Welcome!

This topic page is designed to foster a dialogue about teaching the whole child, with an emphasis on research and inquiry through the school library. We will explore how we are meeting (or struggling to meet) the challenges and opportunities inherent in our efforts to enable our learners to make sense of the information that threatens to overwhelm them and to collaborate with our classroom teachers to create a culture of inquiry in our schools. I hope you'll visit often to read new selections of curated resources and engage with me and my guests in continued conversation.

Barbara K. Stripling

Developing the Whole Child through Inquiry: Blending Cognitive, Social, and Emotional Competencies

by Barbara K. Stripling

I have always felt that my role as a school librarian and library administrator was to nurture the development of the whole child. I tried to listen carefully and respond empathetically to students' questions and actions. When I reflect now, I realize that most of my responses were literacy-based. I realize that I only haphazardly built nurturing the whole child into the instructional program and the teaching of inquiry skills. The question that has not yet been resolved is: How can librarians nurture the whole child through inquiry?

An important first step is to move the focus of inquiry from inquiry-as-a-process to achieve specific academic goals to inquiry-as-a-stance. The difference? Inquiry-as-a-stance means adopting an attitude of inquiry when engaging with the world, in school and beyond. It means paying attention to one's own curiosities, interests, and passions and pursuing them using inquiry skills and attitudes. Read More >>

Video

Social and Emotional Learning through Inquiry [27:11]

Barbara Stripling and SEL Coach Kristy Hill discuss the strong relationship between SEL and inquiry-based learning.

Video

Blending Social, Emotional, and Cognitive Learning: Part One [22:18]

Barbara Stripling and Jacquelyn Whiting discuss different ways inquiry-centered curriculum can support student learning on social,emotional, and cognitive fronts. Part 1 of 2.

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Blending Social, Emotional, and Cognitive Learning: Part Two [21:17]

Barbara Stripling and Jacquelyn Whiting continue their discussion about how inquiry can play a valuable role in supporting students' social, emotional, and cognitive learning. Part 2 of 2.

Article

What Is SEL?

This overview from Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) provides a look at the definition and benefits of SEL, as well as the key elements recommended for implementing it in school settings.

Video

5 Keys to Social and Emotional Learning [6:02]

This video from Edutopia explores effective classroom practices to support SEL, including teaching the skills of self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship building, and responsible decision-making.

Article

Stick-to-itiveness: Three Strategies to Achieve Persistence through Inquiry

Leslie Maniotes describes three strategies educators can use to help student stick to the inquiry process. These include engaging students' passions and interests, designing experiences that support student persistence, and guiding the learning within the process.

Article

Full Voice. Building an Empathetic Research Community

Anita Cellucci describes how her district is focusing on social and emotional learning (SEL) and ways to integrate approaches for reaching all students into their K-12 curriculum.

Article

In Schools, Are We Measuring What Matters?

In this article from Edutopia, Stephen Merrill talks with Angela Duckworth about how we measure student capabilities, what about that needs to change, and how passion is an active construction.

Article

A Superintendent Supports Emotional Intelligence: Making the Connection between Academics and Emotions

In this article from Edutopia, Larry Leverett discusses the importance of paying attention to students' emotional well-being in order to support academic achievement.

Article

Bringing Inquiry-Based Learning into Your Class

In this article from Edutopia, Trevor MacKenzie describes a scaffolded approach to inquiry in the classroom, one that gradually increases student agency over learning while providing learners with the necessary skills, knowledge, and understanding to be successful in their inquiry.