The OG of Inquiry Based Learning

Joanna Cole, the author of The Magic School Bus series, passed away this week. Her books fascinated students for decades. Miss Frizzle, the teacher in the series, made learning come alive. She took the students on field trips, allowed them to learn by asking questions, and let them talk to experts to learn more about problems.

These books were published in 1986. Inquiry based learning is still not the norm. What are some lessons we could learn from Miss Frizzle?

First of all, it’s okay to not be the expert. Open doors for students, and guide them through the learning experience. Let students become the experts.

Secondly, stay out of the way. Guide your students to learn new things, but let them follow their curiosity where it leads them. Keep students on the right track, but give them some ownership over their own learning. Miss Frizzle certainly let’s formative assessments set the pace for learning.

If you look at the 5E instructional model, it seems kind of easy to deliver engaging lessons filled with opportunities to explore with a MAGIC school bus. So while we can’t replicate these unforgettable lessons, it is important to harness our inner Miss Frizzle. We must be sure that we are offering hands-on lessons that pull the students in. We need to focus on the importance of asking the right questions.