Learning and Teaching 

Inquiry Learning

Over the last few weeks of term, the teachers will be planning for the teaching and learning that will happen in Term 2. We spend the time unpacking what the students have learnt over Term 1 and what needs to be taught next. Overviews are developed for the next term. One of the core components of our planning on these days is Inquiry learning.

What is Inquiry Learning?

Inquiry learning is an approach that places the learner and learning at the centre of what the teacher thinks, says and does. The learning is often framed within authentic contexts and real-life problems and purposes. 

Through inquiry learning, students are encouraged to be curious about the world we live in, to wonder why it is that way and to ask about our place in it. The goal is to stimulate, respond to and nourish such curiosity, wonder and questioning. Learning through inquiry allows students to learn how to function in the highly interconnected and interdependent world in which we live by promoting opportunities for them to build positive, social relationships, work and learn in teams and manage and resolve conflict. 

In order to effectively develop units, we examine the understandings, concepts, knowledge, skills, values/attitudes and outcomes that we would like the students to acquire. We ‘begin with the end in mind’. Specific content, concepts, objectives, standards and outcomes are outlined in specific detail in the initial planning stages, which:

• Are relevant to the students’ needs, interests and abilities
• Cater for individual learning styles and;
• Allow for a variety of thinking processes

What will each learning community be focusing on in Term 2?

At Corpus Christi, we plan our Inquiry learning around four big concepts. These are: 

• Community - organisation and identity
• Wellbeing - of the learner and of the person
• Environment and Sustainability
• Innovation - product innovation and scientific innovation

The teachers will be asking the children what they know about the concept and what wonderings they have when they think about the concept. These ideas are brought to planning and we use these to direct the ideas that form the Inquiry unit. For Term 2, our learning communities will be focusing on Sustainability and Innovation.

All families will be invited to view the children’s learning at the end of Term 2 at our Learning Expo. 

Deborah Courtney

Director of Teaching and Learning