Professional Inquiry

Professional Inquiry

Inquiry is an essential process for the professional growth of all educators and it is one of the 12 Practicing Teacher Criteria in New Zealand.

The video below suggests 5 essential questions (and a bonus question) that can be used by educators to inquire into their professional practice.

5 essential questions in life – Dean James E. Ryan – Harvard School of Education 2016

1) Wait, what?

Ask for clarification before drawing conclusions or making decisions.

(At the root of all understanding)

2) I wonder…why/if?

Remain curious and start thinking about how you can improve the world.

(At the heart of all curiosity)

3) Couldn’t we at least…?

Move past disagreement to find common ground.

(At the beginning of all progress)

4) How can I help?

Ask with humility for direction.

(At the base of all relationships)

5) What truly matters… (to me)?

Get to the heart of issues.

(Gets you to the heart of life)

Bonus: And did you get what you wanted out of life, even so?

(Raymond Carver – Late fragment)

And did you get what
you wanted from this life, even so?
I did.
And what did you want?
To call myself beloved, to feel myself
beloved on the earth.

How do we make students feel beloved?

How do we make them feel loved, respected and cherished?