I wonder, wonder,wonder...

WONDERING: QUESTIONING

I can’t help but hear the song “The book of love” by the Monotones. Yikes I am getting old!
“I wonder wonder who, oouu who
Who wrote the book of love?”

Wondering?
Dr. Lamb's website, Wondering concentrates on brainstorming options, discussing ideas, identifying problems, and developing questions.

My opinion is that, wondering is a time of exploring infinite possibilities. When I wonder I begin to look at ideas and how they fit together. Sometimes I get very visual. I close my eyes and imagine… I explore what am I looking for? Where can I find it? What will I do with it?

Dr. Lamb suggests several phases in the wondering process. I believe they are not linear but one could select some and not others. I personally found that I went from phase to phase and back through again.

1. Finding Purpose:
Dr. Lamb suggests, “Your project may begin with simply wondering about a topic. Why are you working on this project? Is it for pleasure?”

My initial purpose is to define the focus of my topic for this Coursequest 1.

On further reflection, I believe it is more than just completing the requirement for this class assignment. On a professional level I look to develop skills that I can directly apply to my current work environment. I would like to “get into the head” so to speak, of students as they engage in the inquiry process. There is no better way than to “walk a mile in their shoes”. I also want to have gone through the process so that I am more comfortable teaching them to others.

Personally, I want to wonder about my selected topic because I love learning about Native American (First Nation) people.

The topic is selected! Haida Indians of the Pacific Northwest. This topic could be immense. As I wonder, I hope to narrow the focus to a manageable size. I also look to come up with a catchy title- to give further clarity to the purpose of the project.
Dr. Lamb encourages the student in the wondering stage to ask lots of questions. ”Do you have a particular problem to solve or question to answer? What is the question I want to ask?” She also suggests using promotes like “I wonder” to focus on the purpose of the project.
The questions that come to mind are easiest filled by a wonder list.

I wonder when the Haida migrated to the Pacific Northwest.
I wonder what the family structure was like.
I wonder what the male’s role was in the family.
I wonder what the female’s role was in the family.
I wonder what children did with their days.
I wonder what the major means of food was for the Haida.
I wonder what their homes were like.
I wonder why they became such artists and craftsmen.
I like reading about myths and legends.
I want to better understand the importance of the totem.
I wonder why the animals were so scared in the totem.
Time will tell if these develop into concrete ideas.


2. Questioning:
There are many types of questions. I chose to focus on specific areas and tried to incorporate questions using the what, where, when, why, who and how.

The Haida Way:
When did they come to the area?
What is a Haida Indian?
What does Haida mean?
What is the Haida way? Are they gentle, cooperative, combative, etc?

The Origins:
Where did they come from?
When did they arrive? How long have they been there?
What other tribes do they work with?
Do they have enemies?
What are their main values, purpose, and direction?

Family Life:
Who is the head of the family?
Is there a sense of democracy in the family unit? If so examples.
What are the roles of each family member?
What is the average age of life?
What is the role of the elder in the family?

Livelihood:
What do they do to survive?
What is the principle source of food?
Who does the hunting, fishing etc?
How do they collect their food?
What is the family diet?
Do they trade with other tribes? If so what?


Art:
Why did the art work become so prominent?
What do the animal symbols mean?
When did the tradition of craving begin?
How is the art taught?
What are the processes in creating the totem pole?
What is the symbolism in totems?

Myths/ Legends:
Here do the legends and myths come from?
Who told them?
What was their purpose?
Did the Haida believe them?
Was it a basis for their religion?

How do I feel? At this stage of the inquiry- I feel a sense of anxiety and excitement. I keep going back to the objectives and confirm that I am doing it right. This is classic for a student of my age. It becomes apparent that there is not one way to do this. The outcome is to the process! Dr. Carol Kuhlthau truly has done us a service in addressing the affective. She suggests during this phase “Feelings of uncertainty often give way to a brief sense of optimism after the selection has been made and there is a readiness to begin the search.”

3. Connection to Prior Knowledge:
This is an interesting area to examine. Generally speaking, I have chosen topics I know very little to nothing about. I tend to want to dive into foreign waters- I find it exciting and somewhat dangerous. I love the challenge of having a clear slate and creating something. I feel a wonderful sense of accomplishment.
With this project, I come into the experience with some knowledge.
I have lived in Vancouver and have traveled further west into the USA. I spend years teaching Haida children. During that time I found them to be very family oriented and caring. I also, bought some jewelry, art and crafts from Haida Art Shops. Otherwise, I never went into the history of Haida or learned more about the culture.

Dr. Lamb has posed some questions to focus on in her Wondering Chart.

Wondering
Topic: The Haida Way

What I know: I know the Haida are from the Pacific West Coast. I know they are a fishing community. I know they are amazing artists.

What I need to know: I need to know what specific area they are from. Where their homes where located. I need to know sources to locate information about the history of the Haida.

I want to know: I want to know more about the culture, history, family structure and art of the Haida People.

I want to learn about the meaning behind totems and animal symbols in their art work.

What I learned:
I learned about the simplicity of the sculptures.


What I still wonder about:
I still wonder what inspired the Haida People to put such care into their canoes, totems and artwork.


4. Finding Your Focus:
g Your In an attempt to find my focus I have spent days doing internet searches, and also library searches. There are many articles, websites, and museum sources online. I have found only a few books at our local library- these are on myths. In addition, I noted databases and encyclopedias (electronic and in print). Furthermore, I was able to find a friend to interview who has is a Native American.
Some sources I plan to continue searching are:

Dictionaries
Encyclopedias
Databases
Image Finders on Line
Museum Sources
Educational Units and Web quests
Videos and Movies
Books – Fiction and Non-Fiction



5. Narrowing Your Topic:
This simple concept chart serves to give clarity to the main topics that will be presented.
The main topic is THE HAIDA WAY.

I will add more subtitles to this chart- as the project proceeds. I also hope to use this for a conceptual model during the Weaving Stage. I think a student could come back to this chart and know what concepts the creation of the final project need.

6. Contemplating:
Contemplating? Meaning – to mull over, ponder or weigh….

Author Jamie MacKenzie states,
“If young ones can maintain a sense of wonder as they pass through early childhood into adolescence and early adulthood, that inclination may inspire much of their questioning. As they yearn to understand and make the best of life, a sense of wonder tilts their thinking forward. They grow bolder and stronger in their questioning, testing the edges and boundaries of conventional reasoning, pushing into new territory, demanding fresh truths and answers. They will not see school as a time to memorize time honored answers to multiple choice questions. They will refuse to participate in the “one more brick in the wall” rituals.”

As I complete this process, I want my journey to be more than just the completion of a project for the graduate class. In the same manor, I want to think deeply. Is the topic good for the audience? Will it be appealing to me? Yes!
Do I have any real concerns in proceeding with the topic? One concern that comes to mind is that it will be a challenge to find books. They simply are not in the location in which I live.

And so it goes….
Until the next time… I continue to wonder and that is good!


Sources:

Kuhlthau,Carol. Information Search Process: A Search for Meaning Rather Than Answers. http://www.scils.rutgers.edu/%7Ekuhlthau/Search%20Process.htm

Lamb, Annette. Information Inquiry: Wondering. http://eduscapes.com/info/topic71b.htm

MacKenize, Jamie Why Wonder? http://questioning.org/jan05/whywonder.html