Inquiry-Based Learning

Inquiry-based learning is a concept that although I did not previously know its formal name, was integrated into my education from a young age. I had an alternative education from grade school through high school of being home-schooled/tutored. My mother was/is a Montessori teacher, and always put an emphasis on not just memorizing facts, but understanding the "bigger picture" and asking lots of questions to come to that understanding.

At my first teaching experience in a small private school, I taught in a unique setting of a combination of inclusion and self-contained students who all had intellectual disabilities. I was trained to teach the students in a manner in which I should constantly be asking them questions that make them understand and come to conclusions themselves. This type of questioning was particularly used while focusing on areas such as life skills.  

Inquiry-based learning will absolutley be in my future classroom, and will be integrated into all subject areas. This quote from the website http://www.thirteen.org/edonline/concept2class/inquiry/index.html really emphasizes the importance of inquiry-based learning in today's world:

"Memorizing facts and information is not the most important skill in today's world. Facts change, and information is readily available -- what's needed is an understanding of how to get and make sense of the mass of data."

Resources:
Concepts to Classrooms http://www.thirteen.org/edonline/concept2class/inquiry/index.html