Administrative Supports and Curricular Challenges: New Teachers Enacting and Sustaining Inquiry in Schools - Article

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by pop out

Interviews with a recent graduate of an inquiry-based initial teacher education program and Grade 6 classroom video data examine how far he enacted inquiry-based teaching approaches in mathematics. The study analyzes the administrative and curricular resources needed to sustain and strengthen these practices in current schools. Findings underscore the value of a supportive, knowledgeable principal and specify the supports that meaningfully affect persistence of inquiry-oriented instruction, while calling for further research on curricular materials for novice teachers.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages20

Reading Time50 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Theoretical Framework—A Phronetic Approach to Teaching

Administrative Supports and Curricular Challenges: New Teachers Enacting and Sustaining Inquiry in Schools Jo Towers University of Calgary Abstract This article draws on interviews with a recent graduate of an inquiry-based initial teacher education program, and on video data collected in his Grade 6 classroom, to explore the extent to which he was able to enact inquiry-based teaching approaches in his teaching of mathematics and to consider the kinds of resources (administrative and curricular) necessary to sustain and enhance such practices in today’s schools. The findings support existing literature noting the importance of a supportive and knowledgeable school principal and extend that literature to detail the kinds of support that make a difference in sustaining, in particular, inquiry-oriented teaching practices. The study also draws attention to the need for further research concerning the kinds of curricular support materials necessary to help new teachers who are attempting to enact such practices to thrive in schools. Keywords: Inquiry-based teaching and learning, mathematics teaching, novice teachers Résumé Cet article s'appuie sur des entretiens avec un jeune diplômé d'un programme de formation initiale des enseignants basé sur l'investigation, et sur les données vidéo enregistrées dans saclasse de 6e année, le but étant d'étudier dans quelle mesure il était capable d'adopter des approches pédagogiques basées sur l'investigation dans son enseignement des mathématiques et de prendre en compte les types de ressources (administratives et curriculaires) nécessaires au maintien et à l'amélioration de ces pratiques dans les écoles d'aujourd'hui. Les résultatssoutiennent la documentation actuelle constatant l'importance d'un directeur d'école qualifié et sur lequel on peut compter, en allant même plus loin et en détaillant les types de soutien pour améliorer, soutenir et mantenir, en particulier, les pratiques pédagogiques axées sur l'investigation. L'étude attire également l'attention sur la nécessité de poursuivre les recherches concernant les types de supports pédagogiques nécessaires pour aider et encourager les nouveaux enseignants qui tentent d'adopter de telles pratiques dans les écoles. Mots-clés: Enseignement et apprentissage basés sur l'investigation, l'enseignement des mathématiques, enseignants débutants CANADIAN JOURNAL OF EDUCATION 35, 1 (2012): 259-278 ©2011 Canadian Society for the Study of Education/ Société canadienne pour l’étude de l’éducation Administrative Supports and Curricular Challenges: New Teachers Enacting and Sustaining Inquiry in Schools Introduction Within the literature on newly-graduated teachers’ experiences of beginning to teach (e.g., Grossman & Thompson, 2008; Scherff, 2008), studies show that conditions in schools are often challenging for new teachers and that many leave the profession after only a few years (Scherff, 2008) . The kinds of challenges new teachers face include dealing with classroom management issues, curriculum planning and implementation, conducting assessments, and workload issues (Kyriacou & Kunc, 2007; Roehrig, Pressley, & Talotta, 2002); however, mentoring is starting to emerge as a significant support for new teachers in helping them navigate these early challenges (Roehrig, Bohn, Turner, & Pressley, 2008; Schmidt, 2008) . Clearly, mentoring has proven helpful in some cases; however, not all new teachers benefit from mentoring (Roehrig et al., 2008) and the kind of mentoring they receive might be critical if what new teachers are intending is to shape practices different from those they predominantly see around them in schools. In fact, there are relatively few studies that specifically document beginning teachers’ experiences of trying to teach through inquiry, and we do not know enough about the kinds of conditions in school that might enable new teachers to thrive as they learn to shape such practices nor about the kinds of curricul

FAQs

What does the study investigate about inquiry-based teaching?

It explores the extent to which a new teacher could enact inquiry-based approaches in mathematics and what resources are needed to sustain them in school.

What types of support are identified as important?

The findings emphasize administrative support, particularly a supportive and knowledgeable principal, and also highlight the role of curricular resources for sustaining inquiry-oriented instruction.

Why is further research recommended?

The article calls for additional research on the specific curricular support materials needed to help new teachers who are trying to adopt inquiry-based practices thrive in schools.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by pop out