The Power of Inquiry

Teaching methodologies are quite different when we, ourselves, were students. It seems that learning is
just confined inside the four corners of the room. We experienced the “banking” type of learning where
teachers just jump into the lesson, give us a quiz and some standardized tests at the end of the year. If
we did an excellent job as students, it is quite rewarding for the teachers. Excellent students are equal to
more performance bonuses. This kind of method is taxing for learners because learning and its value are
not appreciated, especially if it is a learner where delayed gratification makes no sense.

In our profession as teachers, experts like psychologists and curriculum developers are the unsung hero.
They studied meta-cognition and answered the most important question- HOW DO WE REALLY LEARN?
A takeaway on an article I have read is that children learn what will make sense to them. To pinpoint
those things, they undergo a beautiful process of inquiry.

I believe that children are born curious. It is the reason why we experience bumps and scrapes when we
are little. That curiosity is the most essential tool in the inquiry process. It is a foundation that is needed
in the scaffolding and guided inquiry process.
Here is an example of what a guided inquiry process looks like:

Through the inquiry process, children can connect with the inquiries they had and generate more
questions that lead to a further and more in-depth understanding of a particular topic. Their take-aways
can be transferred or applied in real-life problems.