Power of Inquiry: How Practitioner Research Shaped My Teaching

By Lauren Rill, Social Media Ambassador 2024-2025

The Power of Inquiry Projects: How Practitioner Research Shaped My Teaching
When I first entered the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa's College of Education, I didn’t expect that one of the most transformative experiences would come from a process that involved asking questions and taking notes on my own teaching. But that is exactly what happened through the four inquiry projects I completed during my time in the Elementary Education and Multilingual Learning program.

As part of cohort 407, we were guided by Dr. Smith and grounded in the framework from The Reflective Educator’s Guide to Classroom Research by Nancy Dana and Diane Yendol-Hoppey. Each semester, we designed and implemented our own inquiry, using data collection, reflection, and student voice to shape the work. These projects were not just assignments. They were live, responsive cycles of learning that changed how I view my role as an educator.

Out of all the projects I conducted, the one that had the deepest impact on me was focused on increasing parent involvement and cultural inclusion in the classroom. This inquiry came from a desire to build a stronger connection between students’ home lives and the classroom, especially for my Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander multilingual learners. Our wondering was: How can we increase parent involvement and cultural inclusion in the classroom through activities that emphasize family heritage and community participation?

We started by sending home a family culture and traditions survey along with a family tree activity. Parents and students completed them together, and the information became the foundation for a series of in-class lessons. Students read books like Ordinary ‘Ohana, created "Can, Are, Have" family charts, and participated in a classroom sharing circle where they proudly talked about family traditions and cultural values.

The impact was immediate. Over 80 percent of families participated in the survey, and our classroom became filled with voices, laughter, and pride as students shared their stories. Many of my students had never seen their family experiences reflected in the classroom before. The sharing circle, in particular, became a cherished part of our class routine. Students felt seen, and a deeper sense of ‘ohana began to grow in our room.

This inquiry taught me the true meaning of culturally responsive teaching. It is not just about including holidays or cultural symbols. It is about creating space where students’ full identities are recognized and celebrated. It also showed me how engaging families and honoring their stories not only builds community, but improves student engagement, participation, and confidence.

Of course, not every moment was perfect. Time constraints and scheduling made it hard to implement everything I envisioned. But those challenges only deepened my appreciation for the reflective cycle. Inquiry taught me to be flexible, intentional, and responsive to the real needs of my students.

Each of my four inquiry projects sharpened different aspects of my teaching. I explored trauma-informed behavior strategies, structured student collaboration, family engagement, and student voice. But it was this culturally-centered inquiry that reminded me why I chose this path in the first place.

To anyone considering the College of Education at UH Mānoa, inquiry is more than a buzzword here. It is embedded in the way we learn to teach. The faculty empower you to be curious, reflective, and student centered from day one. Through inquiry, I found my teaching voice, and more importantly, I found how to listen to my students'.

References
Dana, N. F., & Yendol-Hoppey, D. (2020). The reflective educator’s guide to classroom research: Learning to teach and teaching to learn through practitioner inquiry (4th ed.). Corwin Press.
Hezel, F. X. (2001).  Making sense of Micronesia: A personal account of cultural conflict and change. University of Hawaiʻi Press.