In the morning, the focus was on becoming more familiar with the role of inquiry in guiding student learning and encouraging a mindset toward life-long learning. Much of the framework of newest curriculum development in Ontario leans heavily on it. As an example, here are three highlights:
- We serve our student well when we enable them to ask excellent questions that move from easily known, factual type answers toward questions that encourage comparison, ranking, valuing inferring, and more.
- Encouraging students to see each other as part of a knowledge group that can answer a driving question. An example of this might be a group working to answer Why is construction paper not recyclable in the city of London?
- With inquiry, and “oops” of getting something wrong can lead to a whole new world of possibility. Think of the discovery of penicillin! Students who can see mistakes as opportunity, hard as that may be, are able to continue to learn – perhaps the most meaningfully learning they will ever do.
In the afternoon two of our own learning leaders, Alison Lise and Chelsea Appendino, led us through a team building art activity using unique paints, paper, and tiles. You will be able to see the combined efforts in a collaborative piece of art that we’ll display somewhere in the building. There were both moments of focused concentration and joyous laughter. It was good for teachers to reverse roles and becomes students. I caught myself thinking “I’ve never done this before. Will it work? My neighbour is doing this better than I am. Should I start over?”
Clearly, learning how to learn is a life long journey. I’m grateful for a wonderful group of educational leaders at LCES that continue to shape our children’s love for God and his world.
SJ
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