Teachers’ practices, values and beliefs for successful inquiry-based teaching in the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme

Abstract

Through narrative inquiry, this study investigated the role of personal and professional aspects of teaching and learning which teachers have developed and practiced, in relation to the dispositions, values, beliefs and knowledge that may assist them in successfully transforming to inquiry-based teaching, specifically in the implementation of the International Baccalaureate (IB) Primary Years Programme (PYP). Narrative analysis using interpretivism and social anthropology supported by a ‘grounded theory’ approach revealed that teachers who have high personal expectations that are reflected in the organization, deliverance and assessment of the programme, in conjunction with evaluation of the teachers and coming to the process as a learner, contributor, reflective practitioner, challenge seeker and simple fun-loving positive person, play an important role in them transforming their practice from traditional didactic methodologies to inquiry-based teaching and learning pedagogies.