Inquiry based learning is a push in my province's renewed curriculum documents. The inquiry process is not new but teachers' understanding of inquiry appears vague at best. Most teachers do not seem to actually know what inquiry is yet, everybody thinks they are doing it. I have news that may surprise some of you; you're not really doing inquiry! Out of frustration, I would like to clear a few things up:
1. Asking students to do research on a topic of your choice is not inquiry based learning.
2. Having students do research on a topic of your choice and create a tri-fold board or a power point to present it to the class is not inquiry based learning.
3. Having students re do an experiment that already exists in the exact same way is not inquiry based learning.
4. Asking students to make or build a model, diorama, collage, bookshelf etc. is not inquiry based learning.
5. Interviewing one expert is not inquiry based learning.
5. Giving students long extended time lines does not mean it is inquiry based learning.
What inquiry should be is student centred and authentic. Students are encouraged to wonder and to seek and explore potential solutions to significant, essential questions that impact them as learners and have the potential to be meaningful beyond the classroom, to effect change authentically. An authentic inquiry is not about the product, it is about the process. The purpose of inquiry is to develop the critical skills needed to examine sources for validity and reliability, to consider point of view and perspective, to examine and understand data; what it can represent and how it can be misleading. To synthesize information and to make their own meaning from their sources. To be able to form educated opinions, to justify them and to share them publicly in an appropriate forum with those that will be influenced or have influence over the topic. Inquiry based learning is about developing critical thinking skills and considering complex questions. Not about re-doing what has already been done in the same exact way!
Now, I am not saying that there isn't merit or usefulness in some of the projects you have been doing with your students in your classroom but, there is room to do more, to do differently. There is room to enhance the students' learning experiences by providing them the opportunity to immerse, to wonder, to explore, to analyze, to collaborate, to form opinions, to make decisions and to use what they learn in an authentic, meaningful way that will endure beyond the unit and beyond your classroom. It need not be daunting, there are plenty of wonderful people who can help you on this journey. I would be happy to recommend a few.
Friday 24 June 2011
Wednesday 22 June 2011
Cheers to you! Lessons from toddlers.
I let my girls sleep in a little this morning after a late night. When I dropped my four year old off at the babysitter, all of the other kids were already there. As the door opened, a little voice called out, "Holland's here!" Instantaneously the group of little toddlers began to clap and rhythmically chant, "Holland, Holland, Holland..." Wow, it was great! Can you imagine walking into work and having all your co-workers enthusiastically chant your name? What a powerful way to set a positive tone for the day!
I know that many educational researchers are proponents of teachers greeting students at the classroom door each day and this is why! I am not sure how many people do it but we should! Get off your butt and greet your staff and students or your co-workers with a smile and some genuine enthusiasm about the fact that they are there, it will set the tone for their day and likely for yours!
The things we learn from little kids..and we thought we were the teachers, joke's on us!
I know that many educational researchers are proponents of teachers greeting students at the classroom door each day and this is why! I am not sure how many people do it but we should! Get off your butt and greet your staff and students or your co-workers with a smile and some genuine enthusiasm about the fact that they are there, it will set the tone for their day and likely for yours!
The things we learn from little kids..and we thought we were the teachers, joke's on us!
Sunday 19 June 2011
About a boy
I was surprised to find a message sent to my facebook the other day by a former student. Let me tell you a little bit about him before I share the contents of the message. This boy was the kid most of you go out of your way to avoid at the movie theatre, convenience store etc. He is rude, disrespectful, loud and has a serious case of potty mouth. I came to know him well in the three years I spent as a vice-principal and principal of the small rural school he attends. Although I never taught him, he was a regular visitor to my office. I got to know his mother well through our frequent conferences, meetings and telephone calls. Because of him, I learned all about welding; I had agreed to help him study the required safety test he had repeatedly failed in order that he could get into the welding shop and participate. I worked on several English essays with him and he spent the better part of one semester in my office working on math in order to give his teacher a sanity break. I arranged for him to attend summer school two years ago and facilitated online credit recovery last year. He took up a lot of my administrative time.
