What does it mean to be an inquiry teacher?

00:03:27
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlX32gB_e-w

Summary

TLDRInquiry teachers are characterized by their perspective on students as competent and curious partners in learning. They predominantly interact through questions, expertly scaffolding students’ understanding while engaging with their interests. Contrary to the stereotype of being passive facilitators, these teachers actively participate alongside their students, designing learning experiences that cater to student inquiry. Their ability to integrate curriculum with student interest, respond to observations, and employ design thinking makes them highly effective educators.

Takeaways

  • 🌟 Inquiry teachers see students as capable partners in learning.
  • ❓ They ask more questions than they provide answers.
  • 📚 Effective scaffolding is a key skill for inquiry teachers.
  • 🤔 They embrace uncertainty with 'I don't know; I wonder'.
  • 🚀 Inquiry teachers adapt curriculum based on student interests.
  • 📖 They are active participants in the learning journey.
  • 💡 A sophisticated repertoire of strategies is essential.
  • 🎨 Design thinking influences their teaching approach.
  • 👂 Listening and observing are crucial for understanding students.
  • 🌈 Inquiry teaching challenges traditional passive teaching methods.

Timeline

  • 00:00:00 - 00:03:27

    Inquiry teachers view students as competent and curious partners in the learning process, focusing on each child's unique interests and abilities. They ask more questions than they provide answers, using strategic questioning to guide students' learning. Contrary to the stereotype of being hands-off, effective inquiry teachers are deeply engaged with their students, carefully scaffolding their learning while maintaining a strong understanding of the curriculum. They prioritize collaboration and are willing to explore uncertainties alongside students, embracing a design-thinking mindset that emphasizes listening, observing, and responding to students' needs and interests. This active and responsive teaching approach distinguishes inquiry teachers from those who rely on traditional methods such as textbooks and worksheets.

Mind Map

Video Q&A

  • What distinguishes inquiry teachers from traditional teachers?

    Inquiry teachers see students as capable partners in learning and focus on questioning rather than lecturing.

  • How do inquiry teachers engage with students?

    They engage through questioning, scaffolding, and adapting to students' interests.

  • Is the image of inquiry teachers as hands-off accurate?

    No, the best inquiry teachers are highly involved and knowledgeable practitioners.

  • What role does curiosity play in inquiry teaching?

    Curiosity is central; inquiry teachers leverage students' interests to guide learning.

  • What skills do inquiry teachers possess?

    They have a strong repertoire of strategies and a design thinking disposition.

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Subtitles
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  • 00:00:03
    I think one of the key
  • 00:00:06
    differences that make an inquiry teacher
  • 00:00:08
    what they are is their um the way of
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    seeing the student actually that they
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    see the student first and foremost as a
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    competent capable
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    curious um almost partner in in learning
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    so they and they see the light in each
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    child find it they find what it is that
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    makes that student intrigued and
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    interested and there's always something
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    in
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    everyone inquiry
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    teachers ask more than they tell it they
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    they do tell but their dominant way of
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    working with students is through
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    questions and through the right kinds of
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    questions so they know how to scaffold
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    there's a kind of image of of the
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    inquiry teacher is this kind of La a
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    fair
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    um uh hands off teacher that simply lets
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    the kids do what they want um that's
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    been a very persistent image um and it
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    comes from some poor iterations of
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    inquiry but in fact the opposite is true
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    of the best inquiry teachers I know they
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    are teachers that know how to sit with
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    the student to care scaffold they know
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    their curriculum so well that they can
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    um move with the students interest in
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    order to come to that curriculum they
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    have a very um uh strong repertoire of
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    strategies and approaches I mean in some
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    ways when you think about teachers that
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    might uh rely on a textbook to do the
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    work for them or that and I still see it
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    that simply give kids worksheets to fill
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    in surely that is abdicating
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    responsibility um maybe it would be even
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    better for those kids if they were able
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    to just go and find out what they wanted
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    to find out I think what inquiry
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    teachers do differently is that
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    they they're prepared to share the
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    journey with their students they're
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    prepared to say the important words I
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    don't know I wonder how we might find
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    out they are not simply a kind of
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    passive guide on the side as they're
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    often described they're very much in the
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    center they're alongside the student
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    they are highly sophisticated
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    practitioners they know where it is
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    they're wanting to take their students
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    at a big picture level but they work
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    often with the interests the
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    questions that the student brings to the
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    learning
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    in order to take them
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    further they
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    listen they
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    observe and they respond to what
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    students reveal to them they're also
  • 00:03:12
    teachers that are great designers so
  • 00:03:15
    they bring a kind of design thinking
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    disposition to their work
Tags
  • Inquiry Teachers
  • Student Engagement
  • Learning Process
  • Education Strategies
  • Curiosity
  • Scaffolding
  • Design Thinking
  • Active Learning
  • Teacher Roles
  • Student-Centered Learning