The Quarterly Periodical of the North American Reggio Emilia Alliance | March 2015 Innovations Inside: On Becoming an Observant Teacher: An Interview with Amelia Gambetti page 4 Inspired and Inspiring Change in Early Childhood Education in Ontario page 10 Everything Has a Shadow, Except Ants: A Reflection page 22 Dialogue of Two Cities – NYC and Reggio Emilia: Exploring Possibilities for Quality Early Childhood Education for All Children page 25 In Early Education: The International Reggio Emilia Exchange Innovations In Early Education: The International Reggio Emilia Exchange Published Quarterly by the North American Reggio Emilia Alliance March 2015 Volume 22, Number 1 EDITORS Editor: Judith Allen Kaminsky North American Reggio Emilia Alliance Associate Editor: Lella Gandini, Ed.D. Reggio Children liaison in the U.S. for dissemination of the Reggio Emilia approach From an agreement by Loris Malaguzzi in concert with Eli Saltz in 1992. Collaboration and consulting with Reggio Children and the Istituzione Scuole e Nidi d’Infanzia, Municipality of Reggio Emilia, Italy. Supported by Amelia Gambetti, Paola Riccò, and Emanuela Vercalli, Reggio Children International Network Exchanges. NAREA Mission Statement The North American Reggio Emilia Alliance (NAREA) is a network of educators, parents, and advocates seeking to elevate both the quality of life and the quality of schools and centers for young children. We envision a world where all children are honored and respected for their potential, capabilities, and humanity. Our mission is to build a diverse community of advocates and teachers to promote and defend the rights of children, families, and teachers of all cultures through a collaboration of colleagues inspired by the Reggio Emilia philosophy. 2 Innovations in Early Education Introduction The focus of this issue of Innovations is the role of the teacher in the Reggio Emilia approach. The current thinking on this topic is revisited within the principles of the educational project outlined in Indications – Preschools and Infant-Toddler Centres of the Municipality of Reggio Emilia: Participation is the value and strategy that defines the way in which the children, the educators, and the parents are stakeholders in the educational project; it is the educational strategy that is constructed and lived day by day in the encounter with others and interpersonal [exchanges].… In participated education, an active attitude of listening between adults, children, and the environment is the premise and context of every educational relationship.… Learning as a process of individual and group discussion. Each child, like each [adult], is an active constructor of knowledge, competencies, and autonomies, by means of original learning processes that take shape with methods and times that are unique and subjective in the relationship with peers, adults, and the environment. The learning process is fostered by strategies of research, comparison of ideas, and co-participation. (Istituzione of the Municipality of Reggio Emilia, 2010, pp. 10–11) This issue of Innovations features an interview with Amelia Gambetti, “On Becoming an Observant Teacher,” by Lella Gandini. Amelia and Lella discuss Amelia’s experiences in Reggio Emilia and the United States as a teacher and Reggio Children liaison for consultancy in schools. Amelia shares what she has learned about the value of observation and collaboration with colleagues, children, and families in the process of ongoing professional development embedded within the daily life of the school. Following Amelia’s interview, Karyn Callaghan and Jason Avery of the Ontario Reggio Association share the impact of the Reggio Emilia approach on recent developments in Ontario’s provincial early childhood education policy through a dialogue with two colleagues in the Early Years Division of the Ontario Ministry of Education, Lynne Besner and Karen Calligan. Karyn, Jason, Lynne, and Karen discuss how the role of the teacher is evolving from “a culture of compliance” and standardized practice to an emphasis on collaborative inquiry, critical reflection, and a strength-based, complex view of children, educators, and families through this transformation of early childhood education in Ontario. Next, Lella Gandini offers her reflections on the book Everything Has a Shadow, Except Ants, which was originally published in Reggio Emilia in 1990. Lella notes that in their contributions to the book, Sergio Spaggiari and Loris Malaguzzi elaborate on the teachers’ role in the Reggio Emilia approach and, in particular, in an experience with the young children of the Diana and Gulliver municipal preschools that involved encountering and experimenting with shadows. Lella recalls Spaggiari’s comments in the introduction regarding the “innate curiosity made visible by teachers who document the process.” Malaguzzi writes, “Children are … full-time researchers … which is their preferred [idea] of learning and appropriating the world and life. They are [pleased] and grateful when adults want first to understand them and then help them.” In the following article, Jane Racoosin and Patty Randall write about New York City’s opening initiative related to the presence of “The Wonder of Learning – The Hundred Languages of Children” exhibit, titled “Dialogue of Two Cities – NYC and Reggio Emilia: Exploring Possibilities for Quality Early Childhood Education for All Children.” Jane and Patty share the highlights of comments by participating speakers, including Claudia Giudici, Lella Gandini, and Jerome Bruner, and then offer their reflections on some of Bruner’s remarks from their unique perspectives as educators from two distinct regions of the United States. Through their reflections, Jane and Patty remark on the commitment of their educational communities to strengthen the role of the teacher through advocacy, ongoing dialogue, and professional development with colleagues, families, and those outside the field of education. Then, Amy Miller, studio teacher, shares “Excerpts from the Daily Life at Beginnings Nursery School,” the school directed by Jane Racoosin that is hosting the exhibit in New York City. Through the story of a collaborative project with the children, teachers, studio teachers, and families, Amy emphasizes the value of “constant communication” with all of the members of their educational community in constructing together a daily life in the school that is rich in complex experiences. Next, Jeanne Goldhaber reflects on the experience of planning and participating in the new Brick by Brick series in New England with fellow NAREA board members and members. Jeanne writes of the goals of the series in Boston, “We especially hoped that this day would deepen our appreciation and understanding of the role of the teacher as a researcher and the power of documentation as a builder of culture and identity, engagement, and learning.” In fact, she shares Lella Gandini’s presentation of “Laura and the watch,” an historic dialogue between a very young child and a teacher that has come to symbolically represent