A Reopening Schools Nightmare? My typical back-to-school dream usually reflects my former occupation as a waitress and involves a restaurant full of demanding customers. But this year, I was on a cruise (and I don’t even like cruises!) We had our first K meeting yesterday, and I’m sure all the talk about reopening schools prompted […]
Why Gray is the New Color for Back to School
Life isn’t black and white. It’s a million gray areas, don’t you find? Ridley Scott Gray is definitely NOT my color. But it’s what I’m wearing these days during these uncertain times. Like many of you, I’m awaiting school reopening plans and wondering what next year will look, sound, and feel like. When I look […]
Curious Classroom Book Study: Learn With Partners and Pioneers
Chapter 10 Inside This Chapter In this last chapter, you’ll find ideas of how you might find support if you are interested in pursuing a path of inquiry in your classroom. One suggestion the book offers is to study “the pioneers” and goes on to describe the inquiry approach implemented by three lead school districts. […]
Curious Classroom Book Study: Lean Into a Crisis
Chapter 9 Inside This Chapter While not the lightest chapter in this book, learning how to address crises using inquiry strategies, is certainly an important topic to consider and one that is rarely addressed. In most cases, we are on our own as to how to handle these situations and as Daniels mentions, “We live […]
Curious Classroom Book Study: Address Curricular Units with Mini-Inquiries
Chapter 8 Inside This Chapter Given the curricular demands in today’s education, most of us are not in a position to completely work from children’s questions. As nice as that might sound, we have standards we are required to meet. This chapter addresses ways we might do this while still using inquiry methods. One suggestion […]
Curious Classroom Book Study: Pursue Kids’ Questions with Mini Inquiries
Chapter 7 In This Chapter While chapter 3 encourages us to capture and honor kids’ questions, this chapter provides ideas and examples of how to help children use the research process to explore answers. It suggests that we might need to be responsive and a bit more in the moment in order to capitalize on […]
Curious Classroom Book Study: Hang Out With an Expert
Chapter 6 In This Chapter In curious classrooms, children learn how to be researchers! A big part of this process is knowing how to find and use appropriate resources. Field experts, an often forgotten resource, provide first-hand opportunities for children to find answers to their questions and further their knowledge in a specific area. Author […]
Curious Classroom Book Study: Check Our News Feed
Chapter 5 In This Chapter This chapter invites us to think outside the plan book and bring the outside world into our curriculum and teaching. Author, Harvey Daniels, suggests that we can spark interest and stimulate inquiry with “kid-hooking” news items. As I was reading, I couldn’t help but think of April the giraffe and […]
