I Can't do Inquiry! I'm on a Fixed Schedule!

Litzinger, Vicki

IL, CO

Fontichiaro, Kristin. (2014). I Can't do Inquiry! I'm on a Fixed Schedule! School Library Monthly, 30(5), p 49.

Summary

A very short article, yet Fontichiaro provides several sound examples of how to build inquiry into your teaching even on a fixed schedule. She suggests making it part of storytime, break the inquiry process into smaller "targeted, mini lessons," asking "teachers to swap planning periods," or creating a club in which students do research on "current events."

Evaluation

This article was an excellent reminder that undertaking inquiry in your library classes does not have to mean a huge project for you or your students. It is so easy to get frustrated given what we have to build into our 45 minute classes which also usually includes a book exchange time. So, we don't get our entire 45 minutes for reading and teaching inquiry. I particularly appreciated Fontichiaro's suggestion about building inquiry into storytime where we "model active reading and questioning," and "point students toward resources that can help them answer those questions. Ask students to share answers when they check out." An article of very practical, and easy-to-integrate suggestions.