Effecting Change at School and District Levels

I am not currently teaching in a science classroom, but if I were, I would ensure that all students in my school are experiencing high-quality science instruction by pushing inquiry-based learning.  As I substitute in different schools, I see some teachers using inquiry-based learning in their science classrooms.  I also see teachers who continue to teach through lecture and reading the science book.  These are the teachers I would target.  I would start by discussing inquiry-based learning with them.  I would invite them into my classroom to observe an inquiry lesson in action.  I would also invite them to bring their students into my classroom and work together on an inquiry-based activity.  In this way, the reluctant teacher would see his or her own students using inquiry to learn science concepts.  By using baby steps, I hope to get these teachers to see the benefits of inquiry-based learning. As they become more and more involved with me in my room as we combine classes for instruction, the reluctant teachers would become more comfortable with incorporating inquiry in their own rooms.  I would gradually release control to these teachers in our combined classroom.  Eventually, the teachers would use inquiry in their own rooms.