Last month I led two leadership workshops for the IB and one of the things we discussed was the benefits of teachers engaging in professional inquiry.  This could be an individual teacher who wants to focus on a particular aspect of pedagogy, or it could be something that is done school-wide or even across schools.  Teachers engaged in this sort of inquiry are curious and ask questions in order to critique and develop their practice – it is a form of professional development and it places the teacher in the role of a learner.  

In many ways a Programme Development Plan, which is now required by all IB schools as part of the evaluation self-study process, is a great example of professional inquiry.  This means that inquiry is a fundamental approach at the centre of learning for both teachers and students.  We are all learners and this should be an important part of the culture of an IB school, so that teachers reflect on their practice, collect evidence, try new things that may challenge existing views and practices, and then consider the impact on student learning.  Time is needed for this, as well as for collecting and sharing the results.  One thing we often ask about in school visits is who was involved in programme development – and whether there are benefits from greater involvement of students, parents, the board, or even outside experts,  in this process.

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