Why Inquiry?

I was bored in high school. I was frustrated by the regimentation and repetition, the wasted time, the filmstrips and worksheets, the superficiality of much of it. There were a few moments of joyful learning. Once we were told to make a presentation in science about anything of interest to us. I don't remember getting any more direction than that. I chose DNA. I made a visual aid with Velcro that illustrated how the structure unzipped. Another time, a teacher let me bring in giant mayo jars I collected from restaurants and allowed me to lead my classmates in making terrariums. Once our science class was moved to the shop and we were left to ourselves for several weeks to do as we pleased. I chose to draw floor plans for futuristic houses. In the end, it must have been deemed a failure: we were returned to our classroom and no other science class ever went to that shop again. I now find myself reflecting on that however poorly these experiments in inquiry were implemented; those few bright spots had a big impact on me. I am sorry those teachers don't know that I grew up to be a molecular biologist, a science teacher and the designer-builder of two houses.