Blog 6 What is Inquiry based learning.....?

This question (in my mind) will never have a definitive answer. My reasoning is because we are trying to develop a new culture from an old one. The new culture is a group of students who are questioning the reason why they are going through the motions of school and why they are learning the topics chosen for them. These predetermined topics are our basics for knowledge and it is our job as teachers in the 21st century to change the student culture from robots who are simply repeating over and over and over and over...... to robots who have intelligence and think for themselves. They may know how to make a wooden car that goes fast but what if by asking a simple question they begin to question how to make it lighter, how to make it stronger, or how to make it go without spending any energy. So, in my attempt to answer what is inquiry based learning it is not an answer but my explanation of a concept. Asking a question that will snowball a group of students to begin to wonder, ponder, and openly discuss a topic and seek the truth and knowledge needed based on desire. The desire to want to know rather than the desire to do what they are told.



WHEWWWW...... Wouldn't it be great if we had a magic question for all kids rather than having to find that question for each one? It is there. For most boys it is....here take this thingamagig apart and tell me how it works....At least I know that is when I am learning at my best. Experience of a situation that I created not someone else created for me. I like where http://teachinquiry.com/index/Introduction.html tells us that"inquiry starts with teachers as engaged learners and researchers with the foundational belief that the topics they teach are rich, living and generous places for wonder and exploration." This is true for most of us...we just have not found a magic potion to get kids to buy in. I think that once a single student buys in with the inquiry base it will attract others because the excitement is contagious!

 As far as the planning for the mini lessons is concerned, I hope I am not alone in the fact that I keep thinking A HA! I have it only to bail out and think of something else to work towards. I would like to have the mini lessons ease the students into the inquiry limelight. (and me as well) To make sure that it is authentic we will identify a standard (or the standard if I am using this as a template for all future lessons) so that we can identify what it is that we are aimed at. Once we have decided on the standard we can begin the next step. Knowing that it is social studies I would like to focus on one of the Georgia standards on water that I am familiar with.  For instance -

SS7G10 The student will discuss environmental issues across Southern and Eastern Asia.

a. Describe the causes and effects of pollution on the Yangtze and Ganges Rivers.

b.Describe the causes and effects of air pollution and flooding in India and China. 

I feel like I can create a question that will spark an evolution in the classroom. I would start with something along the lines of what could happen to someone who drank water directly from the Yangtze or Ganges river?  OR Would you be willing to take a drink out of the Yangtze or Ganges river?  I would then follow up with a why or why not, is there something about the river that may make it undesirable?  This will then open up the discover of religion in India and importance of clean water in those regions of the world, along with possibly a student coming forth with a why don't we do something about cleaning it up question. This in itself will help to drive the deeper knowledge and I do not think I will have to push for it. I think the curiosity would be there. As far as technology is concerned I would make sure that students have a lesson on appropriate sources. I would like to curate a few websites to make sure that they are on track for the accurate details and not someone's journal from a visit that may have been disgusted. Although I would have been disgusted I think that concern would be a better angle for the inquiry.   The third mini lesson I want to include would be an ethical based learning to make sure that when we present our findings from the inquiry, we are are doing so in a manner that is not a negative blog from someone visiting but more of a nurturing presentation to help others realize that this is the lifeline for these countries and they need help but do not even realize for the most part. 

 

 

I must admit I am struggling a little bit but I think I am headed in the right direction. I want the students to be active in the research and engaged but don't want to aim so high that I am disappointed in the outcome!