1. Think about your hopes for inquiry this semester. What do you want to learn? How do you expect to grow both professionally and personally from engaging in and writing up your inquiry during your final internship semester?
This semester, I would like to learn more about asking higher order thinking questions while teaching lessons. Throughout the semester I expect to grow in my ability to ask higher order thinking questions, especially in math. Math is the one subject that I find the most difficult to design and ask higher order thinking questions. Also, I would like to grow in using the data I collect to help improve my teaching skills and to help the students with their critical thinking abilities.
2. Consider your fears about this course. What worries you about engaging in inquiry this semester? What concerns do you have as you continue your inquiry work as a part of your final internship?
One thing that I fear about this semester is my ability to ask higher order thinking questions during a lesson. This is something I have always struggled with. I fear that I will not be able to ask questions the students will understand and then be able to answer. I worry that I will not be able to collect enough data that proves I was able to foster the critical thinking of the students in my classroom. I am unsure of how to collect such data and would like clarification on this process.
3. Use your Inquiry Research Plan from last semester and your Goal Sheet and complete the following sentences:
Last semester my wondering was.... How can I use higher order questions with my students to foster their critical thinking?
I believe my inquiry topic is important for student learning because...Students answer questions all day but many of them are not high enough to develop the critical thinking skills they should have. I want to be able to foster their critical thinking skills by increasing additional higher order thinking questions from Bloom’s Taxonomy.
The key forms of data I hope to collect to more deeply understand student learning related to my inquiry are...I will assess the students’ abilities to answer higher order thinking (HOT) questions. I will use Exit Tickets (my CT calls them Tickets Out the Door) with HOT questions. I will record my lessons and reflect on the students’ abilities to answer the given questions.
The most important changes I hope to make/actions I hope to try related to my practice are... I hope to be able to enhance my questioning techniques and the student’s abilities to answer higher order thinking questions during math class. Also, I also hope to practice and increase my wait time for students to answer the questions.
The key forms of data I hope to collect data to more deeply understand myself and my teaching are...I will use video recordings to watch and reflect on the type and amount of questions asked during a lesson. I will take notes of conversations with my Collaborating Teacher (CT) about the amount and types of questions asked.
One thing my supervisor needs to know to help me "create a space" for inquiry in my classroom is...I need help finding resources that will assist me in developing higher order thinking questions, especially during math. I moved into a new classroom so I am spending the first two weeks getting to know my new students before I begin my inquiry.
One thing my course instructor needs to know to help me write-up and share my inquiry with others is...I love teaching 4th math and science. I know that will be reflected this semester. I am a very sequential thinker but can learn with a lot of noise around me. I am also a perfectionist with my assignments so I need plenty of time and structure to plan, develop, implement and present the inquiry. I am not afraid to ask plenty of questions during my course work and I appreciate all suggestions and thoughts from my instructors.
This semester, I would like to learn more about asking higher order thinking questions while teaching lessons. Throughout the semester I expect to grow in my ability to ask higher order thinking questions, especially in math. Math is the one subject that I find the most difficult to design and ask higher order thinking questions. Also, I would like to grow in using the data I collect to help improve my teaching skills and to help the students with their critical thinking abilities.
2. Consider your fears about this course. What worries you about engaging in inquiry this semester? What concerns do you have as you continue your inquiry work as a part of your final internship?
One thing that I fear about this semester is my ability to ask higher order thinking questions during a lesson. This is something I have always struggled with. I fear that I will not be able to ask questions the students will understand and then be able to answer. I worry that I will not be able to collect enough data that proves I was able to foster the critical thinking of the students in my classroom. I am unsure of how to collect such data and would like clarification on this process.
3. Use your Inquiry Research Plan from last semester and your Goal Sheet and complete the following sentences:
Last semester my wondering was.... How can I use higher order questions with my students to foster their critical thinking?
I believe my inquiry topic is important for student learning because...Students answer questions all day but many of them are not high enough to develop the critical thinking skills they should have. I want to be able to foster their critical thinking skills by increasing additional higher order thinking questions from Bloom’s Taxonomy.
The key forms of data I hope to collect to more deeply understand student learning related to my inquiry are...I will assess the students’ abilities to answer higher order thinking (HOT) questions. I will use Exit Tickets (my CT calls them Tickets Out the Door) with HOT questions. I will record my lessons and reflect on the students’ abilities to answer the given questions.
The most important changes I hope to make/actions I hope to try related to my practice are... I hope to be able to enhance my questioning techniques and the student’s abilities to answer higher order thinking questions during math class. Also, I also hope to practice and increase my wait time for students to answer the questions.
The key forms of data I hope to collect data to more deeply understand myself and my teaching are...I will use video recordings to watch and reflect on the type and amount of questions asked during a lesson. I will take notes of conversations with my Collaborating Teacher (CT) about the amount and types of questions asked.
One thing my supervisor needs to know to help me "create a space" for inquiry in my classroom is...I need help finding resources that will assist me in developing higher order thinking questions, especially during math. I moved into a new classroom so I am spending the first two weeks getting to know my new students before I begin my inquiry.
One thing my course instructor needs to know to help me write-up and share my inquiry with others is...I love teaching 4th math and science. I know that will be reflected this semester. I am a very sequential thinker but can learn with a lot of noise around me. I am also a perfectionist with my assignments so I need plenty of time and structure to plan, develop, implement and present the inquiry. I am not afraid to ask plenty of questions during my course work and I appreciate all suggestions and thoughts from my instructors.