Jialian+Chen

**PLC Meeting Location: Library at Walnut Bend** **PLC Meeting Time: 3-4:30p.m. on Thursday, October 28, 2010**
 * PLC Group Name: Walnutty Teachers**

As an anticipatory set for today’s lesson, please read the article “Getting "Inside Inquiry": Teachers' Questions Transform Their Practice“ []
 * Hour 1**
 * //ENGAGE//**

// [] //
 * //EXPLORE//**

// 1. What is the best way to implement an inquiry-based teaching strategy in your classroom? // // 2. How do you create a classroom environment that supports this type of teaching strategy? // // 3. What is the best way to teach students how to be active learners? //
 * Hour 2**
 * //EXPLAIN//**

// [Note to PLC Leaders: // // Here is where you will present a brief activity for the group to test its collective understanding and to push it into new directions. Today, I’m suggesting that you continue the work we began in our last face-to-face class as we thought about the Inquiry #3 assignment. We started discussing “wonderings” you have about your own teaching practice—something that seems to work or something that doesn’t seem to work or something that you would just like to improve. Now that you have had a chance to complete your midterm reflection--including setting goals for the second half of the semester--as well as meet your new placement class, here is your chance to finalize your "wondering" so that you can begin collecting data. Modify the f] //
 * //ELABORATE//**

1. Caitlyn - Wondering - How long will it take for me to feel established and stable? 2. Amber - Wondering - I am struggling with using the correct terminology that corresponds the content. 3. Laura - Wondering - How do I make lessons fun yet maintain classroom management? 4. Jialian - Wondering - How can I improve my questioning strategy?

As a group, make a list of teaching strategies of your own about which you have a wondering. You probably have things in common! Take turns selecting one to focus on and formulating a “wondering” about that strategy. Help each member to make a plan to initiate, analyze, and write-up this inquiry? What questions does each member have that the group can help sort out about the process?

1. As a group, reflect on what you have learned today about studying your own teaching practice. Why should teachers ask questions about their own teaching? How would your job be different if you approach it with an inquiry stance versus approaching it with no intention to ask questions?
 * Hour 3**
 * //EVALUATE//**

Teachers should ask questions about their own teaching to improve their teaching strategies. This allows teachers to reflect on what they are doing that is working and what is not working while allowing them to plug holes in their teaching strategy. We feel that we would not enjoy our jobs as much or feel as satisfied if we did not use some sort of inquiry strategy. This would not be serving the students full or pushing them to fulfill their potential.

2. As a group, draft a brief statement (approx 1-2 paragraphs) of what you learned or new understandings you came to during this discussion. What did you agree with/about, and what did you not agree with/about? How do you KNOW you learned and grew?!

Inquiry strategy is something that some teachers do without even thinking about it. However, when you sit down and have discussions like these specifically about inquiry strategies you think of how you could employ them more and more efficiently. This is such a great strategy that really gets students to use their reasoning and higher level thinking. It also relates the text and content to their lives making the information more relevant. We feel that although inquiry strategy is very effective there are times when a teacher will need to hold a lecture style lesson. This does not have to be every day or long in length but is sometimes necessary to teach challenging content. We know that we grew from tihs discussion because we were able to collaborate and discuss this strategy in depth including how to actually implement it into our classrooms. For those of use who felt as though we were already using a strategy similar to inquiry strategy, we discussed how to sharpen that strategy to make it more effective.

3. As a group, please look at the Assignments page for the description and grading rubric for the Inquiry #3 assignment. You will be selecting a teaching practice of your own to study. The format is the same as your other inquiries, and is detailed on the Assignments page for this assignment.

4. Individually, please send your “PLC Check” as an email to Dr. Pierson and Ida (mpierson@uh.edu; idalkm@hotmail.com): --What/Who worked well in today’s PLC meeting? --What/Who didn’t work so well in today’s PLC meeting? This PLC check is due emailed by Friday (10/29) at midnight.