We had a good session , our group picks up a wide range of learning areas and levels within the school. I started the session with a tuning in activity called forced association. the aim was to link a series of images to a theme in this case it was assumptions. We then talked around what happens when we pre plan learning without taking the time to consider needs and abilities. We followed this with a post box activity where we recorded responses for these questions:
What part does our strategic goal of literacy play in inquiry learning?
How do you see inquiry learning being different from traditional learning?
What part can habits of mind play in inquiry learning?
what are the challenges inquiry presents?
How does inquiry learning reflect our goal around differentiation?
what do you want to get out of this PLG?
I've collated these responses to help plan future sessions.
We then moved onto diamond ranking. i gave the group 9 quotes to rank around which quotes they felt reflected the beliefs around inquiry learning. The top ranking quote was :It is not the answer that enlightens but the question"
I then encouraged the group to start a mind map as a reflective tool to go back to each week. Unlike a true mind map each week we meet use a different colour to show progression of thoughts. the readings we took away were a interview transcript from Art Costa on inquiry and a chapter from understanding by design called the expert blind spot.
It took a while to warm up but i think we will be ok:-) Hopefully Robyn somewhere along the line I'll be able to use my IWB as part of the PLG too.
2 comments:
I really like the idea of your mind maps - especially the use of a different colour each week to show the progression of thoughts! I need to remember that...
I'm sure you will be able to use your IWB Sharee. Colour and visuals are sooooo good on it. Perhaps the best testimonial I've had from a student about the IWB was when she came out of a NCEA exam, virtually grabbed me and shook me and said, "Mrs Garden, I could see so many of the answers on the interactive whiteboard!".
The whole idea of differentiation applies to teachers as well as students! My PLG is very diverse and really an inquiry approach is the only way that could work with it. It will be interesting to see how teachers carry out their own inquiry!
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