In this episode of Blooming Curious, we welcome back Jessica Vance, passionate inquiry educator and author, to discuss her latest book, 'Evidence of Inquiry.' The book offers a hands-on guide to making learning visible and building a culture of inquiry through learning walls. Jessica shares her journey and thought process behind writing the book, offers practical advice on creating and using learning walls, and highlights the benefits of these tools in fostering student engagement and assessment. The conversation also covers the differences between learning walls and wonder walls, and how both can be effectively utilised in various educational settings. Jessica emphasises the importance of empowering educators to adopt inquiry-based practices and provides real examples and resources to get started. This episode is a valuable resource for educators looking to deepen their understanding of inquiry-based learning and innovative assessment methods.

🔗 For links mentioned and details go to the episode website.

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00:00 Welcome Back, Jessica Vance!00:48 The Journey of Writing 'Evidence of Inquiry'01:09 Learning Walls vs. Wonder Walls01:41 Building and Utilizing Learning Walls05:20 Practical Tips for Educators11:31 Modeling and Explicit Teaching15:44 Starting with Learning Walls20:43 Assessment and Documentation29:44 Virtual Learning Walls32:23 Inspiring Stories and Final Thoughts

In this episode, discover how to seamlessly weave literacy into every subject without adding more prep time. Learn three practical strategies: using picture books to create cross-curricular connections, implementing a vocabulary spiral to reinforce key terms, and leveraging the reading-writing connection in subjects like math, science, and social studies. Get actionable tips for starting small and find resources for ready-to-use picture book lesson plans designed to enhance your teaching. Perfect for educators looking to boost literacy while managing a busy curriculum.

🔗 For links mentioned and details go to the episode website.

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☕️ If you appreciate my work and want to encourage me to keep going, you can do so by buying me a coffee! Any contribution will be gratefully received and will certainly give me the support I need to keep going.☕️ 00:00 Introduction: The Curriculum Tetris Dilemma01:19 Strategy 1: The Picture Book Bridge03:31 Strategy 2: The Vocabulary Spiral04:50 Strategy 3: The Reading-Writing Connection05:55 Implementation Tips and Resources07:30 Conclusion: Stay Blooming Curious

Ignite your classroom with 5 Simple Inquiry Strategies to Spark Classroom Curiosity and Engagement! In this episode, Edwina provides practical, down-to-earth ways to bring inquiry-based learning to life. Discover how to replace textbook questions with real-world problems, embrace the messy middle of student exploration, and use simple tools like “Notice, Wonder, Next” to make thinking visible. Learn how to build on student questions and create low-stakes sharing opportunities to deepen authentic learning. Plus, don’t miss the Curiosity Toolkit—a planning framework with metacognition question starters, provocation prompts, and 33 picture book suggestions to weave inquiry into your lessons. Get it for just $10 and automatically join the Blooming Curious community for free! Visit go.bloomingcurious.com/curiosity-toolkit to grab yours. Perfect for anyone looking to boost student engagement and curiosity.

🔗 For links mentioned and details go to the episode website.

✍️ To sign up to Get Curious, the newsletter that gives you a dose of weekly inspiration, and the strategies and resources to help you, help children to thrive in their learning, go HERE

💌 Connect with Edwina:
Email: [email protected]
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Website: https://www.bloomingcurious.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bloomingcurious
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☕️ If you appreciate my work and want to encourage me to keep going, you can do so by buying me a coffee! Any contribution will be gratefully received and will certainly give me the support I need to keep going.☕️
00:00 Introduction to Blooming Curious00:02 The Essence of Inquiry01:04 Real Problems Over Textbook Questions02:11 Embrace the Messy Middle04:23 Make Learning Visible with Simple Tools05:39 Build on Student Questions07:25 Create Low-Stake Sharing Opportunities08:19 Bringing It All Together08:47 Special Offer: Curiosity Toolkit09:56 Final Thoughts and Farewell

In this episode, Edwina explores the importance of harnessing children's natural curiosity through everyday moments. She offers practical advice for homeschooling parents and anyone wanting to create a curiosity-rich learning environment at home. Key strategies include becoming a professional question-asker, modelling curiosity by wondering out loud, and following children's natural fascinations instead of a rigid agenda.

🔗 For links and details go to the episode website.

✍️ To sign up to Get Curious, the newsletter that gives you a dose of weekly inspiration, and the strategies and resources to help you, help children to thrive in their learning, go HERE

💌 Connect with Edwina:
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Website: https://www.bloomingcurious.com
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☕️ If you appreciate my work and want to encourage me to keep going, you can do so by buying me a coffee! Any contribution will be gratefully received and will certainly give me the support I need to keep going.☕️


00:00 Introduction: The Endless 'Why' Questions00:18 The Importance of Curiosity in Learning00:26 Welcome and Episode Overview00:36 Curiosity in Everyday Moments01:11 Three Practical Ways to Foster Curiosity02:43 Addressing Common Concerns02:57 Introducing the Curiosity Bundle03:06 How the Curiosity Bundle Works04:58 Conclusion: Embrace Curiosity05:30 Final Thoughts and Farewell

In this episode of Blooming Curious, Edwina discusses the importance of adults modelling curiosity to help children become curious learners. She highlights that children's curiosity mirrors that of the adults around them and provides five practical strategies to foster a curious mindset.

🔗 For links and details go to the episode website.

