OhThisClassroomGlows

Create, Be Curious, Learn, have Fun and GLOW

Owning my own Professional Development – Making Authentic Inquiry Work

on May 5, 2016

The past two days I have attended a PD called Making Authentic Inquiry Work. It was put on by Natural Curiosity (you can follow them on twitter @Naturlcuriosity). They are an institute based out of Toronto ON and have recently expanded their institute PD’s to all of Canada. This was their first time in Winnipeg and the attendance was great! Good representation of great teachers from all over and not just from Winnipeg either, some from as far away as South America, Wow!

They talked about owning your own Professional Development, so I really tried to be present and make the two days relevant to myself and my students.

The two days were great, it was nice to slow down, listen and collaborate together with others. We were learner citizens – a group of people ready to contribute to part of a community, our classrooms and outside community growth.  We came together, we were like minded, we taught in similar ways and if we were not teaching in similar ways we were inspired to.

When I signed up for this Professional Development I was looking for efficient ways to plan for student learning in inquiries. I wanted to learn different ways to assess student learning and show/report on student learning and growth. Over the course of the two days we were guided through an Inquiry approach on how to teach Inquiry learning. What a concept!! We do, you do.

So what is inquiry? “Inquiry is an approach to learning that is directed by questions, problems, and hypothesis or a challenge that individuals and groups of learners work together to address. At its best the learning is driven by student-generated questions. Students, assisted by the teacher, clarify the questions being asked and determine how to answer them. As knowledge is pursued learning is uncovered.” (Connecting the Dots, Stan Kozak and Susan Elliot).

Through the act of asking questions and seeking out answers, I was able to understand Inquiry in a deeper way. I was able to comprehend the process and how to take my students through the Inquiry process in a meaningful way. I saw examples of classroom Inquiries from around Canada and was deeply inspired.

I also shared Our Winnipeg Inquiry that Room 122 is working on. I got some feedback and suggestions on where to take it next and how to involve students in the process. I was challenged to put aside some of my own interests in where I would would like to take Our Winnipeg and guided to see more opportunity for student voice in the learning. It was fascinating and Room 122 students will all benefit from my teacher collaborations. I am grateful to have had a chance to be a part of them, to learn.

I am a learner.

It was a fulfilling, inspiring and challenging two days of growth. I loved it, but I COULDN’T WAIT to get back to my students! Missed you Room 122!

 


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