Through our frequent interactions I was able to see the occasional glimpse of charm and a clever sense of humour but he masked it well. Always at the point where I would think we were making progress, his attitude would creep in again and I would be ready to give up. Others felt the same way, in fact, this was a boy who made it easy for others to dislike him. He was a bully, he was rude to teachers and to fellow students. He was dishonest, he skipped school, never did homework, was disruptive and offered very little in terms of contribution to the school or the classroom.
I remember a particular day in my office last year; his mom was in tears, the school counselor was vibrating from frustration, his math teacher was ready to tear her hair out and he just wasn't getting it. He said something like, "What's the big deal, why does everyone care if I fail? It's not your problem." I responded by saying to him, "You are not going to fail, you are going to graduate. I am going to watch you walk across the stage and get that diploma if it kills me."
I accepted a job in the city last June and have not been back to my former school or the community.
Fast forward to Thursday when I opened that facebook message and read,
So, I will be making a road trip Friday to fulfill a promise I made over a year ago, and it will be my pleasure!
Through our frequent interactions I was able to see the occasional glimpse of charm and a clever sense of humour but he masked it well. Always at the point where I would think we were making progress, his attitude would creep in again and I would be ready to give up. Others felt the same way, in fact, this was a boy who made it easy for others to dislike him. He was a bully, he was rude to teachers and to fellow students. He was dishonest, he skipped school, never did homework, was disruptive and offered very little in terms of contribution to the school or the classroom.
I remember a particular day in my office last year; his mom was in tears, the school counselor was vibrating from frustration, his math teacher was ready to tear her hair out and he just wasn't getting it. He said something like, "What's the big deal, why does everyone care if I fail? It's not your problem." I responded by saying to him, "You are not going to fail, you are going to graduate. I am going to watch you walk across the stage and get that diploma if it kills me."
I accepted a job in the city last June and have not been back to my former school or the community.
Fast forward to Thursday when I opened that facebook message and read,
"Hey Mrs. Neiszner :) so I was trying my best to find you and I finally did. I just wanted to invite you to my graduation! I hope you get this in time and I hope you can make it...Yup, I did it and the grad is the 24th of June!"Wow, I couldn't believe it on so many levels. This is a major achievement and so many people own a piece of that diploma. That boy never would have succeeded without his teachers, administrators, school personnel, peers and family wrapping around and supporting him no matter what. He didn't make it easy but no one gave up on him, despite how unpleasant he was to work with. As a teacher, it is easy to help the students who want to be helped, or those who are disadvantaged in some way that you can empathize with, but kids like this boy are a challenge everyday. I imagine that the rest of this year was no easy road for anyone but the fact is, the mountain was climbed! He did it and now, because of this amazing support system, he has so many more opportunities than he would have otherwise. This is a success!
So, I will be making a road trip Friday to fulfill a promise I made over a year ago, and it will be my pleasure!
Wednesday 15 June 2011
I was told I would never be a leader
Last night I participated in a leadership chat. The topic of the chat was empathy as a characteristic of an effective leader. This made me reflect upon my beliefs about leadership and my experiences as both a leader and a follower in education and in my life.
During one of my University courses, all of the students in my program completed a sociogram. The purpose of this exercise, as I understood it, was to examine who were the most influential "leaders" in our program. We were each asked to record our name and the name of the person who most influences us among the members of our group. I wrote my own name twice. When the sociogram was projected for us to see, there I sat, an island alone. The professor later told me (not an official quote but this is as clearly as I remember her words), "you will never be a leader because you see yourself as a leader but no one else does." These words have stayed with me all these years later, mostly because I disagree with them. I don't think a leader need always be a charismatic person that people are drawn to. The kind of leadership I believe in is about building relationships, establishing trust, being passionate about your purpose, about the people you serve and about those you lead. A true leader is more that just a pretty face or a captivating speaker, or one with that "je ne sais quoi". A true leader is one who is, as the brilliant Angela Maiers would say, willing to "do the work". While those other characteristics are certainly desirable in getting people to follow, they are not the characteristics that keep people following.
