Elementary School principal Johanna Bambridge explores the world of inquiry-based learning, for both students and teachers.

What is inquiry – based learning?

Children are born with curiosity and inquiry, and are in a constant state of learning, even through play.   Exploring and being just plain interested in the world around them usually leads these eager youngsters to ask questions.  Children systematically investigate those questions, thereby creating new understandings, personal to them, and in turn, new questions and issues. This natural state of “being a child” for most, healthy children is the premise, the core, the basis for what educators call ‘inquiry - based learning”.

For the student…

Students in this type of school environment will be not only problem posers, from their natural curiosity, but also problem solvers. The questions posed by the students are much more important than the questions posed by the teacher. As research and further exploration takes place, the result will be another question, an interest, an issue or general wondering.  Sometimes, children work through an inquiry and find not one answer but many; not one possibility, but many; not one perspective but many.

However, in order for true inquiry learning to take place, the environment must be supportive and place value on the ideas and lives of each child.  In this classroom, books play a minor role.  Instead, the learners use science, social studies, mathematics, reading and writing as tools for exploring, finding, and researching their own questions. Beginning from the students’ own life experiences, the students draw perspectives and connections from those experiences to inform their inquiry. From personal connections, the students move into broad explorations of the topic.  Through observations, conversations and browsing a wide range of materials and objects,
the students develop and formulate the questions they wish to explore.

Once students have selected a question to pursue, they examine that question through different perspectives by thinking collaboratively with other learners, and researching their ideas.  The research may result in contradiction and confusion- all very much part of the learning process.  At some point, these learners will pull together their investigations to share with others through a formal or informal way. After presenting their ideas to others, students need time to reflect what they have learned, and what they will do with what they have learned.

For the teacher….

Since the inquiry-based approach involves the students’ personal and social knowledge, the teacher must be a good listener, as well as a teacher. The focus is no longer on how much information the teacher must teach, but on ensuring that the students have the environment that offers multiple perspectives, and time to ‘wander and wonder’ leading to the formulating of those important questions.   

An inquiry teacher does not pull out her bag of tricks for a part of the day or three days a week.  Instead, it is a belief system that one holds close and it underlies how one manages the classroom learning environment, disciplines children and works as a professional. Finally, the teacher in this type of school environment must be an inquirer as well.  The teacher must experience inquiry herself, by working with students and colleagues, and even alone. Only in this way, can the teacher appreciate and value the experiences of her students!

Johanna Bambridge,  Elementary School principal of St. John’s International School in Waterloo, Belgium.

www.stjohns.be