Learning Stories and Teacher Inquiry Groups: Reimagining Teaching and Assessment in Early Childhood Education
About the Book
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Extensive examples linking Learning Stories and teacher inquiry groups
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Key ideas, strategies, and reflection questions
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Information on how Learning Stories can supplement assessment tools such as QRIS, DRDP, and CLASS
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Resources and approaches for starting your own inquiry group
Table of Contents
- Acknowledgments
- Introduction
- Chapter 1: The Power of Teacher Inquiry Groups: Linking Inquiry, Documentation, and Reflection
- Chapter 2: Learning Stories as an Approach and Framework for Authentic Assessment and Critical Pedagogy
- Chapter 3: Identifying and Creating Learning Stories
- Chapter 4: Integrating Inquiry and Learning Stories for Socialization, Play, and Language
- Chapter 5: Integrating Inquiry and Learning Stories for Equitable Learning Opportunities
- Chapter 6: Family Engagement and Learning Stories: Inclusion of Diverse Voices
- Appendix A: Learning Stories Can Supplement Various Assessment Tools
- Appendix B: Resources and Approaches for Starting Your Own Inquiry Group
- About the Authors
- Index
Online Study Guide
Use this handy study guide in a college or university course, your professional learning community, or your own book club with colleagues.
Book Details
ISBN: 978-1-938113-91-8
Publish Date: 2021
Related Resources
Articles
"Discovering the Brilliance and Beauty in Black" - Patricia Sullivan's article offers a deeper understanding of color and race through narrative inquiry, highlighting the value of stories to frame our lives, provide lenses and metaphors for understanding larger concepts, and serve as tools for sharing with the broader public sophisticated analysis and knowledge creation. (Voices of Practicioners, September 2020)
"Teacher Inquiry on the Influence of Materials on Children’s Learning" - In this article, Rachel Schaefer discusses her use of inquiry methods common to classroom teaching, including conversations with other teachers, observations of children interacting with materials, and opportunities for written and verbal reflection. (Voices of Practicioners, November 2016)
"Learning Stories" - Judi Pack outlines basic information about and benefits of the Learnign Stories approach. (Teaching Young Children, December/January 2016)
Isauro M. Escamilla, MA, is an early childhood educator at the San Francisco Unified School District and a lecturer at San Francisco State University. [email protected]
Linda R. Kroll, PhD, is professor emerita of education at the School of Education at Mills College, Oakland, CA.
Daniel R. Meier, PhD, is professor of elementary education at San Francisco State University. His publications include Critical Issues in Infant-Toddler Language Development: Connecting Theory to Practice (editor), Supporting Literacies for Children of Color: A Strength-Based Approach to Preschool Literacy (author), and Learning Stories and Teacher Inquiry Groups: Reimagining Teaching and Assessment in Early Childhood Education (coauthor).
Annie White, EdD, is assistant professor in the Early Childhood Studies program at California State University Channel Islands.
Reviews
This valuable and constructive book provides an approach to professional development and assessment in education that will both excite and inform. Teacher inquiry is closely linked to Learning Stories, providing vivid opportunities for teachers to deepen their understanding of learning.
—Margaret Carr, Emeritus Professor, University of Waikato, and Wendy Lee, Director, Educational Leadership Project, Aotearoa, New Zealand
What a wonderful book! Learning Stories provide an innovative avenue for reclaiming the voices of teachers, children, and families. The power of Learning Stories is that they create a sensitive dialogue that enhances and sustains teachers’ relationships with all who care about the education of young children. This book will be a great addition to the NAEYC family of fine publications.
—Andrew Stremmel, Professor of Early Childhood Education, South Dakota University
As I was reading through the Learning Stories provided in the book, I must admit that I became emotional at times, which I never thought would happen when reading a textbook. One of my favorite Learning Stories in this book was “Where Love Grows,” written for a parent. In this story, the teacher, among other things, affectionally reflects on a statement made by a single mother describing her tough journey: “I am all we have” (p. 86).
On the whole, this book is an excellent resource for teachers who want to deepen their understanding of children and their families, and strengthen the relationships between the teacher, child, and the family with a continuing self-evaluation and reflection through stories. The authors, throughout the book, present engaging ideas and insightful questions to enhance the teaching practice, children’s development, and learning while engaging the family in the process. A great strength of the book is that is it offers a genuine and precious practice, in accordance with NAEYC’s philosophy, to connect with the children and their families. Some of the Learning Stories provided in the book will warm the hearts of the parties involved (the teacher, child, and family). It is hard to imagine a better way of involving parents in the education of their children than through these Learning Stories that speak not only to minds but also to hearts.
—Excerpt from Teachers College Record review by Burhanettin Keskin
