Inquiry

Welcome!

Barbara K. Stripling
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

Four Ways to Reframe Inquiry as a Conversation

by Barbara K. Stripling
For 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 >>