WEBVTT 00:00:00.319 --> 00:00:02.719 Welcome to another episode of Blooming Curious. 00:00:03.170 --> 00:00:06.739 So last week I attended this free online Inquiry Educator's 00:00:06.739 --> 00:00:08.140 Summit, hosted by Toddle. 00:00:08.700 --> 00:00:12.449 And last week I shared my takeaways from the session with Trevor Mackenzie. 00:00:12.929 --> 00:00:15.330 All about how we plan for curiosity. 00:00:15.720 --> 00:00:19.709 And if you haven't listened to episode 44, go and do that after this one. 00:00:20.639 --> 00:00:25.139 But in Kath Murdoch's session, which was titled, don't call it inquiry, unless 00:00:25.139 --> 00:00:29.579 you really mean it, or she expanded later, unless you really understand it. 00:00:30.029 --> 00:00:35.580 She went to the heart of our values as inquiry educators of really being true to 00:00:35.580 --> 00:00:40.890 authentic inquiry, and asking ourselves whether inquiry is in our hearts. 00:00:41.489 --> 00:00:45.269 Because of course, if you're not someone who's curious and asks questions, 00:00:45.660 --> 00:00:49.679 how are you going to teach children to be curious and ask questions? 00:00:50.459 --> 00:00:55.289 As inquiry educators Kath warned us against the blind spots of inquiry. 00:00:55.890 --> 00:01:00.479 We need to remain curious and open, not only about ourselves, 00:01:00.720 --> 00:01:02.369 but about our learners too. 00:01:02.910 --> 00:01:06.210 We need to view our teaching with a critical eye. 00:01:06.600 --> 00:01:11.429 And check our sources, be informed and question everything. 00:01:12.009 --> 00:01:15.399 We also need to be willing to try new things. 00:01:16.059 --> 00:01:18.699 To take risks and change our perspective. 00:01:19.059 --> 00:01:20.169 Not to get stuck. 00:01:20.740 --> 00:01:24.820 And as educators, so many of us start with units of inquiry, but 00:01:25.240 --> 00:01:27.190 these are a good place to start, 00:01:27.490 --> 00:01:30.250 but as Kath pointed out, It's not enough. 00:01:30.490 --> 00:01:31.750 It's not sufficient. 00:01:32.350 --> 00:01:37.720 There's more to inquiry than just using it as a strategy for a unit of inquiry. 00:01:38.500 --> 00:01:44.289 Inquiry is in our everyday experiences, too, in those spontaneous 00:01:44.289 --> 00:01:48.369 teachable moments that the world naturally presents us with. 00:01:49.030 --> 00:01:54.039 Whether it be a storm or a news article or a bird that flies into our classroom. 00:01:55.509 --> 00:01:59.949 As educators, we need to respond with open minds to the provocations that 00:01:59.949 --> 00:02:01.870 the world naturally throws at us. 00:02:02.080 --> 00:02:06.940 Kath Murdoch also reminded us that inquiry is not a separate subject. 00:02:07.210 --> 00:02:11.200 It's just a stance, a lens through which we teach. 00:02:11.740 --> 00:02:15.400 And as I've said so many times before, it dovetails with 00:02:15.400 --> 00:02:17.620 direct and explicit instruction. 00:02:17.980 --> 00:02:20.170 It's not an either or situation. 00:02:20.620 --> 00:02:25.930 As educators, we choose the most appropriate strategy to meet 00:02:26.200 --> 00:02:28.720 an instructional requirement. 00:02:29.350 --> 00:02:33.910 It's not all about inquiry as so many educators incorrectly 00:02:33.910 --> 00:02:34.360 think. 00:02:34.720 --> 00:02:38.860 In fact, if you listened to episode 43, I debunked, some 00:02:38.860 --> 00:02:42.760 of the common misconceptions from educators about inquiry. 00:02:42.760 --> 00:02:47.409 Kath spoke passionately about these being the qualities of inquiry educators. 00:02:47.799 --> 00:02:51.010 But I think these should be the traits of all educators. 00:02:51.279 --> 00:02:54.489 Surely our job as educators is to be curious. 00:02:54.760 --> 00:02:55.689 To be open. 00:02:56.320 --> 00:02:57.489 To be questioning. 00:02:57.760 --> 00:03:00.249 And willing to change and try new things. 00:03:00.579 --> 00:03:06.189 If not, how can we be truly giving children rich learning experiences? 00:03:06.999 --> 00:03:11.559 In her workshop, Kath also spoke about the language of the inquiry educator. 00:03:12.249 --> 00:03:16.779 Basically it's the language we use with children that illustrates whether 00:03:16.779 --> 00:03:18.730 or not we're inquiry educators. 