The challenge of inquiry in grade 1Paper
In today’s quickly evolving world, we no longer want to teach our students what to think, but rather how to think creatively. Traditional educational systems offer few opportunities for self-initiative and question asking. Due to this lack, students too often lose their natural curiosity and are left with factual knowledge that serves little purpose in later education or life. On the other hand, inquiry-based teaching and learning connects and upgrades the constructivist theories of Vygotsky and Piaget, and puts each student in the center of the learning process. A facilitator, rather than a lecturer, assists the process, and guides the student through active and hands on experiences, which build a student’s skill set, body of knowledge, and, last but not the least, attitudes.
The school subject ‘Discovery of the World’ creates an active bond between students and the surrounding world, looks for and gives meaning to it, and prepares children for real life challenges while they are still in their early years of schooling. The challenge of inquiry can be a school event during which students of the primary cycle learn scientific content (including the steps of the scientific method) and may conduct student-led research. The learning experience is facilitated by the teacher, who imperceptibly guides the students by asking meaningful questions. She leads them through each step of the scientific method, helps them prepare a presentation, and in the end facilitates a reflection activity. This activity can be done in groups, giving students the opportunity to develop both their basic science competences as well as social competences.
Such active inquiry may already be done in the first grade of primary school, and in the following article I will outline how I, as a first grade teacher, have approached this process.