Changing Results for Young Readers
Through a Spiral of Inquiry
Why inquiry?
Evidence from BC and beyond
http://inquiry.noii.
ca
“As I grew in my understanding of inquiry, unknowingly I was bringing some of my colleagues along with me.
…We were no longer evaluating methods as good or bad but instead we were wondering, tweaking, applying, revising, sharing and wondering some more.”
“Now that I have experienced the power of inquiry in working with my colleagues, I could never go back to my old ways.”
2004 to 2010 Goal: to achieve sustainable improvement in schools’ literacy practices by supporting schools to engage in evidence-based inquiry at both the macro (school-wide) and micro (classroom) levels. Schools engaged with the project for two years.
RESEARCH STUDIES FROM LDPD
http://literacyonline.tki.org.nz/
• It’s all about the students• If the teacher is clear about it, the students
will get it• Effective facilitation
Helen Timperley and Judy Parr
FOCUS ON SUSTAINABILITY
What happens when the project is over and the support dries up?
2013
Coherence and Inquiry and Key Dimensions for Sustainability of Professional Learning
Two key research findings
If teachers applied what they had learned in systematic ways then this appeared to be a sufficient threshold to support outcomes for new cohorts of students that were similar to gains in student achievement while participating in the LPDP.
Whereas, when schools engaged in an iterative inquiry, re-focusing on persistent issues of underachievement that still existed, investing in continued knowledge-building and establishing coherence of instructional practices across curriculum areas, they improved on their achievement gains over time.
Global Interest – Inquiry, Leadership,
Literacy, Networks to Transform Systems
Spiral of Inquiry
What’s going on for our learners?
How do we know?
Why does it matter?
ScanningWhat’s going on for our learners?
FocusingWhere are we going to put our attention?
Developing a HunchWhat’s leading to this situation?
How are WE contributing to it?
New Professional Learning
How and where will we learn more about what to do?
Taking Action
What will we do differently?
Checking
How will we check that we made enough of a difference?
Collaborative Inquiry without borders
We open our hearts and minds…to open doors to learning … we
never judge a child…we ask ourselves…
Does he have food in his home?
Does he know that someone cares
about him?
Does he feel he has to hide to fit in?
Does he feel he is affirmed in your
classroom?
Have you asked what he is good at?
Do you see his differences as a
deficiency?
Do you know what
motivates him?
Is that defiance you think your
perceiving or a cultural difference you haven't taken
the time to understand?
Has anyone smiled at him today?
Does he need someone to listen to him
rather than tell him what to do?
Inquiry in action
Click to add bullet
Click to add bullet
Moral Imperative