Shared Inquiry and Dialogue - Part Two

Introduction

Differences Shape Understanding:
- Life history, society, and power cannot be understood from a single perspective; multiple viewpoints are necessary.
- Inclusive classrooms should function as learning communities built on shared inquiry and dialogue.

Dialogue:
- More than conversation; requires openness to new ideas and collective learning.
- Not a debate where someone wins or loses.

Listening:
- Deeply understanding others’ words, feelings, and wisdom.
- Active and deep listening.
Humility:
- Acknowledging that others may hold pieces of the puzzle.
Respect:
- Trusting others' integrity and valuing their perspectives.
Trust:
- Creating a safe space for exploring new ideas and conflicts.
Voice:
- Encouraging students to speak up and ask questions.

Equity in Classrooms:
- Shared inquiry supports diversity and action, enhances critical thinking, and fosters appreciation for diversity.

Role of Questions:
- Good questions can shift paradigms and create thinkers.
- Importance of students asking their own questions rather than relying on teacher's questions.

Socratic Seminar/Circle:
- Group learning strategy that supports open-minded examination and critical thinking.
- Involves dividing the class into an inner and outer circle.
- Inner circle discusses content; outer circle listens and takes notes.
- Includes a "hot seat" for outer circle members to temporarily join the discussion.
Use of Question Stems:
- Teaching students to use question stems to articulate concerns and ideas.
- Question stems derived from Bloom's Taxonomy and Depth of Knowledge (DOK) charts.
- Examples include questions that encourage comparing, contrasting, and explaining.

Empowerment Through Questioning:
- Teaching students to ask the right questions is empowering and crucial for their success.