Where I’m From.... Natalie Danielle Dewling

                           It seems strange to see my “maiden” name, it seems so long ago,
                                As I am from a London suburb in southwestern Ontario,
                           From parents who were teachers and reverse psychology the norm
                                Taunting nursery rhymes ”I’ll tell you a story” to
                                                  Singing “You  Are My Sunshine”

Reading was another world—a movie in words to see

My days were always filled with sports with names like “Nat” and “Stretch” for me

            Summer was family road trips and summer jobs—that’s how I preferred to learn best
                         Life was about learning and doing— and for that I truly feel blessed!  

Inquiry Based Learning – February 18^th, 2012

                 I am of two minds about inquiry based learning.  Inquiry based learning excites me.  It allows my curiosity to flourish and find out about things that I want to learn about.  It gives me choice and control over what interests me.  This of itself is admirable and in reality will allow the student to produce likely their best work.  They would not only step up but then excel.  Inquiry based learning will provide a framework for the students to utilize technology.  School is always more engaging when it can be done more easily and efficiently and in a fun manner.  Technology does not hamstring those students who are less artistically inclined. Those with poor penmanship are not penalized and students who need help with writing, spelling, grammar etc have the flexibility of using programs like Word to assist those struggling writers.  Oral presentations, that utilize power point presentations, engage the audience in a visually stimulating manner.  Power point presentations also help the presenter to present in a simple and straightforward manner, where the written bullets on the screen help to expand the presenter with their dialogue. 

Inquiry based learning has one major drawback—technology.  As a Junior Elementary School teacher in my school board, I have, along with the other teachers in the Junior Division been relegated to teach in a portable.  This on its own does not sound so daunting until you begin to actually try and utilize technology.  Our portables do not as of yet, have any computers—let alone a “hook up” to the board’s server or Internet. 

The Junior grade classes at my school are expected to go into the main building and access net books (in a locked storage container located in an Intermediate classroom) and work in a “hot” zone hallway, where the net books can hook-up wirelessly to the board’s server.   The problem with this is focus.  Many of my students are easily distracted and have difficulty following the oral instructions.  What I would prefer to do, would be to have my own laptop connected to a projector so that the students would visually and orally be able to see and hear what my instructions are.  This would help to facilitate the development of the student’s research skills because they would be able to both see and hear my instructions.  Prior to this year, the Junior students had access to a computer lab (30-60 minutes per week) but this room is currently being updated.  The old Computer Lab was problematic for a number of reasons.  A number of students would often have difficulty logging on to the board’s server.  As well, students would have to listen to the oral instructions as there was no projector or Smart Board.  And lastly, when one included the travel time it took to walk from the portable to the Computer Lab, actual teaching time was severely limited.

Given all of these pitfalls with access to computers, I am hesitant to presently utilize technology as an inquiry approach to learning.  When I did utilize an  inquiry approach to for a topic, this would often take the better part of five to six weeks as the time available for the students to complete their projects took a considerable amount of time.  Even with the time constraints, students for the most part thoroughly enjoyed utilizing technology.  They appreciated the how “polished” their finished product would appear and what they would discover.  Students would be able to teach each other, and share websites that were more “user friendly”.  

This year I have had the students approach topics utilizing an inquiry approach.  Students have been asked to interview their parents/families about cancer or why/how their family immigrated to Canada. Students have also been expected to research at home about other topics—space, electricity generation, trading partners etc.. at home.  I am a little uncomfortable with this form of inquiry as I like to see what and how the students are developing their research skills.  As well, my class comes from a variety of socio-economic levels and I know that some students need to access the computers at the local Public Library in order to complete these assignments. I know that access to technology is developing in our board.  The Intermediate division at my school currently has Smart Boards, Projectors and net books in their classrooms. I know that I just need to be patient and know that eventually the resources will trickle down—I’m just a little frustrated at its seemly glacial speed!