Personally, my road to leadership has not been smooth, it has been about proving to myself that I could do it and, through my hard work, showing others that I had not only the ability but the desire, strength and perseverance to continue to grow and develop my knowledge and skills. When, during University, I auditioned for the professional cheerleading team in my city, I was accepted as an alternate. By the end of the second season, I was one of the team's captains. I later went on to become the head coach and choreographer for the team. I had six unsuccessful job interviews for administration before finally earning a position as an in-school administrator. I haven't tried publishing a book yet but we can all predict how that is going to go!!!
I do think that effective leaders need empathy, they need to be able to listen, to relate but also be able to refocus people on the positives and on the purpose; mission, vision and values. Great leaders know their people, they appreciate them, and they let them know it. I really enjoyed the model illustrated in Ken Blanchard's book Whale Done and have found that, when authentically implemented, that recognition of achievement, of hard work and of passion is far more effective at building relationships than any speech, lecture down-dressing will ever be. For me leadership is about empowering others and about inspiring passion so that we can work effectively toward a common goal. It is not about holding power over another, being a bully, a baby-kisser (though I do love babies) or just another pretty face (although I will try that too if it works!)
So, to sum up, I think in many ways that professor was right, I did see myself as a leader and because no one else could see it the way that they were looking at me, I found a different way to show them. Perspective is key, just like you need to turn the prism to see a rainbow, a true leader isn't necessarily obvious at first, it isn't just about what we see, it is about what we feel and what we know, what we value, what believe and how we share that with others.
During one of my University courses, all of the students in my program completed a sociogram. The purpose of this exercise, as I understood it, was to examine who were the most influential "leaders" in our program. We were each asked to record our name and the name of the person who most influences us among the members of our group. I wrote my own name twice. When the sociogram was projected for us to see, there I sat, an island alone. The professor later told me (not an official quote but this is as clearly as I remember her words), "you will never be a leader because you see yourself as a leader but no one else does." These words have stayed with me all these years later, mostly because I disagree with them. I don't think a leader need always be a charismatic person that people are drawn to. The kind of leadership I believe in is about building relationships, establishing trust, being passionate about your purpose, about the people you serve and about those you lead. A true leader is more that just a pretty face or a captivating speaker, or one with that "je ne sais quoi". A true leader is one who is, as the brilliant Angela Maiers would say, willing to "do the work". While those other characteristics are certainly desirable in getting people to follow, they are not the characteristics that keep people following.
Personally, my road to leadership has not been smooth, it has been about proving to myself that I could do it and, through my hard work, showing others that I had not only the ability but the desire, strength and perseverance to continue to grow and develop my knowledge and skills. When, during University, I auditioned for the professional cheerleading team in my city, I was accepted as an alternate. By the end of the second season, I was one of the team's captains. I later went on to become the head coach and choreographer for the team. I had six unsuccessful job interviews for administration before finally earning a position as an in-school administrator. I haven't tried publishing a book yet but we can all predict how that is going to go!!!
I do think that effective leaders need empathy, they need to be able to listen, to relate but also be able to refocus people on the positives and on the purpose; mission, vision and values. Great leaders know their people, they appreciate them, and they let them know it. I really enjoyed the model illustrated in Ken Blanchard's book Whale Done and have found that, when authentically implemented, that recognition of achievement, of hard work and of passion is far more effective at building relationships than any speech, lecture down-dressing will ever be. For me leadership is about empowering others and about inspiring passion so that we can work effectively toward a common goal. It is not about holding power over another, being a bully, a baby-kisser (though I do love babies) or just another pretty face (although I will try that too if it works!)
So, to sum up, I think in many ways that professor was right, I did see myself as a leader and because no one else could see it the way that they were looking at me, I found a different way to show them. Perspective is key, just like you need to turn the prism to see a rainbow, a true leader isn't necessarily obvious at first, it isn't just about what we see, it is about what we feel and what we know, what we value, what believe and how we share that with others.
