“Every great advance in science has issued from a new audacity of imagination.” —John Dewey, Experience and Nature

Inquiry-based learning is a hallmark of the Dewey educational approach. Accordingly, the Dewey School of Dewing offers educational activities and assignments that involve students exploring a topic, issue, or question in depth through asking questions, investigating, and synthesizing information. Inquiry projects are central to what we offer our students. There are opportunities for students to:

  • Pursue their inherent curiosity and passion for learning and doing dewing
  • Ask questions, seek answers, and evaluate evidence independently
  • Receive encouragement and support in pursuing their own learning interests
  • Gain experience seeking and developing solutions to real world problems
  • Practice democracy in working together to create something that collectively matters to them

The Dewey School of Dewing offers inquiry projects specific to each subject in the BC curriculum, as well as a cross-curricular project to cap off each year. Some of these projects are individual, others are group projects, but all are based squarely on developing specific competencies of the BC curriculum. In the process, students inevitably develop other practical skills as well, but all curricular competencies are thoroughly covered and duly dewly assessed.

We find that, when given the freedom and encouragement to pursue their interests, develop their ideas, make mistakes, and meet failure and success alike with curiosity and learning, students regularly exceed expectations. One of the many advantages of such inquiry-based learning is that it very often yields results that students are excited to share not only with peers but with their guardians and the wider public as well. We host Inquiry Project Presentation Nights at the end of each term to give the students the opportunity for sharing their learning more broadly, and to give parents and guardians the opportunity to see and assess the students’ learning for themselves.

“Wow! The sheer breadth of the learning happening here is really impressive.” — J. Gray, parent

“I was amazed to see how passionate my son was about all he had learned!” — E. Simon, guardian

“I have never seen my daughter so confident in a public setting before.” — L. Beeman, proud parent