"Inquiry-based teaching and Discovery learning"

Inquiry-based teaching methods are student-centered instead of the teacher force feeding information that the students haven’t processed, digested or not yet proved to themselves if the information fits into their framework of knowledge. In my opinion, the key to inquiry-based is allowing the pupils to design the instructor’s guided lesson. Teachers do not like this aforementioned because of time constraints and the pupil’s natural curiosity may not align to standards. Additionally, many teachers are not supported by the schools’ administrative system, by their colleagues or by resources.

So in Eleanor’s class, the question was raised, “What is a model?” The class seemed very confused as to what a model is exactly and like “energy”, there is a barrage of definitions, from Christie Brinkley to a paper airplane. Should this be a teachable moment about models?  Should the instructor continue with the objectives of the course and maintain the time schedule and great well-designed lessons?

I have not taught my content as of yet and do not know the pressures that teachers feel from students, staff and administration. Conveying information is already a challenging feat and could be more challenging when other questions are raised that the teacher may or may not be equipped to answer.

The National Science Teacher Association (NSTA) has been pushing teachers towards inquiry-based teaching using demonstrations, hands-on activities like Energy Theater and using the whiteboards and allows the pupils to walk away from the lesson with conceptual knowledge instead of superficial truths.

Sherry said today, “A conceptual model helps make meaning”.  Another teacher participant, Tim   said that he will use Energy Theater in his classroom as much as possible next year.

This seems as though they both learned a tool that will be inherently used to have their students to discover the objective of the lesson instead of an information transfer. This is a goal of mine as an educator and I feel great that Eleanor’s lesson as lasting effects on her current students and their students.