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."

After reading the two articles, 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 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?

Even if you are familiar with the Stanford History Education Group’s Historical Thinking Chart (and especially if you’re not), head over here for a quick look at the Chart.

Now . . . mentally 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?