The Institute on Descriptive Inquiry

A Replenishing Fall Conference 2024... 

Thanks to all who participated in last Saturday's Fall Conference at City-As High School in New York City.  Eighty-five educators, many new to descriptive inquiry, gathered to engage in recollections, close reading and reviews of children, work and practice.  Here are a few highlights shared at the end of the day:

"The replenishment I got from engaging and revisiting this work"

"I loved hearing a descriptive review from a parent and a descriptive review in Spanish"

"Having a chance to stop and reflect and talk about our work was invaluable"

"Slowing down to look closely"

"I loved both sessions I attended. I loved learning about the Descriptive Inquiry to drill deeply for understanding. I appreciated learning from others in my group."

"I appreciated the space to think deeply about my daughter and 'other people's kids' in ways that counter the narratives that persist in education"

"Being able to connect with leaders from many different backgrounds where we all shared the same values"

"Having another high school science teacher present helped me reconsider some content I’d like to revisit"

SAVE THE DATES!!! 

SUMMER 2025 INSTITUTES


The Institute on Descriptive Process 

Sunday, July 20 - Friday, July 25, 2025


Institute on Descriptive Inquiry

Week 1 - Sunday, July 20 - Friday, July 25, 2025

Week 2 - Monday, July 28 - Thursday, July 31, 2025

Summer 2024 Institute Week 1 participants at Hamsphire College.  

The Institute on Descriptive Process can be an introduction to descriptive processes, or may serve to deepen understanding of them. The Institute explores the many ways children and youth express their ideas about the world through activities, words, and works. The Institute’s work rests on close observation and description, giving teachers an opportunity to look at children’s (and their own) works from multiple perspectives, while also serving as a way of considering connections to and implications for teacher practice, curriculum, school policy, and assessment. 

The Summer Institute on Descriptive Inquiry brings together teachers, parents and others who are familiar with descriptive processes. Participants share a commitment to creating classrooms and schools where all children, and all people, are valued. As they work from their experiences, ideas and questions, those who attend participate in spanning studies of children and works, philosophical inquiry and in depth study of the descriptive processes. Participants can opt to attend one or two weeks of the Institute on Descriptive Inquiry. We are working on ways to include opportunities for online participation this year.

For more information about the Institute on Descriptive Processes (Institute 1), please contact Kirsten or Taeko. For more information about the Institute on Descriptive Inquiry (Institute 2), please contact Andy or Stephane

Looking closely to describe student work. Photo by Stephane Barile (2022).

Remembering Patricia Carini


We continue to remember and pay tribute to Pat Carini, co-founder of the Prospect School, member of the Prospect board, author, speaker, independent educator, friend and teacher to many of us, who was pivotal to the development of Descriptive Inquiry. Gina Ritscher, IDI Board member and longtime friend of Pat, offers this tribute

Additionally, the Prospect Archives at the University of Vermont is collecting recollections and memories of Pat, to be archived along with the records of the Prospect School and Center. To participate in this ongoing project, please visit The University of Vermont's Digital Collections here.

Sunset at Bennington College, former meeting place of the Summer Institutes and alma mater of Patricia Carini. 

Upcoming Events

Header photo: Hampshire College by Stephane Barile (2022).