Inquiry Mindset: Cultivating Curiosity and Creating Question Competence

My students are too young to ask big questions.

My students just aren't curious.

My students only ask closed questions.

Igniting and embracing curiosity is essential to inquiry-based learning, and that begins with questions. But if your students' off-topic, too basic, or simply non-existent questions have left you discouraged, you know that getting to the right questions isn't always easy. Asking questions that have the power to create authentic inquiry experiences and effectively drive learning takes practice. That's where Inquiry Mindset: Questions Edition comes in.

In this book, Trevor MacKenzie offers tools and teacher insights that demonstrate the power and potential of student-generated inquiries. The Question Routines he outlines serve as a framework that you and your students can use to craft, organize, and justify questions. Effective across grade levels and subject areas, the strategies MacKenzie provides will empower you to bring fresh excitement and engagement to the learning experience.

As you integrate these Question Routines into your teaching practice, you will discover . . .

Curiosity can be leveraged to create personalized and authentic learning opportunities.Questioning can increase other competencies, including collaboration, critical thinking, communication, and reflection.As the teacher, you don't have to ask or answer all the questions.

"Trevor gives us the tools to help students generate and sort their questions in ways that thread the needle between authentic curiosity and curricular goals. Rooted in stories and examples of real classrooms, the collection of inquiry routines in this book will empower students to answer the most important questions in the classroom-the questions they, themselves, have asked."

"In an increasingly complex, demanding, and uncertain global climate, the skill of asking thoughtful, critical, probing questions is more important than ever. . . . Trevor's timely contribution will be a welcome addition to any teacher's professional library!"

"I have no doubt that you will return to this offering time and time again to help you refine, rethink, and revisit the wonderings your learners bring to the table."