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

Fostering the Power of Choice and Voice

by Barbara K. Stripling

Librarians have the honor (and responsibility) of empowering students to adopt an inquiry stance. We tantalize them with possibilities; we honor their choices; we teach them the enabling skills and attitudes of inquiry; and we provide opportunities for them to find their voice and use it.

Perhaps the first step is to provoke their thinking about who they are and what they like. Even the youngest students enjoy creating self-portraits that include the many facets of their identities. Older students learn a lot about themselves by reflecting on their lives as readers. I remember how enlightening it was for me as an adult to identify the three books that had had the most impact on my life.  Read More >>