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Positive Questions and Interview Guides Detail |
An Appreciative Inquiry with Kindergarten Students
Jackie Stavros
Corporation for Positive Change (CPC)
2004, Mar
Annotation: This is an example of how AI can be utilized by the very young child. This takes place in a kindergarten class in a private school in Michigan.
The question is directed to the CPC consultant.
Dear CPC:
Kindergarteners in my private school classroom are somewhat fearful of the transition to first grade. Can Appreciative Inquiry be used with children at this level? If so, how should I go about it?
Mrs. Hilary Robertson
FRC School
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Dear Mrs. Robertson:
We love the idea of using Appreciative Inquiry to help children make the transition form kindergarten to first grade. We suggest that you develop a set of questions and have kindergarteners and first graders talk to each other. Create questions that focus on discovering the children's best moments in school, their favorite activities and the new learning adventures they are looking forward to in their next grade.
Dr Jackie Stavros
for the CPC Consulting Team
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The outcome:
Based on our feedback, Robertson invited the first grade teacher and children to have conversations with kindergarteners. Parents were asked to facilitate these conversations among the 21 kindergarteners and 18 first graders.
The expectations were to discover:
• What's Best in Kindergarten and First Grade?
• What's Possible in First Grade?
• What's So Great About First Grade?
The goal for the Kindergarten and First Grade Gathering is to combine creative energies to:
1. Discover the best in times in school,
2. Dream images of what first grade will look like,
3. Write sound-spelling sentences that will have each kindergartener embrace first grade, and
4. Continue to create a positive and nurturing learning environment for our children.
The following questions were used to guide the conversations:
Meeting a First Grader
1. What is your name?
Why do you like to come to school?
What do you like best about kindergarten?
Can you tell me the story about your favorite thing in Kindergarten?
(in the same group the same questions can be ask of the first grader)
2. What does your teacher, mommy or daddy or best friend say are the three best things about you?
3. What do you love most about your teachers?
4. When you are feeling best about your work or day, what do you love doing or learning the most in Kindergarten?
5. What is the most important thing that you take home to share with your family from Kindergarten?
Your Images of First Grade
6. Now, imagine it is the Fall 2004, and you had a wonderful summer vacation, what are you most excited about going into first grade?
7. (Parents will have magic wands), we will grant you three wishes for what you hope to learn in first grade.
What do you hope to learn? What will it be like?
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