This week our tech class visited George Jay Elementary school to talk with Rebecca Bathurst Hunt, who is known on some social media platforms as “The Inquiry Teacher.” I really enjoyed her insights into inquiry learning since it is a topic that interests me. As well, her level of commitment to her learners over the curriculum is a breath of fresh air, because teachers are often rigid about their curriculum and try to conform their class to the predetermined material. While there are certain competencies teachers must send their students away with at the end of the year, there are many paths to these skills, and different learners will understand these

Her classroom was incredible, and is how I wish my theoretical kindergarten classroom would look like. She did tell us, though, that it took her years of teaching to accumulate the supplies, which she mostly bought with her own money. The amount of effort and time she put in is inspiring, and had me wishing for my own room to decorate. The natural colours and materials, and the things that reflect students’ lives and environments were very fitting and provided a beautiful environment to work and play in.

I also like the stories Rebecca shared, which were about learning and growth and curiosity, which give students a model of creativity to follow if needed. The celebration of individualism was amazing, and showed clearly around the classroom that she cared for each student. Seeing Rebecca talk about her experiences, teaching philosophies, and pedagogy was very inspiring and I enjoyed this experience.