Read all about inquiry through the lens of one of the world's leading experts in the area.
I focused my time with the audience on unpacking the guiding question: how do we support teachers in giving more agency over learning to students? My goal was to unpack ways in which they could bring inquiry back to the schools that they represent. In order to implement inquiry practices, beliefs, and values, we must ensure that teachers are willing to give agency over learning to their students.
How can we help students see themselves in a more positive, confident and personally fulfilling light? How can we cultivate the conditions for agency and equity in our classrooms and schools so all learners can thrive? How can we begin to shift education so that our students become more empowered, more competent, and more compassionate young people? Trevor MacKenzie returns with another deep dive into inquiry as he examines the role of assessment in education through the lens of co-designing and co-constructing with students. In Inquiry Mindset Assessment Edition MacKenzie outlines a series of beliefs, values, and frameworks that allow all teachers to scaffold towards an assessment reality that is infused with student voice, understanding, and autonomy.
I am extremely proud and excited to share that 2021 will see my next publication released. The third instalment in the Inquiry Mindset series (Dive into Inquiry, Inquiry Mindset with Rebecca Bathurst-Hunt and now this latest publication) will be available in the first half of the year, specific release date TBD.
Check out this video playlist from Trevor’s youtube channel titled 1 Minute Inquiry PD. These short bitesize morsels of inquiry provide prompts and ideas to consider in your own inquiry teaching but also as a staff or school.
One of the questions that arose during the first #InquirybytheFire webinar conversation was about how, in a remote learning context, we can continue to assess students’ learning. In this part of the discussion, we talked about the importance of connecting with individual learners through 1-1 check ins.
What am I doing in class that my students should be doing for themselves? What skills and understandings do students need to take on more of the heavy lifting of learning? How can I create more calm in the classroom? How can I create the conditions for students to be more inquisitive and curious in their learning? What should I coach and model for my students? What should I hold up and speak to in class to create clarity and direction for students? How can I be more transparent and supportive in my practice? How can I ensure there is equity in learning?
Recently I had another piece published with the good friends at MindShift KQED titled How Can Teachers Nurture Meaningful Student Agency? I love collaborating with MindShift as time and time again, they bring thoughtful and informed articles to educators around the world.
This particular piece focused on exploring authentic student agency with an aim to bring clarity to how educators can begin to move beyond defining agency as merely a choice over assignments. The accompanying sketchnote by the ever-talented Rebecca Bathurst-Hunt further illustrates these views (see below). Please have a read!
“Students need to feel psychologically safe if we are to ask them to take on a more active and meaningful role in their learning, which is why as we nurture student agency in our classrooms, it’s important that we also nurture relationships, trust and risk taking.”
When I begin to work with a new class of students I always share with them my core values. I share what I believe in, what goals I have for our time together and my why.
I ask them to hold me accountable to these values. I share that teaching can be a difficult and demanding job and that I want them to let me know if I stray from these values.
I ask them to join me in making these values a central part of how we spend time together. I invite them to engage in these values and to embrace them each and every day.
I encourage them to explore their own values as a learner and how, together, we will aim to discover our individual strengths and stretches so that we can begin to bring these skills to any context or future endeavour.
So what are my core values?
