SWC #8: Our Own Inquiry Process

The beautiful thing about inquiry is that it's different for every person.  There are common threads that join inquiry-rich experiences, but people can use a wide variety of strategies and tools to get there.  

How do we know that we are doing it correctly? 

​In my personal opinion, I don't think there is a correct way to use inquiry in your classroom.  There are many models, strategies, and tools available, but it's up to teachers to decide with their learners what is the best fit. 

I believe inquiry is happening when learners are engaged in their own thinking and are able to share their ideas with others.  They pose questions, make predictions, experiment, give examples, and reflect on their experiences.  The learners are doing the thinking, planning, and preparing, not the teacher. 

Because inquiry is not one simple task or pathway, it can be intimidating for many teachers.  I understand this whole-heartedly.  It was difficult for me to let go of control in the beginning.  I was worried if I was "covering" all of the content by the end of the year.  What I didn't realize is that learners acquire more understanding when they apply the things they are learning in their own way. 

How can I begin? 

This year, I've struggled with my neurodivergent learners to create a scaffold that helps them understand the big ideas of what they are learning.  One of the ways I've attempted to address it is through a shared inquiry process. 

My class thought three skills started off the inquiry process: observe, question, and play.  Some learners observed something, which would bring about a question that needed to be tested.  While others played with materials, which sparked a curiousity through observations. Althought they were happening simultaneously, different skills emerged for each learner based on how they process information. 

Just like the onset of an inquiry, we decided that planning and predictions were open for interpretation.  Some learners need to make a detailed plan of how they will explore the question or observation.  This process helped them to come up with a prediction of what might happen in their inquiry.  While others made predictions on prior knowledge and then made their plan.  

Similarly, we created analysis and conclusions in the same way. 

Where Next? 

Inquiry is still a process for my learners.  They are still becoming comfortable with leading their own learning, because it's a new experience for them.  This is quite understandable.  

By the end of the year, I want them to experiment with the process and create their own unique pathway.  I'm going to present some shared inquiries with a conclusion from prior learning and determine how we might move forward by creating a plan or prediction.  Then, consider what types of questions will they ask, observations they will make, and things they will do to come to a deeper understanding.  I literally will flip the process on its head. 

Why would I want to do this?  I want my learners to realize that it doesn't matter what order they use, but it's the connections that matter more than anything.  We want to inquire out of curiousity and not to a particular order of a cycle or system.