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Due: June 5, 2012 (Class 8)

Readings:
1. "Inquiry Curriculum and Standards: A Conversation with Kathy Short" by Yvonne Siu-Runyan
2. "Misconceptions about a Curriculum-as-Inquiry Framework" by Jann Pattaray-Ching and Mary Roberson
3. "Examining Our Beliefs and Practices Through Inquiry" by Kathy Short and Carolyn Burke

>>>>>Inquiry Video<<<<<

     In this nine minute video you will find a school that focuses on inquiry methods with their students.  The kindergarten classes that are shown in the video learn through their own adventures and projects.  They explain that the children take on long term projects as a class which evolve from their own natural curiosity.  In this the teachers guide the process and help with research.  They also take the children on field trips which help the children learn first hand.  I really enjoyed this video because it showed the students interactively learning and engaged in their projects.  You can see that they are getting several parts of the curriculum covered through the children's own personal ideas.  They are getting everything in through an authentic purpose of learning.  The children are very inquisitive and collaborating with their classmates.  The teacher says that they tell their own personal stories to the class and the rest of the class get a chance to ask questions.  They learn how to socialize and communicate for everyday life through these activities.  This video really opened my eyes as to how much learning students can actually do when you let them take on their own projects through their natural curiosity.  I enjoyed this structure and hope to be able to keep this strategy in mind when teaching my own classroom someday!