00:03:19.420 --> 00:03:24.999 She urged us to move away from the, I more towards the you and the, we. 00:03:25.869 --> 00:03:30.850 So instead of saying, I would like, perhaps you can rephrase that to more 00:03:30.850 --> 00:03:37.570 of how could you, or instead of these are my success criteria, how about these 00:03:37.570 --> 00:03:41.170 are your, or even our success criteria? 00:03:42.040 --> 00:03:45.820 The other thing she highlighted was that we need to bring our learners 00:03:45.999 --> 00:03:48.160 to the center of our activities. 00:03:48.519 --> 00:03:54.220 We need to ask ourselves, how can we get our learners to connect with 00:03:54.220 --> 00:03:59.559 this activity that we're doing, how can we actively involve our learners? 00:04:00.280 --> 00:04:05.829 And this reminded me of episode 39 where I unpacked some important 00:04:05.829 --> 00:04:10.150 considerations as educated when we're setting up and planning for lessons. 00:04:10.959 --> 00:04:15.430 And lastly, the phrase that Kath used that really stayed with me was this. 00:04:17.200 --> 00:04:19.750 Don't be seduced into the shallow waters. 00:04:20.890 --> 00:04:23.470 And that got me thinking as it, should you. 00:04:24.250 --> 00:04:27.970 How often do we as educators plan lessons that are easy for us. 00:04:28.540 --> 00:04:29.500 Quick for us. 00:04:30.010 --> 00:04:31.720 Easy to clean up for us. 00:04:32.440 --> 00:04:35.530 Lessons that are minimal work for us. 00:04:36.580 --> 00:04:37.720 That busy work. 00:04:38.260 --> 00:04:40.570 That is actually quite meaningless. 00:04:41.080 --> 00:04:44.350 That worksheet that doesn't teach kids anything except 00:04:44.350 --> 00:04:45.850 how to fill out a worksheet. 00:04:46.600 --> 00:04:52.030 That video that you put on that actually has no educational value at all. 00:04:52.550 --> 00:04:56.360 I wrote about that and linked some research evidence into how little 00:04:56.690 --> 00:05:03.200 video benefits the developing brains in a blog post entitled Lesson 00:05:03.200 --> 00:05:06.170 Planning with Picture Books and I'll put a link in the show notes for 00:05:06.170 --> 00:05:08.960 you, so you can have a read of it. 00:05:09.800 --> 00:05:11.990 Teaching is damn hard. 00:05:12.380 --> 00:05:17.330 And like all things that are worth doing, I believe it's worth doing well. 00:05:17.720 --> 00:05:19.160 Our children deserve that. 00:05:19.850 --> 00:05:21.560 And that brings me to this. 00:05:22.400 --> 00:05:26.570 I saw a meme on social media the other day that showed these two 00:05:26.570 --> 00:05:28.700 guys were having a little dance off. 00:05:29.180 --> 00:05:33.140 And that it said, this is how teachers feel after PD, knowing it was good, but 00:05:33.140 --> 00:05:34.670 they're never going to implement it. 00:05:35.420 --> 00:05:37.610 And I know that's how it is with inquiry. 00:05:38.210 --> 00:05:42.380 You might just have had that PD and you're excited about it, but you 00:05:42.380 --> 00:05:43.940 actually don't know where to start. 00:05:44.460 --> 00:05:49.250 Or, you're keen to start, but you just need a little bit of help and direction. 00:05:49.790 --> 00:05:52.130 Well, that's where my free little e-guide comes in. 00:05:52.610 --> 00:05:57.770 I created this free guide to help you get started. 00:05:58.070 --> 00:06:00.710 Just to dip your toe in and have a go. 00:06:01.340 --> 00:06:03.890 I laid it out in easy to follow steps. 00:06:04.520 --> 00:06:10.910 With examples so that it's easy for you to just pick one area and get started. 00:06:11.540 --> 00:06:15.470 I've given you all the tips that I successfully used in my very own 00:06:15.470 --> 00:06:17.450 classroom with my very own students. 00:06:17.870 --> 00:06:21.710 So just click on the link that I'll leave in the show notes and get 00:06:21.710 --> 00:06:24.260 that free guide and just have a go. 00:06:24.950 --> 00:06:28.370 I'd love you to send me an email and let me know how you get on. 00:06:29.090 --> 00:06:33.360 I hope you enjoyed this really short episode today, and that Kath Murdoch's 00:06:33.380 --> 00:06:36.280 wise words have really got you thinking. 00:06:36.910 --> 00:06:40.720 If you did, please share this episode with a friend or two, and 00:06:40.720 --> 00:06:42.430 don't forget to follow and subscribe 00:06:42.610 --> 00:06:46.030 so you get reminded each week when a new episode is published. 00:06:46.570 --> 00:06:49.180 With that I'll love and leave you and remember. 00:06:49.510 --> 00:06:52.750 Curiosity, isn't just a trait, it's a super power. 00:06:53.380 --> 00:06:56.289 So stay, blooming curious until next time.