Inquiry: Creating a Culture of Curiosity
Instructor: Mónica Naranjo
This workshop is designed for elementary teachers who want to cultivate a culture of inquiry in their classrooms, and embed authentic, student-driven exploration into everyday teaching. Participants will explore the foundations of inquiry-based learning, develop powerful questioning techniques, learn to integrate inquiry across all subject areas, and create personalized action plans for implementation. By the end of this course, teachers will have practical strategies to transform their classrooms into spaces where curiosity thrives and students actively engage in meaningful exploration aligned with curriculum goals.
Course information
For school leaders and teachers and support staff
Duration: 12 hours
4 sessions
Live peer-to-peer learning
The methodology
Teachers will learn in small groups of 2-5 colleagues, meeting once a week for 4 weeks. Sessions are 1.5 hours and can be in-person or online.
Course syllabus
Session 1: Foundations of Inquiry
- • Explore what inquiry truly means in an elementary classroom
- • Examine the different types of inquiry and the role of student agency
- • Create an environment that sparks curiosity and supports exploration
Session 2: Questioning and Thinking Routines
- • Engage with powerful questioning techniques that guide students toward deeper understanding
- • Learn how to use thinking routines to scaffold and sustain inquiry
- • Practice visible thinking strategies that make student thinking explicit
Session 3: Inquiry in Everyday Teaching
- • Move beyond inquiry as a stand-alone activity and integrate it seamlessly into daily lessons
- • Learn how to plan engaging, inquiry-based experiences across all subjects
- • Design inquiry experiences that align with curriculum goals and standards
Session 4: Refining Understanding and Moving Forward
The methodology
Teachers will learn in small groups of 2-5 colleagues, meeting once a week for 4 weeks. Sessions are 1.5 hours and can be in-person or online.
For school leaders and teachers and support staff
Duration: 12 hours
4 sessions
Live peer-to-peer learning