's something that brings you back to center.  For me, this is reading a good book, having some alone time, chatting with mates, getting a massage, and doing my best to give myself a manicure (my poor nails suffer for it).   While others may take long walks through the mountains or strolls with their dog on the beach.  It doesn't matter what you do, as long as you do it regularly to balance out the stressors caused by outside sources. ​
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Another thing I'd tell myself is to re-center my purpose and tap back into my passions.  We all began our educational journey full of hope and promise.  Somehow along the way, real school life swallowed us up whole.  Now is the time to re-center what it is you are most passionate about and take action towards it. 

This past week, I spent a lot of time re-defining what goal setting looks like in my guide Define your Inquiry.  It made me look back at who I am and what I want to become in the year ahead.  You are so worth it.  Won't you join me? 

This past summer, I had the pleasure of meeting fellow educator, Grayson McKinney, at the Inquiry Workshop from the Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning.  Through several conversations, I was able to draw a comparison between the PYP program and Project-based Program.  It was amazing to see so many similarities between these two ways of teaching children through an inquiry approach.  If both programs focused on a strategy, it was spread a crossed the infographic.  

Which one speaks to you? 
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by Lu Gerlach

To assess inquiry, how can the four dimensions of assessment help you?  Take a look at our guide. 

by Lu Gerlach

Every journey begins with a single step.  Let's take that step towards student-driven inquiry together with our resource guide. 

by Lu Gerlach

Asking the right questions is foundational to developing inquiry-minded thinking.  Take a peek at our resource guide to develop leveled questions.

by Lu Gerlach