Wishing

Sept. 26, 2008

First of all, I wish I hadn't had to redo my project. I also wish that I would have posted my entries in this blog as I wrote them, instead of having to transfer them from paper. I also wish I had been more focused on what I was actually looking for in the beginning. I have so much research and spent so much time on articles, books, and webpages that I didn't really need. I also wish that I would have spent less time in my Wondering phase and more time in Wiggling and Weaving. I'd also spend more time writing about those processes.

However, this was really enjoyable. It was strange, and I'll admit it, a little scary to begin without knowing where I was going to end up. I had no idea what my topic would be, what I would want to know about it, or what I would do with what I found. I understand children's distress with these different inquiry models. Most of your educational career is spent being given specific assignments with specific requirements. It's hard to not have your end project in mind when you begin. I think my project could be more detailed, but overall, I like it.

Before this project, my approach to inquiry was to have an end in mind and skip right to it. I would find information that met what standards I put in place with the end in mind. I like to know what the final product should look like. When writing a paper, I usually copy and paste the requirements into a Word document, then fill in the spaces with information. I do transitions, then I delete the requirements. Before this, I didn't do any concept mapping. I still don't really enjoy concept mapping, but I understand its value and can appreciate how it helped me. I think it is a good idea to introduce students to this process. Perhaps if I had been, I would have been more comfortable with it initially. Also, it helps them think more freely and critically. Now I want to teach this process at my library!