Entrance Slip (Sep 11)

Despite being written decades ago in a different place, the article makes some valid points in developing my ideas about teacher inquiry. Dewey’s three attitudes of open-mindedness, responsibility, and wholeheartedness remind me that my inquiries should not only ask “what works” but also “for whom, and at what cost?” In physics, this could mean questioning why I often default to cannonballs when teaching projectile motion. What message does that choice send? A more thoughtful approach would be to draw on the sidearm “whip” shot in lacrosse, a sport with cultural significance for many First Nations. Shifting from a generic cannonball to a culturally specific example reflects open-mindedness, acknowledges responsibility for the hidden curriculum, and shows wholehearted dedication to teaching all students. It also requires me to seek out resources beyond the standard curriculum.

What feels dated is the article’s framing of the reflective teacher as a lone actor resisting a uniformly traditional system. In British Columbia today, the curriculum explicitly emphasizes Core Competencies such as critical thinking and social responsibility, as well as the First Peoples Principles of Learning. Reflective inquiry is already a formal expectation. The real task lies in putting in the effort to implement its mandate meaningfully. Hopefully with time, this reflective action will be part of the 'routine', which would make their definition of it being "guided by impulse, tradition and authority" dated as well.


Comments

  1. Susan GerofskySeptember 11, 2025 at 8:45 AM

    Good thoughts on this, Henry! I like your example of cannonballs and lacrosse moves— and you could take it beyond sports to be inclusive of other non-sporty folks too! (I will refer you to Benoite Pfeiffer’s work on this in physics).

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