Here are my lessons plans (1/2/3/&4): My Inquiry Lesson Plans
Assessment ( This may be used for assessment purpose)
Inquiry lesson demo on 28th July
That is the Power Point Presentation that was used on the day of the Lesson Demonstration.
My Reflections on the Lesson Demonstration
I am writing this reflection based on my understandings of Inquiry-based pedagogy as a part of Self-evaluation for my Lesson Demonstration. Inquiry insists on using reflection as a powerful tool that helps to better our teaching style and be more effective as a teacher. Reflecting and evaluating one’s teaching after a lesson is over, gives you insights that may help in the outcome of the lesson. Even a few brief evaluative notes on a lesson plan are immensely helpful the next time you teach that lesson. It is a technique I have used even otherwise in my years of teaching although, In the rush of teaching, one can get tempted to skip self-evaluation at times. For this lesson demonstration, Inquiry-based pedagogy was used, which was beneficial for students to have a deeper understanding of the topic. The initial video on the history of storytelling explained the importance of storytelling in all cultures. The essential question(EQ) also guided students to be clear about what they need to learn in class. We had a good discussion time that engaged students and promoted the interactions between them. Students freely shared their identities, mother languages, some cultural values, and also how they are all a product of their beliefs. The class then watched a video of a story from the First Nation’s Culture. They were given an insight of the same by telling them that we all come from the different parts of the world but since we are here in Canada, let us know, how this land came into origin?
Few questions asked:
- The students were posed with the Essential Question (EQ)
“How can cross-cultural understanding help us understand the basic human values that remain the same across the socio-cultural landscape?”
This question would be repeatedly revisited throughout the unit, an open-ended question that will be answered through the course of this Inquiry. (Wiggins & McTighe 2013).
They were further asked a few supporting questions. And also to describe the words/ characters/ land/place/elements that they could recall after watching the story video (Buckner& Kim, 2014; Khalaf, 2018).
- How can you relate to this story and how have their own parents narrated stories? Are they able to see a connection between the information they got through this story with their emotions?
To develop an understanding, respect, and appreciation for other cultures, the students were asked to share their passions/ sadness/ fears/ hardships and joys. This activity encouraged the students to find a common ground with other people so that it becomes easier to connect and communicate. The students responded, beautifully in their own words.
Proceeding further with our brainstorming session, we also discussed, “Stories are universal, conveying meaning, and purpose that helps us understand ourselves better and find commonality with others. It is a way of understanding the world around us:
- How we make bonds?
- How we came on this earth?
The students also came up with the fact that we are all storytellers. We all have a unique way of expression.
They were then encouraged to share another story about “Turtle Island” or the First Nation’s concept of our existence and the world around us?
Since this story was placed in the water, they were also encouraged to talk about the importance of water in our life?
Another question was framed at this point:
- How is planet earth as an island?
Since there is a flood in the story, the students discussed another Flood Story: Noah”s Arch. There were differences in their version of the story but they prepared it impromptu and enacted the whole tale.
This unit is meant for grade 5 students and the adult students in my virtual classroom were grown up enough to build and enact a story so fast, it was perhaps one of the reasons to jump from one activity to the other in a rushed manner.
Tyson suggested to me that I should not be moving from meditation to a discussion mode in succession. He was also suggestive of keeping a track of time. which I agree with.
To avoid making the same mistakes over and over it is good to keep a note of the same, simultaneously:
- What went well in this lesson? Why?
The students in the class were extremely responsive and receptive. They were attentive to all the instructions given and were pro-active in all activities that were given to them. Developing questions is an important part of inquiry-based learning, the students came up with some unique questions that I shall be incorporating in my improvised lesson plan.
- What problems did I experience? Why?
The technology was a deterrent few and far in between the lesson but overall it was not that big a problem that came in way of the lesson. The students could not respond to few activities promptly as I had not informed them to keep the supplies handy(paper and color pens)
Another major problem that I faced was to keep track of the time factor, which was not enough to deliver this lesson owing to the number of activities planned for the same.
I was suggested by my group members to give enough time to them to complete one activity before moving on to the next. While revising my lesson plan I have ensured to make room for all activities to be accomplished in a day’s plan.
- Was it “student-centered”? Should it have been?
It was indeed a student-centered lesson and was based on the five principles of inquiry-based pedagogy.
- What could I have done differently?
I will have to restrict the number of activities to be done in a day. Also would prefer taking up a lesson based on storytelling face to face either in a real classroom or in nature and not online. I missed uploading the handout ( lesson plan) which would have given a broad outline to the students in advance.
- What did I learn from this experience that will help me in the future?
I am sure the next time we take up this lesson we shall be having a better set up of the class and I could probably use some props while narrating the story.
During the first part of the lesson, I felt insecure because I was facing a class after a very long time and that too in a different set up than I have been doing over the years. I temporarily lost my focus because of the new circumstances and because of the online medium. As a result, the lesson did not start well. It was choppy and disjointed. Once I got into the lesson, I felt more comfortable. When we began the exercises and the students started participating, things got better. The laughter and interactions at the end humanized and I’m very grateful that my group members gave me significant suggestions for my lesson demonstration. The professional literature suggests numerous ways for teachers to design instruction so that all children learn. Storytelling is one way—it costs nothing, is enjoyable, and can be used anywhere and at any time (Zabel, 1991). All of their advice is very helpful to make my lesson plans better. I also appreciate that I could have a chance to have a lesson demonstration based on my project design because I do discover that the teaching practices contribute to the revision of my teaching plans, even though, it was just a brief demo. I could sense that learning was taking place and that I was directing that learning. From this experience, I learned that I need to create a more open teaching style. I must also remember to spend less time on explanations and get right into the practice activities. They were more effective than reading the story and underlining the prepositions. I also realized more than ever the importance of being flexible. Changes may be necessary for the best of lesson plans. Having a good lesson plan is fundamental to do the teaching practice, and when doing teaching practice, it should be dynamic and flexible. A teacher needs to adopt the teaching according to students’ learning conditions and try to find out more suitable ways for students to learn. The reflections on presenting the whole unit at the end, while addressing the EQ were discussed but we could not have the full brainstorm session due to paucity of time, although the group members appreciated the design and content of the Inquiry.
It was very rewarding to see this lesson come to life. Trying to integrate more discussions into the classroom is true of great value as it brought about some valuable responses that have equipped me to build further lessons in the unit. Since I have mostly taught in a structured framework of activities and time it was a great learning experience to let the discussions flow. I have taken inspiration from Clifford and Friesen (2003), and let the student discuss and present their work and also ask questions, I felt it was an opportunity for me as well as the students to learn from each other. It can be challenging to keep the discussions focussed, considering the age group of the students but I look forward to incorporating the Inquiry in my teachings someday.
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