Teacher Inquiry Communities

Teacher Inquiry Community on Nonfiction Writing

What happens when teachers from diverse backgrounds gather to ask questions, search for answers, share their thinking, and reflect on and refine their practice? They become teachers who are empowered to make lasting changes in their classrooms. That is the process that nine TCs from CAWP have been working with during the last few months.

These teachers have come to realize that the answers they are searching for may not be found in directives from policy makers, administrators, and traditional researchers. Rather, answers may be found in their own classrooms. So they have joined together in teacher inquiry as an authentic vehicle for the transformation of teacher practice. Through this process they ask questions, gather evidence,analyze data, collaborate with other teacher researchers. Continuing the cycle they then refine questions, reflect, and take action in their own classrooms. Taking time to reflect on and share findings with the inquiry group is also a supportive aspect of the process.