Who We Are
We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit best known for having originated the Shared Inquiry method of teaching and learning. Our flagship K–8 program, Junior Great Books®, has been a favorite of teachers and students for more than 7 decades. We believe that literacy and critical thinking help form reflective, knowledgeable citizens equipped to participate constructively in a democratic society.
Our Mission
The mission of the Great Books Foundation is to advance the critical, reflective thinking and social and civic engagement of people of all ages through Shared Inquiry™ discussion of works and ideas of enduring value.
View this video to see how Junior Great Books programs help students at all levels express their ideas, listen carefully to others, and create more collaborative, caring communities.
From President Valentina Parissi
Every fall brings the excitement of a new academic year, along with new challenges. This year, we are all facing the unprecedented challenge of returning to the classroom after a year of making compromises and adjusting techniques to keep students’ education and growth our top priority. And even though the pandemic is not entirely behind us, we are all eager to get back into the classroom with a renewed sense of our collective mission, equipped with new strategies and best practices to create a stimulating environment for all students to learn and succeed.
Are you hoping for a better, more equitable future? Are you ready to take steps today that will help your current students? While the topic is complex, clarifying key terms and revisiting these six basics of inclusive learning communities—each coupled with specific inquiry-based learning practices—can turn our aspirations into opportunities,Continue reading
Experienced educators know that genuine student success requires more than just learning how to read. If students are to become lifelong learners who seek out new information and collaborate on creative solutions, they need to internalize ways of working that enable them to approach diverse subjects and situations confidently. TheContinue reading
Engagement and Discussion Strategies from the Shared Inquiry™ Toolkit Among the most basic elements of collaboration are speaking and listening skills. Used in every grade and discipline, as well as at home and at work, these skills can be easily overlooked because they’re everyone’s business. However, deliberately cultivating awareness ofContinue reading
Junior Great Books teaches me how to talk to someone. It helps me think about how other people are dealing with stuff and how I could be a better person to help them get through that stuff.
Lower-ability readers worked collaboratively with high-level readers. The high-level readers gained oral skills and became more comfortable speaking in class. The lower-level readers gained confidence and deeper thinking skills. Each group grew in their thinking, writing, and reading skills. Best, they learned social and interactive skills.
In today’s world, what most companies or jobs are looking for is the ability to collaborate well, and I think the best collaborators are those that know how to listen to others, to take different points of view, and then take on a leadership role . . . That is a skill that is just going to be beyond helpful to students, and the fact that they are getting to practice it now, in a safe place through fun stories, is the greatest.
The students have gained confidence in sharing their ideas with explanations. They also communicate respectfully and have come to understand that different ideas and opinions are acceptable!
For students that are age 5 or 13 right now, we don’t know what the world is going to look like when they’re 25. I think Shared Inquiry then is a really powerful way to help kids learn how to think, how to analyze, ask and answer questions, the kind of skill set that in 20 years [will] be very helpful in every aspect of your life.
Great Books Results Since 2010
Teachers Trained
Students Impacted
Schools Using Great Books