Teacher reflections on using inquiry-based instruction to engage young children in conversations about wealth and poverty

- Elementary teachers taught about wealth and poverty using art-infused inquiry units.
- Teachers shared successes and challenges of planning and implementing these units.
- Listening to students, using art, and feeling supported were viewed as important.
- At times, there were challenges regarding feelings, content, and logistics.
- Researchers and educators can use inquiry structure to create similar units.

In the midst of growing levels of economic inequality in the United States, elementary school teachers play a critical role in teaching their students about wealth and poverty and what it means to be responsible and justice-oriented citizens. Inquiry-based learning, a student-centered, participatory, and collaborative instructional method, is one approach that can be used to talk with young students about societal issues, but it has not been systematically applied to the study of student learning about issues related to economic inequality. In this qualitative study, we examined the successes and challenges faced by a team of three elementary school teachers as they designed and implemented an arts-infused inquiry unit focused on wealth and poverty with kindergarten, first, and second grade students. Through a series of six interviews, teachers discussed how they planned and implemented the units and shared reflections on engaging in this novel work. Next steps for educational practice and research focused on supporting teachers in teaching about wealth and poverty are discussed.