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the big question
to inquire or not to inquire, that is the question?
In a nutshell, the International
Baccalaureate Primary Years Program can be described as a structured
program of inquiry with a global perspective. Whilst it deliberately
promotes certain attitudes, dispositions and knowledge, the business of
inquiry lies at its core. It therefore actively encourages questioning,
information management and problem solving skills.
But how? (Good question!)
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You will recall that six broad Organising Themes are
examined through year level-specific Units of Inquiry.
Each Unit of Inquiry has a Central Idea which is
significant, challenging and globally relevant (e.g. Waterways sustain
life and can often be affected by humans). |
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This idea is then broken down into areas
of inquiry (To continue the example: areas such as important local and
international waterways, types of life supported by waterways, human
impact on waterways, etc.)
For our students, here is where the fun
begins. At the beginning of a Unit of Inquiry teachers seek to tap into
each child’s innate curiosity about the world.
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To get the boys thinking about their
unit, teachers generally utilise some form of multimedia, play a game,
pose a problem, invite a guest speaker or better still, organise an
excursion!! (For example the Year 5 excursion to the Murray River is a
way of exploring the Waterways Unit central idea.) |
Having been actively introduced to the scope of the unit, our boys are
encouraged to conduct an inquiry. They are asked to think of “fat”
questions as opposed to “thin” questions i.e. significant questions,
meaningful questions, local and international questions, rather than
questions of little consequence. Teachers explicitly teach questioning
techniques and will often pose a few curly ones themselves to ensure the
full breadth of the central idea is considered. Those who are disinclined
towards questioning are given assistance. Ultimately, everyone finds an
area of personal interest whilst being guided towards an understanding of
globally significant concepts.
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Working together, the teacher and boys
will organise the questions so that they can be explored. Sometimes,
this means that investigative groups are formed, individuals conduct
intensive research, pairs carry out experiments or the whole class
examines one or two queries together. |
Teachers will plan whatever lessons promote a deep understanding of the
central idea and its key concepts. They will also factor in the
development of skills and attitudes relevant for their year level. All the
while, our teachers are mindful of fundamental literacy and numeracy.
Lessons in such areas are integrated into the unit activities or are
taught separately. Religion, and the specialist areas of Japanese, Music
and PE are handled in the same way.
During the course of a unit, the boys
sometimes learn that the asking of questions often leads to …. the asking
of questions (!) as opposed to “the answer”. This is, of course, an
important real life lesson that reflects our rapidly changing world.
Having the skills and confidence to deal with real life inquiry and to be
able to solve problems is what the PYP is ultimately about.
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