Now you can complete fully asynchronous courses—both introductory and advanced—through our Shared Inquiry Learning Center. It’s easy and it’s convenient. Learn the Shared Inquiry™ method and boost your inquiry skills when you have time.

I really did enjoy this on demand course. I was originally JGB trained over 20 years ago, so this asynchronous course was a great way to refresh myself about the beauty of Junior Great Books Shared Inquiry. Being able to complete the course at my own pace during my summer break was perfect!

—LeeAnne Sampson
lower school academic dean
The Benjamin School, Palm Beach Gardens, FL

An expert instructor will guide you through each of the learning modules in our on-demand courses.

Introductory On-Demand Course

Shared Inquiry Essentials On-Demand

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Designed for teachers, this course prepares you to begin using the Great Books Foundation’s Shared Inquiry method. You will learn:

  • How to implement Junior Great Books® in the classroom
  • Effective questioning strategies that keep discussions lively and focused
  • How to boost students’ reading, critical thinking, writing, and oral communication skills

This course includes up to 10 hours of self-paced instruction in the following areas:

  • Introduction to Shared Inquiry
  • The Shared Inquiry sequence of activities
  • Experiencing Shared Inquiry
  • Leader preparation
  • Leading Shared Inquiry discussion
  • Classroom implementation

When you complete the modules and required coursework you will be eligible for a Shared Inquiry Leader badge and certificate.

Shared Inquiry Badges Watermark

Advanced On-Demand Courses

We strongly recommend that you complete the Shared Inquiry Essentials course before taking advanced courses. Advanced courses assume an understanding of the basic concepts of the Shared Inquiry method.

Power of Student Questions: A Closer Look at Sharing Questions

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This advanced-level asynchronous course will help you teach students:

  • How to pose better questions
  • How to identify different kinds of questions
  • How to focus on the questions that will best help them build their understanding of a text selection

You will learn how to stimulate students’ initial curiosity about a specific text and help them learn to zero in on parts of a selection that may raise questions. You will also learn how to help students identify the types of questions they have formulated and how to best answer their questions. This course focuses on the sharing questions activity, but the strategies you will learn will help students develop a process that enables them to have the confidence to ask their own questions about any text they may encounter.

Those who complete the asynchronous modules, required coursework, and course evaluation will receive the Student Questions Specialist badge.

Implementing Junior Great Books Nonfiction Inquiry

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This advanced-level asynchronous course introduces participants to the Junior Great Books Nonfiction Inquiry materials using the Shared Inquiry method of reading and discussion with nonfiction texts. After completing this self-paced course, you will be able to:

  • Use Nonfiction Inquiry reading strategies and engage in discussions effectively
  • Apply the Shared Inquiry sequence of activities to analyze nonfiction texts
  • Reflect on the elements and advantages of the Shared Inquiry sequence of activities as they pertain to nonfiction texts
  • Demonstrate proficiency in generating follow-up questions to enhance students’ understanding of nonfiction texts
  • Organize nonfiction discussions around a single text or an anchor text

Those who complete the asynchronous modules, required coursework, and course evaluation will receive the Nonfiction Specialist badge.

Junior Great Books Nonfiction Inquiry is available for grades 2–5.

Learn More About Great Books Professional Learning

We support educators every step of the way along their journey as they learn the Shared Inquiry method and apply it in Junior Great Books and beyond. This is a strategy that truly carries across the curriculum. In addition to the on-demand courses we feature on this page, we also have:

  • Live in-person instruction
  • Online professional learning courses
  • Blended courses that are in-person and asynchronous or online and asynchronous
  • Custom consultation, either in-person or online

Talk to your Great Books K–12 partnership manager today to learn more and schedule the perfect mix of professional learning for your setting!