The school year has just ended, and you deserve a break. We sincerely thank you for all that you do for children.
After you catch your breath, let us pay you back with rewarding PD that will benefit you throughout the curriculum. Our Shared Inquiry Essentials course, available on-demand or online, is the perfect PD to improve your experience next school year.
The Shared Inquiry Essentials Course prepares you to begin using the Great Books Foundation’s Shared Inquiry™ method of learning through reading and discussion with students at all levels and qualifies you to lead Junior Great Books in your classroom. You will:
- Learn questioning strategies that keep discussions lively and focused
- Learn how to lead activities that improve students’ reading, critical thinking, writing, and oral communication skills
- Practice writing interpretive questions and using follow-up questions to involve students of all ages and proficiency levels
- See how interpretive activities support student learning and meet state and district standards
“I thought the course was great! I really liked going through it at my own pace. The model teaching videos were very insightful. It was great to see it in action.”—Angela Harker
teacher/librarian
Iron City School District
Cedar County, UT
On-Demand Shared Inquiry Essentials Course
You can take the On-Demand Shared Inquiry Essentials course in bite-sized modules whenever you have time. You’ll take part in up to 10 hours of self-paced instruction
Online Shared Inquiry Essentials Course
Do you prefer a live experience with a Great Books professional learning consultant? The Online Shared Inquiry Essentials Course gives you six hours of engagement with our expert PD staff and other educators enrolled in the course. We teach the online course in three 2-hour webinars, with the remainder consisting of self-paced online modules that take about 4 hours to complete. Upcoming dates include:
Why You Should Take Great Books Shared Inquiry Professional Learning
Shared Inquiry is a research-based method of teaching and learning educators can employ in their classrooms to:
- Create a more collaborative and engaging learning environment. In Shared Inquiry, students work together to explore complex ideas and rigorous texts. This helps them develop critical thinking skills, learn to communicate effectively, and solve problems.
- Help all students find their voice. Shared Inquiry is a student-centered approach to learning. This means that you will be supporting students as they develop their own ideas and perspectives.
- Enhance all of the basic language arts skills. Shared Inquiry helps students develop reading comprehension, critical thinking, writing, speaking, and listening skills. This will help them succeed in all areas.
- Improve their teaching practice and help students reach their full potential.
In Shared Inquiry, teachers and students learn how to:
- Ask open-ended questions that promote critical thinking
- Facilitate discussions that are respectful and productive
- Develop ideas and explore others’ perspectives
- Assess and reflect on learning in a meaningful way
Learn More
Contact your Great Books K–12 partnership manager to learn more about Junior Great Books for grades K–8 and our outstanding professional development in inquiry-based learning. We can show you how Junior Great Books can fit into any educational setting!