✍️ To sign up to Get Curious, the newsletter that gives you a dose of weekly inspiration, and the strategies and resources to help you, help children to thrive in their learning, go HERE

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☕️ If you appreciate my work and want to encourage me to keep going, you can do so by buying me a coffee! Any contribution will be gratefully received and will certainly give me the support I need to keep going.☕️

00:00 Introduction: The Importance of Modelling Curiosity00:07 The Problem with Adult Curiosity01:01 Five Practical Ways to Model Curiosity02:13 Curiosity in Action: Real-Life Examples03:35 The Role of Educators in Fostering Curiosity04:11 Conclusion and Resources

In this episode, discover the missing ingredient in early learning environments that can transform how children learn. Edwina reveals a teaching experience that changed everything, and how this experience ignited a passion for learning in her students. Learn practical ways to integrate curiosity into teaching with a downloadable toolkit designed to shift from compliance-based teaching to connection-based learning. Tune in to explore how curiosity can be the true curriculum in both classrooms and homes.

🔗 For links and details go to the episode website.

✍️ To sign up to Get Curious, the newsletter that gives you a dose of weekly inspiration, and the strategies and resources to help you, help children to thrive in their learning, go HERE

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☕️ If you appreciate my work and want to encourage me to keep going, you can do so by buying me a coffee! Any contribution will be gratefully received and will certainly give me the support I need to keep going.☕️ 00:00 Introduction: The Secret to Lifelong Learning00:51 A Transformative Teaching Moment02:28 The Power of Curiosity in Learning03:15 Curiosity Toolkit for Educators04:02 Conclusion and Next Steps


  

In this episode Edwina speaks to educators and parents in the northern hemisphere about the importance of summer break, not just as a time for recovery, but as an opportunity for a mindset reset towards intentional growth. The episode offers practical tips for true rest, reflective journaling prompts, and book recommendations to inspire hands-on, human-centered education. Tune in to learn how to embrace rest, reflection, and inspiration this summer.

🔗 For links and details go to the episode website.

✍️ To sign up to Get Curious, the newsletter that gives you a dose of weekly inspiration, and the strategies and resources to help you, help children to thrive in their learning, go HERE

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Email: [email protected]
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Website: https://www.bloomingcurious.com
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☕️ If you appreciate my work and want to encourage me to keep going, you can do so by buying me a coffee! Any contribution will be gratefully received and will certainly give me the support I need to keep going.☕️

00:00 Welcome to Blooming Curious00:47 The Importance of Summer Break01:32 Ways to Recharge and Reflect03:35 Book Recommendations for Educators05:08 Preparing for a Human-Centered Future06:53 Curiosity Toolkit and Community07:46 Final Thoughts and Encouragement 

Introducing the Curiosity Toolkit: A simple way to engage students and foster curiosity In this episode, Edwina shares the experience that changed everything for her. She introduces the Curiosity Toolkit, a resource designed for educators to easily incorporate curiosity into their classrooms or homeschool environments. This toolkit doesn't require a complete overhaul of current strategies but offers a mindset shift with practical tweaks. It includes clear strategies, guiding questions, curiosity prompts, and ready-to-use examples that can be applied in any learning environment.

🔗 For links and details go to the episode website.

✍️ To sign up to Get Curious, the newsletter that gives you a dose of weekly inspiration, and the strategies and resources to help you, help children to thrive in their learning, go HERE

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☕️ If you appreciate my work and want to encourage me to keep going, you can do so by buying me a coffee! Any contribution will be gratefully received and will certainly give me the support I need to keep going.☕️ 00:00 Introduction to the Curiosity Toolkit05:23 What is the Curiosity Toolkit?05:46 How the Curiosity Toolkit Works

In this episode, we look at the challenges faced by educators today, from disengaged students to a stifling curriculum. We discuss the results of a recent survey highlighting these issues and propose a pivotal change: focusing on curiosity, creativity, and adaptability to prepare students for a future integrated with AI. If we are to prepare students for a unknown future, then we must face the reality that rote learning and the curriculum are really not that important in the overall scheme of things. Is curiosity the differentiator between success and failure in the future?

🔗 For links and details go to the episode website.

✍️ To sign up to Get Curious, the newsletter that gives you a dose of weekly inspiration, and the strategies and resources to help you, help children to thrive in their learning, go HERE

💌 Connect with Edwina:
Email: [email protected]
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Website: https://www.bloomingcurious.com
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YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@edsbloomingcurious

☕️ If you appreciate my work and want to encourage me to keep going, you can do so by buying me a coffee! Any contribution will be gratefully received and will certainly give me the support I need to keep going.☕️

00:00 The Struggles of Modern Teaching00:19 Survey Results: Teachers' Frustrations01:23 The Turning Point in Education02:00 The Importance of Curiosity in the Age of AI03:35 Introducing the Curiosity Bundle04:23 Final Thoughts and Call to Action 

In this episode, Edwina looks at how to turn a 'Wonder Wall' from a static classroom decoration into a dynamic part of the learning process. By using students' questions for guided inquiry, educators can make Wonder Walls meaningful and interactive. This episode provides practical steps for incorporating inquiry-based learning into the curriculum through Wonder Walls.
 
🔗 For links and details go to the episode website.

✍️ To sign up to Get Curious, the newsletter that gives you a dose of weekly inspiration, and the strategies and resources to help you, help children to thrive in their learning, go HERE

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Website: https://www.bloomingcurious.com
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YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@edsbloomingcurious

☕️ If you appreciate my work and want to encourage me to keep going, you can do so by buying me a coffee! Any contribution will be gratefully received and will certainly give me the support I need to keep going.☕️

00:00 Introduction: The Missed Opportunity of Wonder Walls01:45 Understanding Wonder Walls and Learning Walls02:24 Activating the Wonder Wall for Inquiry-Based Learning03:52 Practical Tips for Dynamic Wonder Walls04:53 Incorporating Wonder Walls into Your Teaching Routine05:26 Conclusion and Weekly Inspiration