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Cooperrider, D.L., & Whitney, D. (1999) originally came up with five principles of Appreciative Inquiry: Constructionist, Simultaneity, Anticipatory, Poetic, and Positive.

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  • The Constructionist Principle:

    • Words Create Worlds

    • Reality, as we know it, is a subjective vs. objective state and is socially created through language and conversations.

  • The Simultaneity Principle:

    • Inquiry Creates Change:

    • Inquiry is an intervention.

    • The moment we ask a question, we begin to create a change. “The questions we ask are fateful.”

  • The Poetic Principle:

    • We Can Choose What We Study

    • Teams and organizations, like open books, are endless sources of study and learning. What we choose to study makes a difference. It describes – even creates – the world as we know it.

  • The Anticipatory Principle:

    • Image Inspires Action

    • Human systems move in the direction of their images of the future. The more positive and hopeful the image of the future, the more positive the present-day action.

  • The Positive Principle:

    • Positive Questions Lead to Positive Change

    • Momentum for [small or] large-scale change requires large amounts of positive affect and social bonding. This momentum is best generated through positive questions that amplify the positive core (The Center for Appreciative Inquiry, 2016).

This is a flipped lesson.  Teachers learn about Appreciative Inquiry independently by watching a video and reading an article. They will then apply the learning in a face-to-face development through a Gallery Walk,  Appreciative Inquiry Interviews and blog reflections.

Goals

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  • Teachers will understand Appreciative Inquiry.

  • Teachers will uncover the strengths of their colleagues through an Appreciative Interview.

​Evidence

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  • Appreciative Interview Stories

  • Professional Growth Blog Reflection

Learning Experience
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Materials

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Procedure

 

Before Face-to-Face PD

  • Read Transforming Schools through Strengths-Based Professional Development (McBain, 2016).

  • Watch Appreciative Inquiry (Townsin, J., 2013). 

 

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During Face-to-Face PD

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  • Gallery Walk Activity

    • The Principles of Appreciative Inquiry are written on butcher paper throughout the room. 

    • Teachers respond to each principle with a question, connection or comment.  

    • Teachers continue to respond to colleagues.

    • Each table team gets a butcher paper with a principle.  The group organizes the responses by theme and reports out to the group.

  • Watch How to do an Appreciate Inquiry Interview (AIM2Flourish, 2016).

  • In pairs or grade-level teams, do an Appreciative Inquiry Interview.

  • The interviewer will share out about the interview with the interviewee.

  • Before leaving the development, each teacher will take time to reflect about the Appreciative Inquiry approach and interview in his/her Professional Growth Blog.

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APPRECIATIVE INQUIRY

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