10 Tips For Launching An Inquiry-Based Classroom

http://ww2.kqed.org/mindshift/2015/09/21/10-tips-for-launching-an-inquiry-based-classroom/

1. Don’t teach the content standards; help kids find their own path towards the information they need to know.

2. Don’t tell students what they should know; create the structure for them to experience it on their own.

3. Use class time to make connections between pieces of information.

4. Many kids struggle with reading, so hook them with the non-written word.

5. Stop giving struggling kids the most boring version of the work to repeat over and over again.

6. Surprise students.

7. The traditional model of imparting knowledge isn’t working very well, so don’t be afraid to try out inquiry.

8. Find the “bend” in the outcomes and abandon the prescriptive path.

9. Indulge interesting student questions even if it doesn’t fit the pacing guide.

10. Approach the practice of teaching with inquiry and use that meta-practice to improve.