Our Inquiry

In Kōtuitui, the Spiral of Inquiry is the driving force for educational shift. As such, the data emerging from each inquiry feeds back into both our individual school contexts and also the greater Kōtuitui community. The power of inquiry is that it is contextualised, collaborative and evidence-based. It is these strengths which make inquiry a very powerful tool to effect change for our learners and teachers also. Authentic inquiry requires a curiosity mindset where learning leaders must position themselves as learners. This shift, ultimately, can give each teacher more agency, as forward movement comes from inquiry in our own context(s).

Collaboration

Building connections between teachers is vital in leading educational change. As we learn from each other, we can build a connected picture of what Kōtuitui symbolises and further, how we can shape the positive learning experiences of all of our learners. This approach to professional learning is a shift away from an ’expert’ from outside our community giving us the answers and a move towards the community providing these answers as a collective.

Discovery

The journey is all about discovering ’what is going on for our learners’ and ’how do we know’ (using The Spiral of Inquiry). The journey is very much a part of our discovery. As inquirers, we develop our own skills in inquiry simultaneously as we search for possible solutions. The discovery is based on our beliefs as educators into what might be informing our teaching practice. In this way, it is a genuine 'discovery' as opposed to a ’knee jerk’ reaction that may not necessarily be borne out by evidence.