C2 (Challenge): Defining our Focus in Inquiry

Send us Fan MailIn our last episode, we spoke about how to find our focus as teachers, especially when we encounter uncertain times.  One of the things that centers me is the Golden CIrcle by Simon Sinek. As we look towards making our WHY happen in our teaching, what are some practical things we can implement now to see a difference? One of the best tools I created while still in the classroom revolves around the terms: engaging, challenging, relevant, and significant.  The PYP refers to these terms when thinking about inquiry and developing inquiry-based lessons.  Like most teachers, I thought of them as isolated terms until one day my students asked to assess my lessons.  At the time, I thought this was a bit cheeky for my students to ask to assess my brilliance, but these terms came to my mind instantly.  Here is a brief definition: EngagingTo engage is more than having fun, it awakens the mind to think and connectChallengingTo challenge is confronting misconceptions and stretching ideas to a place of discomfortRelevant To find relevance is reflecting on prior and current experiences and delving into their implicationsSignificantTo find significance is bridging issues from our local experience and finding the commonality of the human experience around the worldFor a written blog post and other resources, visit:   https://thinkchat2020.weebly.com/Thanks for listening!  Please join the epic learning journey at lugerlach.comJoin our Confessions of a PYP Teacher Facebook Group!  Let's have some fun!