Should Inquiry Skills Be Offered Every Year?

International Baccalaureate Organization, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Many students on campus are required to take the Inquiry Skills course during their freshman year to help with their academics, but some wish it was offered every year.  

Inquiry Skills is a course that allows students to catch up on work and learn time management. However, with this class only being offered to freshmen, some students wish to have it every year. Other grade levels, however, do not offer Inquiry Skills, which makes it harder for them to stay on top of their work.

“Yeah, I absolutely miss the class a lot, actually,” sophomore Hunter Cooper said. “Hopefully they add something like that during IB year when we actually really need it.”

Having the extra time allows students to complete as much as possible during the school day.

 “It helped with the stress of the workload and helped me learn new life skills,” sophomore Julian Coats said.

 Inquiry Skills can help reduce the amount of stress students experience through homework.

 “Having that little time during the day helps, so I do not have to pile all that work at home,” freshman Solace Nauden said.

 With that one class period, students can use the extra time for studying, helping to improve test scores for state testing. It can provide a quiet environment for students to focus better and be more prepared for the exams.

 Inquiry Skills is only offered to freshmen mainly because it helps with the transition from middle school to high school. The workload is a big difference, so having that time to do work can assist with time management.

 “[It] helps students acclimate to high school really by supporting their homework skills, studying, and time management,” Inquiry Skills teacher Ms. Farhat said. “We also focus on researching, thinking, and social skills.”

 With that extra study time students get during the school day, it helps them have a better understanding of topics being studied.

 “There is a major impact on students' stress levels, and really having that productive time to do homework has really impacted students positively,” Farhat said.