There is one thing on which both sides of the political spectrum agree – our country is in a hyper-partisan era. Tribal partisanship and blind uncritical acceptance of information has become all too banal. However you position yourself on the political spectrum, teachers are in a precarious position as they consider their role in helping students grapple with local, national, and international concerns in this context.
Social studies teachers know too much – we see the stark historical parallels between modern and past events all too clearly. We know the power of knowledge can bring positive change by challenging ignorance and hate. But we also see how a little bit of knowledge without disciplined questioning can prop it up instead.
What makes inquiry (and the IDM) so powerful is that it shows students and teachers not just what they need to know, but the kinds of questions they need to ask in order to interrogate and deepen one’s knowledge. The inquiry resources of C3 couldn’t have come at a more critical moment for social studies education. Using inquiry approaches–through a formal IDM blueprint or application of the elements into other classroom practices–provide space to ask the enduring, meaningful questions of content. Students and adults alike are used to being told what to believe, rather than given the space to think on their own. With inquiry approaches, students are not told, but shown how to question, assess evidence, and come to their own conclusions.
Using inquiry is a great asset when maneuvering in this political climate. It provides a structured approach to asking questions, building skills, and assessing sources in a way that can challenge blind partisanship without being partisan itself. The scrutinizing (compelling) questions we ask of history, government, and modern civic concerns are not partisan. Instead, questions interrogate knowledge to deepen thinking.
The connective thread of a good compelling question is woven throughout the social studies disciplines – the most compelling of compelling questions are applicable to various contexts. Take for example some of the following:
- Did the Constitution establish a just government? A question we ask of the original Constitution, but a means to assess all amendments or other modern legislative concerns.
- Why do I have to be responsible? This is a kindergarten inquiry question, and yet, the idea of individual and social responsibility seems to be lost in much modern political discourse.
- Why should I be a global citizen? In fact, the president and many of those around him contest the notion of situating oneself as global, making this question particularly salient.
What I have always loved about the concept of a compelling question goes back to the two key components: they are both kid friendly and intellectually meaty. They are the same questions with which adults should be grappling. The goal of an inquiry is not to tell students what to believe about a controversial issue. It shows them the questions everyone should be asking when forming an opinion.
For example, I was recently discussing the Kentucky slavery IDM, which includes a taking informed action exercise where fourth grade students assessed and made recommendations concerning their town’s Confederate statues. Students’ recommendations were made in light of their inquiry into Kentucky’s slavery history.
I was asked if this inquiry received pushback from parents. Understandably, she had assumed that the lesson involved the teacher telling students the statues needed to be removed. This was not the case. Students engaged in historical study of their community. They were asked questions, given space to ask their own questions, and shown different perspective concerning the statues. Then, students made their own recommendations. Some students suggested removal; others did not. Key among every suggestion was a rootedness in Kentucky’s slavery history. As someone who was in the thick of this issue when it gripped the Lexington, KY community, I can confidently say that these young students showed a more rigorous and evidence-based understanding of the issue than many adults.
Powerful teaching is not telling students the answer. We certainly have opinions and informed understandings of political concerns. If we truly want to challenge blind partisanship, we need to consider how to give students the space to think. Being an inquiry-minded teacher means you ask good questions and empower students to ask their own.
