Inquiry and the IB

Stuents do not learn by doing.

on what they have done.

Rather, they learn by

Thinking,Discussing,

and Reflecting

The Reading• Turn and talk about the reading.• What did the article make you think

about?• Is your school set up to prepare the

students for the Exhibition, Personal Project, or Extended Essay?

• What might you want to change about the preparation?

What is Inquiry?Inquiry involves students in observing and exploring a particular phenomenon, event or artifact to raise questions of interest. In inquiry situations, the process of seeking answers to questions usually results in expanding students understanding of a concept.

How do we engage in inquiry?

For what students come to know and to be able to do depends on the range of activities they are asked to engage in, on the challenges that these activities present, on the artifacts available to mediate their activities, and on the assistance they receive in meeting these challenges, both from teachers and peers and from more distant experts beyond the classroom. G. Wells, Action Talk and Text: Learning and Teaching Through Inquiry, 2001

Constructivist Teachers…• seek out and use student questions and ideas to

guide lessons and instructional units• promote student leadership, collaboration, location

of information, and taking actions as a result of the learning process

• accept and encourage students’ ideas• use students’ thinking, experience, and interest to

drive lessons• encourage the use of alternative sources of

information• use open-ended questioning strategies• encourage students to elaborate on their questions

and responses

Constructivist Teachers…• invite students to suggest causes for events and

situations• encourage students to predict outcomes and

consequences• invite students to test their own ideas• seek out students’ ideas before presenting own

ideas or ideas from texts or other sources• encourage students to challenge other’s

conceptualizations and ideas• use cooperative learning strategies that emphasize

collaboration, respect for individuality, and division of labor

• provide adequate time for reflection and analysis

Inquiry CycleTaking the time

to find questions for

inquiry

Gaining new perspectives

Attending to difference

Sharing what was learned

Planning new inquiries

Taking thoughtful new

action

Building from the known

Short, K., Learning Together Through Inquiry, Stenhouse , 1996

Low

Stu

dent

Initi

ative

High Student InitiativeHigh Teacher Control

Low Teacher Control

Structured Inquiry Guided Inquiry

Free Inquiry Open Inquiry

How will this knowledge affect your planning?

• What do you need to do next?• Who will be sure it happens?• How will you know that you did it

well?• What will you do if you have

questions?• How will you self-monitor?

Turn and Talk!

What is the teacher doingin inquiry focused classrooms?

• Listening• Participating• Coaching• Provoking• Recording• Guiding• Inviting Elaboration• Clarifying implied connections

Identify Yourself!White circles

• Discipline or Grade Level• If you are something else try to find that or be Other

Color Dots•PYP

•MYP

•DP

Break

Regroup into a range of programs and disciplines with 4 people in a group!

What does good look like?A rubric always helps!

The Jigsaw• Expert Group

Number yourselves around the table Find the person with the same number from the table next to

you Sit together to read and discuss the assigned domain Determine the elements to share with the others

• Sharing Group Return to your original table Share what each of you has learned

• Pick one domain to work on for your own development• Share with the group why you picked it

Essential Elements of an Inquiry Based Classroom• Adept questioning and response behavior

• Planning for feedback• Formative assessment that is efficiently gathered and acted upon

Meiosis Mitosis 

How Alike?  

_________________________________

_________________________________

_________________________________

 How Different?

with regard to_______________← purpose → ______________________________← structures→ _________________________________← → __________________________________← → __________________________________← → _________________

   

Regroup by program with 3 people in a group

• PYPsters• MYPsters• DPsters

What is an issue you have with inquiry?

Round 1: A describes their issue. B and C listen only! No comments, no questions!

3 minutes

Round 2: B and C ask A questions in order to clarify and check for understanding. A answers the questions.

2 minutesRound 3: B and C suggest solutions. A listens and asks questions to gain a greater understanding of the strategies being offered.

2 minutesRepeat the process for B and C!

Helping Trios

Regroup by grade level, program, and discipline with no more than 6 people in a group

• Collaborate on a lesson/unit and discuss where more inquiry can inserted, improved or refined

• DP from the syllabus• MYP from a unit plan

• PYP from a unit of inquiryYou have 25 minutes!

Break

Being an Inquirer, Thinker, Risk-Taker

• Congenial v. Collegial• Looking at student work• PLC• Professional Organizations• Team meeting agreements

Developing Talent

Working Hard or Being Smart