OC for SS After Party // Crafting Inquiry Live Discussion // 08-03-2022

What a rich conversation on the impact of inquiry on student performance and teacher instruction!

What will you take from this discussion to share with your colleagues as you prepare or the upcoming school year? Post your comments below and let’s keep put that inquiry into practice! 

Top Replies

  • I keep coming back to this idea about building community. Inquiry creates a natural environment in which students are curious and want to learn. As they work together in deliberate groups to solve problems…

  • Hi Joshua, that is a GREAT question. I have found (in teaching adults) that NOT allowing them to choose their team provides a better opportunity for growth because otherwise they'd choose someone they…

  • I asked this in the chat and got some really good advice from Abby and Meaghan but if anyone else wanted to contribute:

    It sounds like thoughtful groups and group work are a foundation of Inquiry based…

Parents
  • I asked this in the chat and got some really good advice from Abby and Meaghan but if anyone else wanted to contribute:

    It sounds like thoughtful groups and group work are a foundation of Inquiry based learning.  With that being the case: How much agency do you suggest giving kids in having any degree of power over their groups?  How do you deal with a  " ew, I don't want to work with her " situation or two people really, really wanting to be together who actually do work well.  Do you let that have any influence, or do you make the groups and stick hard to them to maintain fairness?

Reply
  • I asked this in the chat and got some really good advice from Abby and Meaghan but if anyone else wanted to contribute:

    It sounds like thoughtful groups and group work are a foundation of Inquiry based learning.  With that being the case: How much agency do you suggest giving kids in having any degree of power over their groups?  How do you deal with a  " ew, I don't want to work with her " situation or two people really, really wanting to be together who actually do work well.  Do you let that have any influence, or do you make the groups and stick hard to them to maintain fairness?

Children
  • Hi Joshua, that is a GREAT question. I have found (in teaching adults) that NOT allowing them to choose their team provides a better opportunity for growth because otherwise they'd choose someone they get along with (and where is the growth in that).  I do, however, tell them that if they have significant issues to let me know and I will modify the teams. *One student (who had taken one of my classes before) said "Dr. Craft, I don't like this group ... I want my old group." Fast forward 10 weeks later ... and her self-reflection journal highlighted her individual growth and her realization that her new group required her to assume a followership role vice a leadership role. ;-). 

  • Hey   I've been thinking more about this since the conference as I gear up to begin the school year. I have a couple of other ideas that I thought I would send your way as food for thought.

    First, although it's an SEL strategy that I used at the elementary level (4th and 5th) as the start of the year, given the challenges of COVID, I don't think it hurts to have a simple conversation or reminder at the start of the year about "size of problem/size of reaction". I attached a sample of a poster that was created during a conversation with my fourth graders, but I think this is totally a relatable concept no matter the grade level. Establishing that concrete language makes redirecting behavior easier. It's also a good reminder before revealing partnerships or groups to calibrate expectations. (ie - remember these are partnerships for this class period OR keep in mind that this trio will be working together for three class sessions OR remember that when you are working in a team/group, you are all working towards a common goal.) In other words, is it actually a level 5 problem if you are not partnered with your BFF for a project? Nope. So, let's just be sure that when you find out who your partner/groupmates are that you monitor the size of your reaction.

    The other thing I thought about is the fact that my school is very intentional with the message that groups, seats in the classroom, and partnerships are not self-selected. Sometimes, it feels wild to think that all pairings and groupings are intentional and mindful (even bus seats for retreats?! cue brain explosion) but I think that one advantage is that we have created a culture where getting out of your comfort zone is expected. It also means that some level of an affective filter is removed for students who might be concerned that they would otherwise be left out. I think you could begin the year by telling students that you will be making groups and partnerships. You are happy to hear feedback, privately and respectfully. I also think using the notebooks for reflection is a powerful tool for metacognition and tracking students' ability to think about the goals of collaboration and teamwork. Hope this helps, and let me know if you want to pick my brain further on this!  

  •  , This is a GREAT poster! I agree that it could be a super resource even with older folks. At the very least it helps people realize that certain reactions are considered "normal" in ratio to life events. Some people tend to overreact, while others tend to underreact. Further, this is a great example not only of human behavior, but of scale too.

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