The FNO Melbourne Seminar
Monday, 15 September and Tuesday, 16 September
Join Jamie McKenzie
at the Hawthorne Campus of Swinburne University

Involving Students
in Extended Inquiry

Participants will bring their own wireless laptops as many of the activities will be hands-on. These two days are planned with students at Year 3 up to Year 8 in mind.

Venue - The Hawthorne campus of Swinburne University. Download map in PDF.

Register and pay online at http://fnopress.stores.yahoo.net//

Costs
You can register and pay on line for this conference at
http://fnopress.stores.yahoo.net//
Monday, 15 September, 2008
Involving Students in Extended Inquiry

This day is planned to equip teachers with a deepened understanding of how questions can be employed skillfully by even young students to build an understanding of challenging concepts like those required by many leading schools and curriculum programs.

9:00 AM  -  10:30 AM
Laying the Groundwork
What do we mean by inquiry? How do questions and questioning support inquiry? What kinds of issues, challenges and concepts lend themselves most powerfully by various age groups? How will we know when they have moved from knowledge to understanding? When is inquiry worthy of student time and when is it mere ritual? How does a teacher orchestrate inquiry?

10:30 AM - 10:45 AM
Morning Tea

10:45 - Noon 
Why Synthesis?
Meaningful inquiry should take students beyond the mere gathering of information to the construction of new understandings. They will need a firm grounding in synthesis skills in order to combine the information in ways that may resolve puzzles and mysteries.

Noon - 12:30 PM
Lunch

12:30-2:00 PM 
Interpreting Findings and Cycling
Through the Stages of the Research Cycle
Because students do not know what they do not know at the outset of an investigation or inquiry, their initial questions rarely suffice and will need to be revised, deepened and extended as they gain knowledge. During this session participants will consider the value of the Research Cycle as a guide for extended inquiry

2:00-2:15 PM 
Afternoon Tea

2:15-3:15 PM
A Matter of Attitude
Effective inquiry requires much more than skill. Digging into complex matters requires the capacity to persevere and focus. During this session, the group examines the attitudes that students will need for this kind of thinking as well as ways teachers might nurture those attitudes.
Day Two
Planning Effective Units and Managing the Inquiry Classroom

The second day will move from theory into practice. What are the planning steps required and what are the classroom strategies that will lead to deep and successful learning by students?

Tuesday, 16 September, 2008
Planning Effective Units
and Managing the Inquiry Classroom

9:00 AM  -  10:30 AM
Organizing Whole Units for Inquiry
How does a teacher plan so that individual students may pursue aspects of a major theme or issue in fruitful ways that may ultimately be woven together with the work of other students so that the "big picture" comes into focus?

10:30 AM - 10:45 AM
Morning Tea

10:45 - Noon 
Modeling Techniques, Skills and Attitudes
The teacher provides an ongoing stream of mini lessons as the inquiry proceeds so that students benefit from "just in time instruction," acquiring new skills as they are needed. Real student growth depends upon careful monitoring and well timed intervention by the teacher.

Noon - 12:30 PM
Lunch
Lunch will be served on site.

12:30-2:00 PM 
Communicating, Reporting, Persuading and Sharing Powerfully
Once students have grasped important ideas, there are many options for sharing their findings, some of which are more effective than others. This session will focus on reporting options that require a high degree of potency.

2:00-3:00 PM 
Afternoon Tea

2:15-3:15 PM
Assessing Student Growth and Performance
How might teachers engage students in self-assessment and how can teachers augment those assessment activities with other measures that serve to guide the program along while also giving a sound view of individual progress?

Costs

Full Conference - $ 300.00 USD ($320.00 AUD on 16 June, 2008) Morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea included.

15 September only - Regular price: US $175.00

16 September only - Regular price: US $175.00

Payment is by credit card at http://fnopress.stores.yahoo.net//

Network 609
917 12th Street
Bellingham, WA 98225
USA


Registration cost includes GST and a tax invoice will be emailed to all after seminar equating payment to AUD at that time.

© 2008 Jamie McKenzie, all rights reserved. Contact Jamie McKenzie at

for information.