How can I get my students excited about learning?

COVID has profoundly impacted education. Prior to the pandemic, teachers struggled to meet the demands of administrators, the state and federal government, and parents. Now, teachers must help students get back into the routine of daily working in a classroom and focus on learning. More importantly, teachers must get students excited about learning. Through the years, many very wise educators have tried to devise a specific process to address the problem. There are many variables involved in the process. However, the only two that matter are:

THE TEACHER AND THE STUDENT!

The teacher needs to be genuinely excited about any learning and believe in the process of inquiry and the natural curiosity of students. Then, he/she needs to begin with getting the student involved in the process. HOW?

By inviting the student to follow his/her natural curiosity to ask questions and follow the answers to form more questions or ….

I N Q U I R Y!

Where do I begin to use inquiry? You begin with the teacher. The teacher must have a philosophy that supports inquiry and a desire or determination to implement a change that will help the students engage in learning, take the responsibility for their learning, and get excited about the learning. Then, the teacher must look at the curriculum. An overview of the standard must be established while pointing out gaps that could be explored. For example, if the content area is social studies, the 4th grade SC standard (provided below) is the civil war, the teacher must present an overview noting the indicators that must be included in the learning while opening new avenues of exploration for more learning.

GRADE 4 United States Studies to 1865 Standard 4-6: The student will demonstrate an understanding of the causes, the course, and the effects of the American Civil War. Enduring Understanding Regional economic interests led to social and political differences that seemed insurmountable by 1860. To understand why the United States was forced to settle sectional differences through civil war.

(https://ed.sc.gov/instruction/standards-learning/social-studies/standards/2011-south-carolina-social-studies-academic-standards/ Retrieved 6/12/2021.)

The teacher sets the background knowledge and invites students to think of what

you wonder about that time in history. The teacher gives examples and they share together.

Just as I have set up a study in social studies, any content area (or topic) can be used: science, art, physical education, etc. The teacher follows the same format of curriculum, standards, background knowledge for students, model research, invite questions, and begin the cycle. Inquiry is a circular process always ending with more questions. Any situation can turn into inquiry, whether it’s for a simple book study, answering a burning question, or deep research there is a type of inquiry to work. There are four types of inquiry that can accommodate a variety of classroom needs:

1) Mini-inquiries – Brief investigations conducted by students.

2) Open Inquiries - Students are given opportunities to get in groups and select their own topics to research. 3) Book Club Inquiries – Groups research about books. 4) Circular Inquiries – More in depth investigations about ke concepts.

WOW! So, how do you get students excited about learning…with inquiry!

You set the stage to ignite curiosity, give students’ choice, and involve them in active engagement through inquiry and they will get excited about learning.

Daniels, H., & Zemelman, S. (2014). Subjects matter: Exceeding standards through powerful content-area reading. Heinemann Educational Books.

Harvey, S., & Daniels, H. (2015). Comprehension and collaboration: Inquiry circles for curiosity, engagement, and understanding. Heinemann Educational Books.