Let's start by getting a taste of what direct instruction vs. inquiry learning can look like by reading this article I wrote in early 2021. Be sure to read the Washington Post article that I reference. (You can also access a PDF version of the Post article.)

These two articles lay the foundation for why inquiry-based learning can be so powerful. One of my favorite paragraphs in Kohn's article:

"And the more ambitious one’s goal, cognitively speaking, the less likely one is to reach it by having students sit and listen. This is true because we are not empty receptacles into which knowledge is poured; we are active meaning makers."

Simply put, our classroom instruction needs to focus on activities that train our students to examine and make sense of primary and secondary evidence. We need to be asking kids to use that evidence to address authentic and complex compelling questions. We need to help kids to make evidence-based claims and to share those claims with others. 

I absolutely understand that putting all of that into practice doesn’t happen overnight. But we also understand our kids can achieve great things when given the opportunity. This means providing the scaffolds that are essential for them to deeply engage with deep questions in social studies. They need us to build the support system that allows them to flourish.

“. . . few students have the skills necessary to conduct inquiry on their own. Although inquiry is essential to education, simply assigning such tasks won’t guarantee meaningful results. Most students need direct help to make the most of their experiences, and teachers’ most important responsibility is to provide them with the structure they need to learn . . . ” (Doing History: Investigating with Children in Elementary and Middle Schools. Levstik & Barton 2023.)

So . . . ask yourself:

• Does the experience I describe in my article sound familiar? Have you ever had a day when you thought you nailed it but later it became very clear that you didn't?
• Was there ever a day when you really *did* nail it? When your kids were so into that they didn't want to leave your room? 
• What did you do differently on those two different days?
  

The Digital Inquiry Group (once known as the Stanford History Education Group and re-branded in early 2024) has developed a matrix that is helpful for guiding our thinking about what an inquiry-based classroom should look like. This Historical Thinking Chart highlights four historical thinking skills that can form the basis for our instruction.

Even if you are familiar with the Digital Inquiry Group’s Historical Thinking Chart (and especially if you’re not), head over here for a quick look at the Chart. If you don't have a free account at DIG, you will want to do that. This allows you to download hard copies of all of their resources, including the Chart.

Now . . . mentally or physically circle those things that your kids are asking, doing, and thinking about while they’re in your class. And . . . here are the questions that get a little personal:

• How much is circled?
• Where could there be improvement?
• What would that look like in practice?