Reflection 4: What is Inquiry- Based Learning?

Humans are created with brains to have stimulated by knowledge and the ability to use our brains to grow and learn. Being a child is the first step in learning and it is a time where we gain most of our knowledge. It is crucial, as a teacher, to insure that you are teaching the correct material to your students because children’s brains are like sponges, they take everything in. A step in the teaching process with young children is Inquiry- Based learning. Inquiry- Based learning is a method that you not only teach, but you demonstrate for the child the point you are trying to get across. Inquiry means questioning or examination, you teach a child the letter ‘A’ for example, you are expected to show them what the letter looks like, what it’s used for, how it is said and written and then the child begins to ask questions and that is where you, as a teacher, know you are doing a good job because you are getting the children to interact and express their new found knowledge. The process of inquiry begins at a very young age, from the day of birth until the time you pass and it all begins as children start to grab objects, see face, see movement and eventually start learning the big world around them. The five senses are great ways for children to start inquiring about their world so don’t be afraid to let them find out more about it. Regrettably, the schools system has expanded in a way that doesn’t allow children to use Inquiry- Based learning as much as we would have hoped. We are letting computers and technology teach our kids and that lets them ask a lot of questions and therefore it becomes more of a “sit and listen” or “sit and memorize” rather then actually learning. As a teacher, it is our jobs to try and make activities for the children to participate in and not give that much information but to let them wonder and ask questions and that is when we strike and open their minds to what it is you want them to learn. A well created inquiry- based learning activity should be made with the lesson in mind so it can help the students build up their knowledge as they move forward passing from one grade to the next. As teachers we should try to incorporate this learning style into our teaching style because it is very useful and it helps children gain knowledge in a way they normally wouldn’t.