Wednesday 8 June 2011
Chains and whips...Seriously?
Here is something I clearly do not understand. The magazines with 'adult' content are high up on the store shelves and covered. My t.v. set top box has a setting that I can use to lock out 'adult' themed movies. I have software installed on my computer to prevent pornographic sites and images to come up during searches. Before many prime time television programs, a little warning comes up advising that the program may contain sexually suggestive content and that viewer discretion is advised. The movies all have ratings; G, PG, 17A etc. This makes sense but, I am driving with my children and we decide to turn on the radio and listen to a little music in the minivan. I get this:
Sex in the air, I don't care, I love the smell of itI quickly change the station and I discover another wonderful selection:
Sticks and stones may break my bones
But chains and whips excite me
She wraps her hands around that pole, she licks her lips and off we go, she takes it off nice and slow 'cause that's porn star dancingNo wonder my husband was concerned last year when my daughter came home from grade one and started singing:
I brush my teeth with a bottle of Jack and when I leave for the night I ain't coming backWhat is the deal here? Why is this okay for middle of the day air play? I don't consider myself a prude, I let my children go to the park and hang on the monkey bars without hard hats or goggles. I think I am pretty liberal when it comes to considering censorship issues but honestly, can't we write some nice catchy pop music that isn't x-rated? And can't the radio stations play the x-rated stuff say at 9 p.m? Maybe I am just an over-protective hyper vigilant mom and I don't see it but it kind of makes me wonder why they bother to bleep out the swears???
Friday 3 June 2011
The Dandelion Effect
I have a four year old daughter, Holland. There is nothing more beautiful to Holland than a field full of dandelions. I have vases and cups filled with dandelions she has picked for me. Mrs. Johnson, her preschool teacher, is gifted with a bouquet each pre-school morning. It is sure interesting how something adults can find so ugly and annoying, can be so beautiful to a child.
When you think about it, a dandelion can grow and blossom even in the cracks in concrete. It can thrive in a field, in rocks, in a lawn. It can transform itself into a light airy cloud and there is much joy in blowing the billowy seeds and watching them spread.
I used to think if one was compared to a dandelion, it would be the metaphor of being a weed, spreading ugliness throughout what was once beautiful. Maybe it could be the opposite, maybe being a dandelion could mean being resilient, growing, changing and influencing. What if good ideas, goodwill, and good deeds were dandelions, springing up everywhere and blowing all around us before taking root and spreading? What a wonderful world it would be...the dandelion effect.
Sometimes the world, its possibilities and its magic are so much more beautiful when seen through the eyes of a child. As parents and as teachers it is our privilege and responsibility to nourish that joy and wonder rather than to exterminate it.
I am not saying I am going to be letting the dandelions go wild in my yard, but they will remain in the vase on my kitchen table (I am regularly provided with a fresh batch). Hopefully they will remind me of the endless potential in our children and that beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
When you think about it, a dandelion can grow and blossom even in the cracks in concrete. It can thrive in a field, in rocks, in a lawn. It can transform itself into a light airy cloud and there is much joy in blowing the billowy seeds and watching them spread.
I used to think if one was compared to a dandelion, it would be the metaphor of being a weed, spreading ugliness throughout what was once beautiful. Maybe it could be the opposite, maybe being a dandelion could mean being resilient, growing, changing and influencing. What if good ideas, goodwill, and good deeds were dandelions, springing up everywhere and blowing all around us before taking root and spreading? What a wonderful world it would be...the dandelion effect.
Sometimes the world, its possibilities and its magic are so much more beautiful when seen through the eyes of a child. As parents and as teachers it is our privilege and responsibility to nourish that joy and wonder rather than to exterminate it.
I am not saying I am going to be letting the dandelions go wild in my yard, but they will remain in the vase on my kitchen table (I am regularly provided with a fresh batch). Hopefully they will remind me of the endless potential in our children and that beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
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