Hello again, fellow inquiry teachers!

There's a moment in every unit when you can feel the shift. Your students stop reciting facts about the topic and start reaching for the concept underneath it. Know what I mean?  It's one of my favourite things to watch happen in a classroom, and it's not always obvious unless you know what you're looking for.

Making connections with concepts: form, causation, structure, change, impact all through the topic of rocks & minerals. 

Here are five signs I watch for and they all connect with classroom strategies: 

1. They Use the Word "Because" Without Being Asked

Topic learners tell you what happened. Concept seekers tell you why it happened, and connect it to something bigger, without you prompting them for the "because."😉

2. They Transfer the Idea to a Completely Different Context

A true sign of conceptual understanding is when a student takes an idea from your unit and applies it somewhere else, somewhere you never mentioned. That is tra...

If you're struggling to bring the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) authentically into your IB PYP classroom, know that you’re not alone. Many teachers wonder how to make these 17 global goals relevant and age-appropriate for younger learners.

In this post, my guest blogger is Amber Reynolds from @scribble_satisfaction_ is  an experienced IB PYP teacher, currently working in Albania. She creatively walks us through how to unpack what the Sustainable Development Goals are, how they connect naturally to the IB Primary Years Programme and shares three practical, classroom-ready strategies for bringing them to life through inquiry and authentic action. By the end, you’ll see that teaching the SDGs isn’t “extra” work but rather it’s a meaningful, integrated part of developing international-minded, caring global citizens.

Why It’s Important to Teach the SDGs from a Young Age

PYP Concepts: Connection, Responsibility
ATL Skills: Social, Thinking, and Self-Management Skills

In...

Everything You Need for PYP Inquiry Teachers 

 I know how much you pour into creating meaningful, engaging, and wonder-filled learning experiences for your students. I also know how hard it is to juggle planning, professional development, and everything else on your plate.

How do I know? Because you told me.

I receive many, many questions from our community, every month. And I hear you.😊That’s why I created a single home for inquiry-based educators everywhere!

Introducing: Essentials for Inquiry Community Hub
Your one stop designed to empower inquiry teachers with done-for-you resources, practical strategies, tools, and professional learning all focused on concept-based inquiry and student-led learning.

This is more than a subscription. It’s a time-saving lifeline packed with everything you need to develop thinkers and inquirers, provoke wonder in your students, and enhance your teaching practice all unlocked instantly, ready whenever you are.

Here’s what’s waiting for you:

W...

Helping Every Inquirer Grow

If you've been teaching within the IB PYP framework for a while, you’ll know that differentiation is more than a concept—it’s a mindset. It's an approach to teaching.  It’s about meeting every learner where they are, guiding them forward with intention, and designing experiences that are as inclusive as they are rigorous.

In an inquiry-based classroom, differentiation doesn’t mean multiple lesson plans for 25 learners (phew!)—it means providing the right level of support and challenge so that each student can think deeply, inquire independently, and feel successful.

Let’s break it down into three essential aspects: form, function, and assessment. The video is a snippet from Essentials for Inquiry members' community. I share professional learning along with classroom ready tools to support your application of this learning within your planning and teaching.  Find out more about the membership here. 😎

1. Form of Differentiation: What Does It Look Like?

Form is...

The Best Ways to Learn with Essentials for Inquiry

I know that being new to the world of concept-based inquiry can be over-whelming. And I know that we are coming from all over the world. 🌍I know our community.🌏 And that's why I wanted to make professional development as accessible and as affordable as possible for you, no matter your learning style. This article is sharing the many forms of support that I have designed to support you as a valuable member of our community. I've been in your shoes and I have worked with many, many others who have come through Essentials for Inquiry before you. Let me support you, too. 

Whether you’re looking for bite-sized professional learning, an all-access membership with money-back perks, or an in-depth, comprehensive course you can own for life, I made sure that Essentials for Inquiry has an option that fits your needs. Plus, with an exclusive community of like-minded educators, you’ll never have to navigate the inquiry journey alone.😊

1. A...

If you are one of the many, many teachers who will be new or newish to the IB PYP & inquiry-based learning this year, then this is for you. I want you to feel welcome within our community, knowing that this adventure is going to be amazing! Give yourself grace. Take it one step at a time. This article is FULL and links to videos and additional materials. Bookmark it and take notes. Grab a cup of tea and let's do this. Together.😊

I wanted to put out a list of the essentials for every IB PYP classroom, giving even those of you who, like myself, tend to procrastinate all summer long, plenty of time to prepare. Back to school preparations are in high gear for some and dragging for others.  I tend to fall into the latter category myself…despite good intentions every single year. You know, last minute cramming moments before the kids walk into the classroom? No matter which camp you fall within, I have that checklist of the essentials for your inquiry-based classroom that will help keep you...

Love them or hate them, report cards are a much-needed communication for all involved. The IB PYP report card gives you a road map of the standards your student is working on together with those abstract elements that are essential parts of the whole child. If you're new to the PYP report card, it can look a little overwhelming, bordering on an essay in some schools! (I am not kidding!)  However the format, the report card provides an opportunity to look closely at each child’s journey of their learning and, most importantly, from a whole child perspective. If you're looking for some guidance and a free set of report card comments, read on.

The Whole Child Approach

Every child meets or exceeds expectations on a different day at a different time, or quite possibly a different year. The expectation we have to emphasise with learning standards is that it's a journey, not a race.

The expectation we have to emphasise with learning standards is that it’s a journey, not a race.

Asse...

Engaging the families of our IB PYP students and getting them on board is so important for all involved and not least for bringing that cohension to our learning community. Often times, it is the parents in our learning community who are the last to understand what exactly it is that we do. I receive many questions and requests from teachers, coordinators and school leaders who are presented with this job of bringing the PYP to the parents. Do any of the questions below sound familiar?

So, what exactly is the PYP?

How is my child actually learning?

What do you mean that you're a FACILITATOR?

I'm a little concerned about this student-led inquiry thing?

Well, here's my advice for you if you've been given the soapbox to step upon and deliver the message of why we encourage inquiry based learning, support student agency and proudly fly the flag of being a PYP school.  These tips are designed with ideas to pick and choose. Obviously, what you do depends on time, space and your sc...

The early years in the IB PYP can be a whole new experience for teachers new to student-led inquiry. It is a beautiful mix of play-based exploration,  guiding invitations leading to inquiry and  provoking wonder all led by the children's natural curiosity.

I do not profess to be an expert with this age-group. Having never taught in an early years classroom, it amazes me when I see creative early years teachers working their magic and bringing the elements of the PYP seamlessly into practice with our youngest learners.

Common Challenges

I often hear from early years teacher-facilitators that their challenges include questioning and developing this skill with the children.  Such struggles include:

• How do I get the children to ask meaningful questions?
• How can we use thinking strategies with such young children?
• They can't  read or write, how do I plan for inquiries?
• They're too young to ask good questions.

Perhaps you can relate to one or a few? Well, I am delighted to be a...