 Blue School, an independent New York City 
School, provides inquiry-based learning for 
children from pre-primary through middle 
school age. The NYC-based Blue School 
strives to involve children in active 
discussion and problem solving that 
stimulates engagement in the learning 
process. 
Defined as education that centers around 
the problem-solving process, inquiry-based 
learning encourages children to ask 
questions about their world.
 The process begins when educators present children 
with a multi-faceted problem that engages their 
natural curiosity. Children are then motivated to 
investigate the problem, a process that leads to 
natural content learning. 
As children research the problem at hand, they 
interact with multiple sources including printed 
material and professional experts. Teachers help 
children to categorize the information they receive 
and process it to extract the data that can help them 
identify their next steps. The process continues with 
an additional stage of questioning, in which students 
become confident in identifying what topics they 
need to further investigate.
 The process of questioning and 
answering continues until the children 
are ready to design a solution or a 
project that allows them to contribute to 
the body of work that they have been 
researching. As engaged and active 
participants, children learn that they can 
not only take in but also create new 
knowledge.

An Introduction to Inquiry-Based Learning

  • 2.
     Blue School,an independent New York City School, provides inquiry-based learning for children from pre-primary through middle school age. The NYC-based Blue School strives to involve children in active discussion and problem solving that stimulates engagement in the learning process. Defined as education that centers around the problem-solving process, inquiry-based learning encourages children to ask questions about their world.
  • 3.
     The processbegins when educators present children with a multi-faceted problem that engages their natural curiosity. Children are then motivated to investigate the problem, a process that leads to natural content learning. As children research the problem at hand, they interact with multiple sources including printed material and professional experts. Teachers help children to categorize the information they receive and process it to extract the data that can help them identify their next steps. The process continues with an additional stage of questioning, in which students become confident in identifying what topics they need to further investigate.
  • 4.
     The processof questioning and answering continues until the children are ready to design a solution or a project that allows them to contribute to the body of work that they have been researching. As engaged and active participants, children learn that they can not only take in but also create new knowledge.