Exploring the Inquiry Mindset: Cultivating Cultures of Curiosity
APRIL 27-28, 2023
Atlanta, GA
Trevor MacKenzie
Teacher, Author, Keynote Speaker, & Inquiry Authority
In this highly engaging Learning Lab internationally-recognized inquiry expert Trevor MacKenzie will challenge your mind to rethink the role of the teacher and the learner in the inquiry classroom. You will participate in activities that can be immediately applied to your practice through specific constructivist frameworks, structures, and protocols that all help students, teachers, coaches, coordinators, and leaders to adopt an inquiry mindset as their own. You will learn specific, practical instructional strategies that engage the questions, wonders and curiosities of learners that align to curricular standards and outcomes.
An exploration of assessment with a lens on supporting learners in understanding where they are in their learning and where they need to go next in their learning will be facilitated by Trevor. You will participate in activities that align learning standards with reflective exercises to empower students in understanding themselves as learners. You will design assessment activities that are infused with student voice aimed at transforming grading practices to move beyond merely providing students with a letter grade or percentage score.
You will learn to answer questions like these:
-
What are the various types of inquiry and how can these lead to a gradual shift of control over learning from the teacher to the learner?
-
How can we cultivate classrooms of curiosity?
-
How can we mindfully support learners in inquiry by honing the skills, understandings and structures necessary to be successful in this new learning ecosystem?
-
What are the characteristics and understandings of the Inquiry Teacher and how can we develop these to better meet the needs of our students?
-
How can we embed cooperative learning strategies to help students share their understanding and move towards doing rather than merely knowing?
-
How can we facilitate assessment exercises and conversations more consistently in our classrooms and in our teaching time so students take on a more authentic role in the assessment process?
-
How can we encourage our learners to take on this new role in the classroom? And how can we inform parents to create capacity and support in this assessment transformation?
-
How can we facilitate meaningful conversations in student/teacher assessment conferences?
-
How can we strike a balance in our formative and summative assessment practice?
Trevor MacKenzie is an experienced teacher, author, keynote speaker, and inquiry consultant who has worked in schools throughout Australia, Asia, North America, South Africa and Europe. Trevor’s passion is in supporting schools in implementing inquiry-based learning practices. He is a highly regarded speaker known for his heartfelt storytelling, kind demeanour, and student-first philosophy.
Trevor’s graduate research focused on identifying and removing the barriers to implementing inquiry-based learning in the K-12 setting. He is an inquiry practitioner currently as a teacher with the Greater Victoria School District in Victoria, Canada. He has three publications: Dive into Inquiry; Inquiry Mindset Elementary Edition; Inquiry Mindset Assessment Edition; all published by Elevate Books Edu. He has vast experience supporting schools across several years in implementation strategies in public schools, international schools, and International Baccalaureate programmes (PYP/MYP/DP).
Trevor is an award winning English teacher who believes that it is a magical time to be an educator. By increasing student agency over learning, weaving in strong pedagogy, transformative tech use, and sharing learning to a public audience, Trevor’s learners are ready to take on important roles in the 21st century.
IF YOU ARE TRAVELING TO ATTEND THIS LEARNING LAB, we recommend staying at the Atlanta Marriott Northeast/Emory Area, which is down the street from our office. You can stroll over in under 5 minutes!
CASIE's Learning Lab workshops are designed to address both the practical needs and the classroom dreams of educators.
Teachers wrestle with many different aspects of pedagogy and practice on a daily basis. At CASIE, we believe that thinking and learning collaboratively is one of the best ways to build strong individual practice in the classroom. We developed our Learning Labs as an opportunity for K-12 educators to meaningfully and deeply engage with new ideas while refining their own teaching. Each Learning Lab features focused content, active learning, collaborative work, expert support, and guided reflection over the span of two days of interactive learning with small groups and content experts.
... I was able to immediately put what I learned into practice in the classroom!! Awesome facilitator, great stories and activities!!"
-Anne Prouty, French American International School, Portland, Oregon
"Excellent Learning Lab. From the facility to the food everything was fabulous...I came away with a bank of conceptual knowledge, more than I ever knew I would!"
-Kimberly Schorr, Clubview Elementary, Columbus, Georgia
Be a part of this conversation!
Use #CASIELearningLab and tag us on social media, @casieonline
Our Previous Learning Labs
Achieving Transformation through Concept-Based Learning (online)
Chad Hyatt,
Reducing Learning Barriers in a Language-Diverse Classroom (online)
Linda Johnson, Language IB Educator & Curriculum Specialist
IB Programme Evaluation: How to Navigate The Process and Inspire Excellence (online)
Elissa Banas, Coordinator & Veteran IB Educator
Brave Community: Learning About Race to Unlearn Racism (online)
Janine de Novais, Educator & Researcher
Maker-Centered Learning: Promises, practices, and pedagogies explored (online)
Jessica Ross, Educator & Researcher
Navigating the Complexities of IB Coordination
Benjamin Feinstein, Expert International Baccalaureate Educator and Workshop Leader
Playful learning, playful teaching: Supporting learning through play from preschool through middle school
Jennifer Oxman Ryan, Senior Project Manager, Project Zero, Harvard Graduate School of Education and Mara Krechevsky, Research Director, Project Zero, Harvard Graduate School of Education
A Celebration of Learners and Learning “Practical Approaches to Teaching and Learning”
Richard Hood, Expert International Baccalaureate Educator
Making Thinking Visible: Creating a Culture Where Thinking & Understanding Thrive
Mark Church, Co-author, Making Thinking Visible & consultant with Harvard Graduate School of Education's Project Zero
Inquiry: Not such an intimidating word
Chris Overhoff, Expert International Baccalaureate Educator
Participatory Creativity: Expanding Our Understanding of Invention and Innovation
Edward Clapp, Project Zero, Principal Investigator, Harvard Graduate School of Education
Teaching and Learning Through Conceptual Understanding
Lindsay Redman, International Baccalaureate, Workshop Leader, Consultant & Accreditation Site Visitor
Creating a Culture of Thinking and Understanding
Jim Reese, Washington International School, Director of the Professional Development Collaborative & Director of WISSIT
