Visiting the Pacific School of Innovation and Inquiry

Hey everyone,

This past Friday we visited the Pacific School of Innovation and Inquiry (PSII), and I loved it!

I thought about how inquiry-based learning could look as a new teacher, and came to the conclusion that it would be difficult to integrate this type of learning at the beginning of your practice. As new educators, we are trying to build our resources, master classroom management, and create new network connections. We are also not trained as teachers to work in a fully inquiry-based set up. I think this system is something to strive for, but it feels unrealistic as someone who is new to teaching.

There are several benefits of inquiry-based learning. Overall, this competency-based learning is a helpful way to connect ideas, and is very cross-curricular by nature. It was also really impressive to see students involved in designing their own learning, and students will naturally buy into school if they are in control of their own education and assessment. I can also see how this type of learning allows for skills to develop more so than typical schooling, specifically with STEM. For example, it is clear that students learn how to ask good questions, and design studies – these two skills are very important in this age.

Going back to using inquiry-based learning as a new teacher, I can see how you can involve this style of learning without doing it at the large scale that is modelled by PSII. As I build resources and become more comfortable in the profession, I will be able to incorporate inquiry-baesd pedagogy more often. I think this model should be the goal of education.

Let me know if you feel like this method of education is something you could integrate as a new teacher, and what you thought of the school.

Cheers,

Rylie