Today as a class we had a field trip to George Jay Elementary school where we had a presentation from Inquiry based Teacher Rebecca Bathurst-Hunt.
I checked out her teacher Instagram account and I recommend that if you’ve had a particularly challenging day on practicum you do NOT look through her Instagram. I joke.
But truly, this woman is amazing. Her classroom had such a great interactive and fun set up for students and she was so well spoken, confident, organized, and knowledgeable.
Contact Info:
http://rebeccabathursthunt.com/
Insta: @InquiryTeacher
Email: rbathurst@sd61learn.ca
bit.ly/IMUvic2018
She co-wrote the following book for Elementary Teachers who want to learn more about Inquiry based teaching:
Inquiry Mindset
by Rebecca Bathurst-Hunt and Trevor MacKenzie
Rebecca talked about the importance of having a grounding place– being able to come back to what is important to you as a teacher is well, important! Otherwise you will be stretched in so many ways and your mental health will suffer.
Ask yourself what values fit with you/important to you related to teaching?
Rebecca also talked about how Inquiry begins with questions. This is the most powerful shift you can make in adopting Inquiry into your practice.
– Not all kids will have questions right away or will even look curious/interested at the beginning of the year. But have faith that they will come around as all humans are essentially curious.
– Start the unit plan/lesson with questions; “Does anyone know what a pattern is?” “When you’re outside, can you spot patterns?”
Great book to open with Inquiry (STEM book)
Ada Twist Scientist
by Andrea Beaty
Types of Inquiry
As teachers of Primary grades, it is imperative to start at the Structured inquiry level. Unless you’ve taken the time to empower your students from gradual release to Free Inquiry, they won’t be motivated to do Inquiry based learning.
Inquiry based learning must be structured.
A Structured Inquiry for Kindergarden (Literacy)
Big question: Who am I & Why am I me?
– What is my name, what does my name mean?
– Using picture books to explore
– What is my background – family heritage, culture
– What do I like to do? Sports/art etc.
– Teacher picks books, designs templates, etc
Ways to Honour Questions in the Class
-Wonderwall
– The curiosity Jar
– Wonder Table
Rebecca also spoke to the importance of Provocation. The intention of provocations is to get kids to start to wonder.
It can be going to the beach as a glass or gathering materials for them from the beach to touch and interact with. Or it could be a GIF or a Boomerang put up on the smart board. GIFY.com
Provocations should happen at the beginning of a lesson/unit.
Your Provocation should invoke/you should ask:
-What do you see?
– What do you know that? Ie connections?
– What do you wonder?
Another great idea – Kindness Ninjas (GREAT FOR PRACTICUM)
This ties SO well to core competencies -eg builds empathy
Insta:@joysofkinder
Tell your students “a top secret letter came into the class” or “a top secret package has arrived”
-headband for each kid
-must put down their thumbprints
“You are now a kindness ninja and you need to go through kindness training”
Eg. Decorate gym foyer with kindness messages for gym teacher
Book: Ordinary Mary Extraordinary deed by Emily Pearson
EPIC Books – free for teachers
https://www.getepic.com/educators
“Paper bag” book
Some pics from her clas
