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grant, and support from the Annenberg Foundation (Salish 1990–1997; IMPPACT 2005–2010). Also, funding for in-service workshops to promote inquiry across the state beginning earlier in 1982 with the Chautauqua professional development effort for K–12 teachers and in 1978 for college science teachers (conceived by the American Association for the Advancement of Science [AAAS] with major NSF funding ending in 1978). I am most pleased that all of these nearly three decades have impacted Martin-Hansen, who provides a pathway worthy of others to emulate.
As Martin-Hansen has found, success does not come easily. It is difficult to conceive that inquiry is something that each human must do on his/her own (with encouragement, excitement, mystery, and thought-provoking questions coming from teachers). Too often teachers feel that they must direct the inquiry—always keeping in mind that they are still in charge. Perhaps the most growth and desired teaching occurs when students are invited to find questions that interest them in their immediate environments (tied to personal life, home, school, or community or tied to some local problem). Some students initially find this kind of experience as unconventional—expecting teachers to tell them what to do. Perhaps their wondering about the changes in teaching is not welcomed by those students who do well following directions and remembering all the information given to them. But, they can do little with it on their own!
Martin-Hansen includes all the reasons that teachers find the move to inquiry to be difficult and often discouraging. But, the success of former students can provide the needed examples and the inclination to continue the use of experiences and the use of new ideas. It is important to remember that each student has a different beginning place—and different experiences with respect to collaborative leaning. But it is possible and totally energizing