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
Barbara K. Stripling
Four Ways to Reframe Inquiry as a Conversation
by Barbara K. StriplingFor school librarians and classroom teachers, the word "inquiry" may connote learning experiences that seem daunting, mysterious, and too complex amid the many demands of this school year. Who has the time or emotional energy to embark on full inquiry projects with their students, especially when trying to deliver a challenging curriculum and simultaneously support students (and oneself) both socially and emotionally? Perhaps it would be helpful to think of inquiry as conversation. We know that we learn about ourselves, others, and the world through conversations. The inquiry process of wondering, investigating, and forming original ideas becomes a natural expression of our everyday experiences when we frame the inquiry process in terms of conversation. Read More >>
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![One Small Step: Programs for Finding Common Ground [32:37]](https://schoollibraryconnection.com/assets/mediaserver/SLC/2273/2273774s.jpg)
Learning to see the world through another's perspective is a lifelong journey that can begin with one small step. Teacher, librarian, and poet Wendy DeGroat recently helped her students take that first step by adapting a program from StoryCorps that places people with differing viewpoints in conversation where they can find common ground. Barbara Stripling chats with DeGroat about how she implemented a version of the program at her school, and saw positive change both in her students and her community.
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![Students Learning from Human Stories [25:35]](https://schoollibraryconnection.com/assets/mediaserver/SLC/2273/2273263s.jpg)
What if people were books, with stories we could open up and explore? When California librarian Ruth Mitchell gave her students the opportunity to listen to stories from people in their community, the experience enabled them to take inquiry to a new level. Barbara Stripling talks with Mitchell about how the power of the human story can inspire a lifetime of curiosity and passion for learning.
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Kristin Fontichiaro shares how to encourage students to dig deeper into subjects by cultivating stimulating and provoking questions.
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Kristin Fontichiaro recognizes the need to transition lesson plans from fact driven to inquiry based. Exploring what lessons were and what they can be, the author believes that school librarians who integrate inquiry into their program are more valuable to the educational team.
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A focus on cultural heritage is an effective way to gather the community together and bring local history alive for students. Whether your community is large or small, partnerships are the key to connecting youth with a variety of resources and opportunities. Reach outside your library to spark meaningful learning experiences.
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Barbara Stripling provides reflection questions for students to ask themselves throughout their process of inquiry. Students can use these questions to decide if they have completed a phase of inquiry and are prepared for the research demands of the next phase. Learners who reflect on their own process of inquiry, as well as the content they are investigating, will be able to self-regulate their inquiry experience and maintain momentum throughout.
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When readers use multiple reading skills, they are synthesizing; and they are bringing together new ideas and information along with their prior knowledge to form deeper knowledge and understanding of content and the author's purpose. It is also important to ensure that these skills are taught through collaboration.
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In this article from Edutopia, Rebecca Alber discusses how actions such as modeling listening, paraphrasing, artful questioning, and negotiating can scaffold teamwork and collaboration skills and in turn foster deeper thinking and learning.
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In this article from Edutopia, Beth Holland talks about using student-created portfolios to promote learning. Encouraging students to take a few minutes to capture not only what they learned, but also how and why, may ultimately allow them to make deeper connections to the content.
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In this article from Edutopia, Mark Wise describes how to overcome common problems that teachers encounter when hosting student-led class discussions.