To all our peers committed to sparking youth curiosity and igniting engagement, we see you.
Inside this issue, you’ll find valuable notes for Inquiry-Based Facilitation, an educational approach that encourages young learners to actively explore, question, and discover knowledge rather than passively receive information. Instead of simply providing answers, we guide youth through curiosity-driven learning by fostering critical thinking, problem-solving, and self-directed exploration.
Let’s build the skill together!
Build the Skill:
Inquiry Based Facilitation
- Wonder Wall: Create a dedicated space where students post questions about topics that interest them. Spend 15 minutes weekly exploring one student-generated question as a group, with that student co-facilitating the discussion.
- Expert Rotations: Assign rotating pairs of students as “Activity Experts” who help introduce and support peers in new activities. Give them a simple leadership checklist and 10 minutes to preview and prepare.
- Choice Boards: Design weekly activity menus with different ways to explore the same concept (write, build, draw, act, teach). Let youth choose their approach and create a documentation method.
- Over-Direction: Providing step-by-step instructions for every activity – instead, create visual guides that allow youth to work independently and problem-solve with peers.
- Missing Entry Points: Using only one way to engage with content – develop multiple access points through different learning styles, allowing youth to start where they’re comfortable and gradually try new approaches.
Zero’s Thinking Routines Toolbox:
A website of thinking routines that invite learners of any age to be close observers, organize their ideas, reason carefully, and reflect on how they are making
sense of things.
Ready to learn more?
Set your intention for this month and dedicate 30 minutes to this valuable FREE e-course on your own schedule.Leveraging Community & Partnerships for Dynamic Programming
This course equips youth development professionals with practical tools to enhance their programs through strong community relationships and partnerships. Participants will learn how to identify collaboration opportunities, establish mutually beneficial partnerships, and incorporate valuable community resources into engaging activities for youth.(Visited 7 times, 1 visits today)
