Teaching as Inquiry

1. Teaching as Inquiry Vicki Saunders, February 2012

2. New Zealand Curriculum from the NZC, page 37 Vicki Saunders, February 2012

3. Teacher inquiry and knowledge-building cycle Focusing Inquiry (MOE) What knowledge and skills do our students need? Teaching Inquiry (MOE) What knowledge and skills do we as teachers need? Learning Inquiry (MOE) What has been the impact of our changed actions? Deepen professional knowledge and refine skills Engage students in new learning experiences (Timperley et al., 2008) Vicki Saunders, February 2012

4. Dimension 1: finding out about students’ knowledge and skills Key questions: What do they already know? What sources of evidence have been used? What do they need to learn and do? How do we build on what they know? What knowledge and skills do our students need? Focusing Inquiry What Is important (and therefore worth spending time on), given where my students are at? (MOE) (Timperley et al., 2008) Vicki Saunders, February 2012

5. Dimension 2: finding out about teachers’ knowledge and skills Key questions: How have we contributed to existing profiles of student outcomes? What do we already know that we can use to promote valued outcomes? What do we need to learn to do to promote valued outcomes? What sources of evidence / knowledge can we utilise? What knowledge and skills do we as teachers need? Teaching Inquiry What strategies (evidence based) are most likely to help my students learn this? (MOE) (Timperley et al., 2008) Vicki Saunders, February 2012

6. Dimension 3: deepening professional knowledge and refining skills • In this dimension three sources of evidence are brought together • Evidence of student learning needs • Evidence of teachers learning needs • Research evidence of what is most likely to meet those needs. Deepen professional knowledge and refine skills (Timperley et al., 2008) Vicki Saunders, February 2012

7. Dimension 4: engaging students in new learning experiences Changes in your beliefs and knowledge through professional learning must result in some kind of change to teaching practices. Engage students in new learning experiences (Timperley et al., 2008) Vicki Saunders, February 2012

8. Dimension 5: assessing impact of changed actions Some practices are more likely to be effective than others but none can guarantee success. If there is a generic principle of practice, it is probably that teaching must be responsive to the specific needs of the students being taught. What has been the impact of our changed actions? Learning Inquiry What happened as a result of the teaching and what are the implications for future teaching? (MOE) (Timperley et al., 2008) Vicki Saunders, February 2012

9. What will this look like at TKP? • Linked directly to our principles: • High expectations • Learning to Learn • Inclusion • Linked directly with our appraisal process • Personal goals • Evidence of learning • Personal professional growth • Knowing our learners • Collecting ‘rich’ assessment data • Analysing the data – whole school, team and teacher • Critically examining current practice – determining own personal learning needs • Adapting current practice – if we continue doing what we have always done, we will continue to get the same results. What do we need to do different – how can we achieve this together? • Regular planned professional conversations • Reflective practice • Celebrating and sharing success! Vicki Saunders, February 2012

10. Desired outcomes…. • Further growth and development of targeted teaching and learning • Increased teacher professional knowledge and skills • Time for professional conversations, time to ask questions, time to share • Increased consistency in practice • Improved student outcomes. Vicki Saunders, February 2012