This document discusses teaching as inquiry and provides guidance on how to engage in the inquiry process. Some key points covered include: - Inquiry should be a way of professional being for 21st century educators and not just an add-on project. - The inquiry process involves gathering information about learners, asking questions focused on student needs based on data, trying new approaches, and reviewing results to determine what is and isn't working to improve student outcomes. - Inquiry can be done individually through self-reflection and documentation, or collaboratively through discussions, observations, and reviewing data with other teachers. The goal is continuous improvement of teaching practice focused on learner needs.

1. Teaching as Inquiry

2. A
journey
of a
thousand
steps

5. Our learners – what do we know?
• Where are they from?
• What are they strong
in?
• What can we build on?
• What do they need
help with?
• Where are there
potential barriers to
progress in different
contexts?

6. Who? | You!
• How do you
prefer to
manage your
learning?
• What works
well?
• What is
challenging
for you?

7. “…inquiry should not be seen as an add-on or a project, but rather
as a way of professional being
for the educator of the 21st century.”
Why? | Adaptive experts
- Reid, 2004, p. 8

8. How? Inquiry can be:
•
collaborative inquiry (such as data
analyses, discussions about best
practice, peer observations and peer
feedback)
•
self review (programme reviews and
action research)
•
documented personal reflections
(such as journals and portfolios)
•
reflection in action.

10. “To strengthen performance
management systems, data
about student achievement
needs to be the basis for the
professional learning goals
teachers set, and the
reference point against
which teachers and
leaders measure the
improvements that have
been made with respect to
professional growth and
impacts for learners.”

11. Good habits for teachers
•
•
•
•
•
Clear, precise questions
focused on students’ needs,
based on information
Close observation of students
feeding in all the time
Quick response to learners’
needs as you discover what’s
required
On-going and continuous
Critical discussion about what
strategies are woring – and
which need to change

12. Good systems for schools
•
•
•
•
•
Inquiry as reflection in portfolios
Focus on reflection as part of
appraisal
PD that focused on inquiries
Research projects and self-review
that informed planning
Groups of teachers reviewing data
and discussing next steps together

13. What? | Frame a tight question
based on data
1.
2.
3.
How can I teach writing
better using digital
technologies?
What’s happening in other
schools with e-learning?
How can I use a
collaborative writing tool to
engage those identified
students who need support
at the drafting stage?

14. What? | What’s going on for
learners?
•
•
Student data (qual/quant)
Observation
•
Video/photo/record ‘on the
fly’
Discussion with the
students
Discussions with whānau/
community
•
•

15. What? | How can I learn more about
what to do?
•
•
•
•
•
•
Readings
PD
Connect to other schools/
teachers
Critical discussion with
colleagues
Lesson observation
Shared teaching

16. What? | What can I do differently?
•
Review why I do what I do now
•
Discuss with other colleagues
•
Open to learning
conversations
•
•
•
Observe other teachers
Visit other schools
Research; connect

17. What? | Have we made enough of a
difference?
•
•
Student data (qual/quant)
Observation
•
•
Discussion with the students
Relationships with whānau/

19. Further reading…
•
ERO Reports on inquiry: http://www.ero.govt.nz/National-Reports
•
Leading inquiry at teacher level – Ed Leaders
•
Key Competencies and teaching as inquiry
•
Inquiry-based practice – INSTEP
•
NZC Online inquiry stories
•
Teaching as inquiry – Green Bay High
•
Teaching as inquiry – Noeline Wright
•
Teachers’ portfolios – Karen’s Pinterest page

20. Image credits by slide number. Sourced via CC Search
1.
Image: http://farm2.staticflickr.com/1425/5183639345_65a12e56f8_o.jpg
2.
http://s0.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/01/47/83/1478338_1968fd81.jpg
3.
Timperley & Earle, 2012
4.
Karen Melhuish Spencer adapted from Simon Sinek
5.
Image: http://farm1.staticflickr.com/32/42542272_d2a781b838_o.jpg
6.
Image: http://farm1.staticflickr.com/32/42542272_d2a781b838_o.jpg
7.
Image http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/68/Yemen_Chameleon.jpg
8.
ImAge: http://www.aacu.org/ocww/volume40_3/images/OCWW_Cover_UPortland.jpg
9.
http://www.edtalks.org/video/professional-learning-makes-difference-students
10. Image: http://www.iaa.ro/Articole/Opinii/7-motive-sa-te-intereseze-big-data/6272.html
11. Image: http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2677/4220139405_7c711a7111_o.jpg
12. Image http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7f/Structure_Paris_les_Halles.jpg
13. http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4140/4767700249_9aec118657.jpg
14. Image: http://cdn0.cosmosmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/opportunistic%20science.jpg
15. ImAge: http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7038/6941225411_b0b21a5f0d_o.jpg
16. Image: http://careergirlnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/life-changes.jpg
17. Image http://farm7.staticflickr.com/6136/5948710526_aebb479cac_o.jpg
18. http://www.edgazette.govt.nz/Articles/Article.aspx?ArticleId=7880