Inquiry Pedagogy
For me, inquiry pedagogy means that my students and I are consistently asking questions, seeking information, and reflecting on our work. As the teacher, one of my most important roles is as a researcher - researching the lives, identities, strengths, interests, and needs of my students - with the goal of finding the most equitable accommodations to support all learners.
On this bulletin board, students had photographs of their "wondering" faces, and they wrote questions on Post It notes. I used students' questions to develop small-group choice time explorations.
We first developed a list of what we think is inside the birthday card.
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We looked closely at the inside of this birthday card, and after doing some observation, we labeled the parts of the circuit that we knew.
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Descriptive Review of the Child
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I engaged in a semester long research study of a student called "Jake." I completed multiple pieces of data and information, reflected on my findings, and analyzed the patterns that I found. This descriptive review process deepened my understandings about behavior and access to materials (both literally and figuratively) in a classroom. I learned that even the smallest moments in a classroom amount to profound instances of positioning. I will take this perspective into every classroom.
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Sociograms are tools that I use to gauge social dynamics in the classroom. Who do students choose to work with? Who has social capital in the classroom, and who is farthest from it? The answers to these questions help me support students in their group work and in their overall community development.
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For both the frequency table above and the frequency chart shown here, I was considering whether my perceptions of Jake's behavior were indeed patterns, or just impressions of my experiences. Frequency charts provide useful data to analyze students' behavior throughout various contexts.
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What is a Rock?
Using the FOSS Kits as a resource, I led a mini-unit on rocks and minerals. I used students' questions to guide my future instructional choices.
In this preassessment, I asked students to use colored Post It strips to identify items that are rocks, not rocks, or that they are unsure about. I used their responses to focus my instruction on gems and sands since most students were unsure about these two items.
"What happens to the rocks when it rains?" Students explored three types of rocks and investigated how the rocks interacted with water.
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The photos above and below were taken on a class trip to Central Park to observe rocks and record our findings. Students were fascinated with Manhattan Schist! This trip prompted an investigation into minerals, since students wondered: "What is this sparkly stuff in here?"
The students here found a small rock, and noticed that it is reddish in color. They wondered: "What gives rocks different colors?"
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Students worked as partners to investigate what happens when two rocks are rubbed together. They asked, "Is this how sand is made?"
Students' science journals were used to document our findings, ask questions, and include sketches with labels.
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Students used magnifying glasses to look closely at their rocks. They recorded their observations in their science journals, and then we discussed our collective findings as a whole class.
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These three students debated, "If rocks are really old, how do they get made?" Students began to wonder how rocks were formed, and we started to develop our own theories about rock formation. I decided to take students on a field trip to the Museum of Natural History so that we could investigate further!
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Field Trip to the Museum of Natural History
Students collected Field Notes at the Museum of Natural History to find more information to answer our questions, but of course, we left the Museum with more questions than we entered with!
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Inquiry-Based Mathematics Exploration
In this math lesson on combining volumes of rectangular prisms, I knew that some students would not be able to visually process the information posted here, which is in their math workbooks. I created a three dimensional model to supplement the lesson, and students were much more successful after having held the model in their hands.
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Students wondered, does it matter which way I solve for the volume? To investigate this answer, students chose to solve for the volume of the whole figure by separating it into two prisms in whichever way they wanted. We found that both ways are correct!
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Rather than dispensing information or formulas during math, I often use questions to guide students to come to their own conclusions. Their experience becomes much more meaningful when they are able to prove a mathematical fact based on their own investigation.
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Twitter and Professional Development
I participate in Twitter chats on a weekly basis. #NTChat, a chat for new teachers, posts a question and followers are able to respond and pose more questions. This network of educators all over the world has become an indispensable resource for me. I also follow #TCRWP, #NCTE, and #HipHopEd. |
Reflecting on my Own Values and Positionality
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My role as a reflective practitioner extends to my own social and political identities. In what ways does my social position and cultural experiences impact my stance on education? Over the semester, I revisited this video artifact and continually reflected on the ways that my identities, values, and beliefs are evolving as a result of my experiences in schools.
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