Pomaria Primary SchoolMentoring a Culture of Inqury
Chic FooteSeptember 13, 2013
Creating a Culture of InquiryDesigning the Invitational Environment
• Trust
• Secure in taking risks
• Open communication
• Empowering
• Collaborative, sharing
• Rich in background knowledge
John Barel. (2007) Problem Based Learning. An Inquiry Approach. Corwin
3 approaches
• Teacher Directed
• Teacher Student shared
• Student Led
Establish a Partnership for Learning
Invites participation in:• Asking questions
• Searching or answers
• Creating meaningful relationships
• Reflecting on their journey
Community icon Freedigitalphotos.net/Salvatore Vuono
John Barel. (2007) Problem Based Learning. An Inquiry Approach. Corwin
Key Elements
• Teacher modeling• Questioning (Tch/Student)• Quality Responding• Peer interaction• Developing group inquiry
skills• Using reflective journals
John Barel. (2007) Problem Based Learning. An Inquiry Approach. Corwin
Key Elements
• Teacher modeling - Think aloud through problem situations
• Questioning - Teacher and Student
• Quality Responding - Teachers response to statements, questions, expressions of feeling fosters open communications,
• Peer interaction Create a setting for positive response, questioning each other
• Developing group inquiry skills - Researching, developing critical thinking, listening focusing on topic, building on each others ideas, consensus
• Using reflective journals - Questioning across the curriculum
John Barel. (2007) Problem Based Learning. An Inquiry Approach. Corwin
Climate of Partnership
• When teachers hare successful and unsuccessful experiences they let student know they are not perfect.
• Model behaviours and dispositions of a problem solver
John Barel. (2007) Problem Based Learning. An Inquiry Approach. Corwin
Teacher Inquiry Journal
• Record kinds of problems
• Approaches to problems
• Kinds of questions
• How we process
John Barel. (2007) Problem Based Learning. An Inquiry Approach. Corwin
Observe-Think-QuestionO Observe T Think Q Question
Picture Cue• Assume role – eg Paleontologist on an expedition charged with
analysing critter and developing a line of inquiry
• Sort and sift questions – reflect…what do we notice? What do they have in common?
• Compare with a question array – edit and upgrade to eflect gathering, processing and application
John Barel. (2007) Problem Based Learning. An Inquiry Approach. Corwin
Developing Problematic Situations
• Select a topic/focus and find a problematic situation, image or statement within
• Present as a scenario
Fascinating Factoids
• Factoid or isolated fact
• Becomes more meaningful if considered through a range of questions
• Align questions with heirachy of thinking
David Castillo Dominici, Daydreamer freedigitalphotos.net
Quality Teacher Responses are affected by ……..
• Tone of voice
• Way of attending to the student
• Interest in the students ideas
Reflective Practice
• Form could vary
• Prompts useful to deepen thinking
• Formal or informal