Changing Results for Young Readers

Through a Spiral of Inquiry

Why inquiry?

Evidence from BC and beyond

http://inquiry.noii.

ca

“As I grew in my understanding of inquiry, unknowingly I was bringing some of my colleagues along with me.

…We were no longer evaluating methods as good or bad but instead we were wondering, tweaking, applying, revising, sharing and wondering some more.”

“Now that I have experienced the power of inquiry in working with my colleagues, I could never go back to my old ways.”

2004 to 2010 Goal: to achieve sustainable improvement in schools’ literacy practices by supporting schools to engage in evidence-based inquiry at both the macro (school-wide) and micro (classroom) levels. Schools engaged with the project for two years.

RESEARCH STUDIES FROM LDPD

http://literacyonline.tki.org.nz/

• It’s all about the students• If the teacher is clear about it, the students

will get it• Effective facilitation

Helen Timperley and Judy Parr

FOCUS ON SUSTAINABILITY

What happens when the project is over and the support dries up?

2013

Coherence and Inquiry and Key Dimensions for Sustainability of Professional Learning

Two key research findings

If teachers applied what they had learned in systematic ways then this appeared to be a sufficient threshold to support outcomes for new cohorts of students that were similar to gains in student achievement while participating in the LPDP.

Whereas, when schools engaged in an iterative inquiry, re-focusing on persistent issues of underachievement that still existed, investing in continued knowledge-building and establishing coherence of instructional practices across curriculum areas, they improved on their achievement gains over time.

Global Interest – Inquiry, Leadership,

Literacy, Networks to Transform Systems

Spiral of Inquiry

What’s going on for our learners?

How do we know?

Why does it matter?

ScanningWhat’s going on for our learners?

FocusingWhere are we going to put our attention?

Developing a HunchWhat’s leading to this situation?

How are WE contributing to it?

New Professional Learning

How and where will we learn more about what to do?

Taking Action

What will we do differently?

Checking

How will we check that we made enough of a difference?

Collaborative Inquiry without borders

We open our hearts and minds…to open doors to learning … we

never judge a child…we ask ourselves…

Does he have food in his home?

Does he know that someone cares

about him?

Does he feel he has to hide to fit in?

Does he feel he is affirmed in your

classroom?

Have you asked what he is good at?

Do you see his differences as a

deficiency?

Do you know what

motivates him?

Is that defiance you think your

perceiving or a cultural difference you haven't taken

the time to understand?

Has anyone smiled at him today?

Does he need someone to listen to him

rather than tell him what to do?

Inquiry in action

Click to add bullet

Click to add bullet

Moral Imperative