the thoughtful and intentional role of the teacher in the municipal infant-toddler centers and preschools in Reggio Emilia, Italy. In addition, Jeanne considers the contributions of various educators from New England states regarding how their study of the Reggio Emilia approach has influenced their work as early childhood educators. This issue of Innovations concludes with two new features, “Perspectives on NAREA” and “Mangiare in Bellezza” (Eating Beautifully), which focuses on beautiful foods, recipes, and environments in our schools. Margie Cooper has penned the first contribution to the “Perspectives on NAREA” feature, titled “Questioning NAREA’s Impact.” The first contribution to “Mangiare in Bellezza” features photographs, children’s words, and recipes from Berkeley Urban Garden School in Berkeley, CA, that highlight the value of the natural environment, the language of food and nutrition, and collaboration among children and adults in meaningful work and play that is essential to the role of the teacher in quality early childhood education communities. In participated education, an active attitude of listening between adults, children, and the environment is the premise and context of every educational relationship. –Indications – Preschools and Infant-Toddler Centres of the Municipality of Reggio Emilia REFERENCE Preschools and Infant-Toddler Centres, Istituzione of the Municipality of Reggio Emilia. (2010). Indications – Preschools and infant-toddler centres of the municipality of Reggio Emilia. Reggio Emilia, Italy: Reggio Children. Image Credit Image on cover courtesy of Patty Randall and Peachtree Presbyterian Preschool March 2015 3 On Becoming an Observant Teacher: An Interview with Amelia Gambetti By Lella Gandini Lella Gandini is the Reggio Children liaison in the U.S. for dissemination of the Reggio Emilia approach and associate editor of Innovations. Amelia Gambetti was a teacher in the Reggio Emilia municipal preschools for 25 years and is currently Reggio Children liaison for consultancy in schools and International Network co-chair, and a member of the advisory board of the Istituzione, Infant-Toddler Centres and Preschools – Municipality of Reggio Emilia. Both Lella and Amelia are NAREA board members. The following interview is based on “The Observant Teacher: Observation as a Reciprocal Tool of Professional Development: An Interview with Amelia Gambetti” by Lella Gandini in The Hundred Languages of Children: The Reggio Emilia Approach in Transformation. NAREA would like to thank Lella Gandini, Carolyn Edwards, and George Forman, the editors of The Hundred Languages of Children books, for this generous contribution to Innovations. Amelia Gambetti has an extraordinary history of preparation to become a teacher of young children. During her course of study, she learned alongside two extraordinary professors—in fact, two of the most important protagonists in the evolution of early childhood education in Reggio Emilia—Loris Malaguzzi, founder of the Reggio Emilia approach, and Carla Rinaldi, pedagogista, president of Reggio Children, and president of the Fondazione Reggio Children-Centro Loris Malaguzzi. They worked and collaborated side by side with Amelia, orienting her learning through their direct observation at La Villetta Preschool, along with the exchanges and analyses of documentation shared with all the other teachers in the school. Malaguzzi and Carla not only helped Amelia become a good teacher, but they also supported her welfare as a person. Lella: Your long and gradual experience becoming a teacher in the context of the schools of Reggio Emilia is a very engaging and exemplary story. Amelia: We had all along gotten a great deal of practice in learning to be observed and to reflect with Carla Rinaldi, who was then our pedagogista, about what it means to be observed. At La Villetta Preschool, Carla observed us, and we teachers observed one another as well as the atelierista. It was a way to learn from others and with others how best to work with children. We would observe what each one of us did while at the same time being observed. 4 Innovations in Early Education Lella: Carla’s basic intention, I imagine, was to contribute to your professional development and show how reciprocally you could help each other to grow as teachers. What is notable is that her intention became a shared intention among all of you at La Villetta Preschool. Amelia: Certainly, and this was taking place along with collective occasions of professional development that were held weekly at our school and, at times, formally organized to include all the schools, with the goal of increasing our awareness toward the general objectives of our work. When you accept being observed and understand the importance of it, you have to learn to separate your personal feelings from your professional role, of course not forgetting your identity and your personality. You have to assume a detached attitude from the person who is observing you while you are involved in actions with children. This is also true when you see yourself again in a video; you critique yourself, while being critiqued by your colleagues or the pedagogista. I think it is important that you learn to accept the comments in a constructive way because this improves the quality of your work. Others’ points of view also increase your sense of responsibility for the actions you take. In fact, you have to learn to accept criticism and to do self-criticism. It is true that sometimes you see what you could have done better even before your colleagues mention it. speak up? It was also a way to understand, for example, how your way of thinking aloud in conversation [with other colleagues] works. How much room do you leave to the voice of others? How does one present her opinion without considering what the other is saying? If in all these exchanges [one keeps] the intention of being a listener, it is easier to see the positive and less positive attitudes in the exchanges. Amelia Gambetti with children at La Villetta Preschool in 1992 In fact, to observe better, we planned and adopted the use of videotaping. It was helpful for us to watch together, to see and criticize our work with children, together among colleagues. It was so important that in the discussion, all points of view emerged and were included in a shared assessment of various situations. Lella: I find this reciprocal way of observing one another through the use of video and agreeing to use constructive criticism a powerful tool for growth. I am sure it requires a strong mutual respect and trust and certainly, the support of the pedagogical coordinator as a coach and mediator was also essential to get started. Amelia: The use of video was a way to help one also understand how one expresses one’s thoughts in conversation among colleagues. How much space [does one] leave for others to express their thoughts or opinions and to Lella: Was this a tendency that you had noticed among colleagues or also on your part, Amelia? Amelia: I think we were all learning, and we were looking at collaboration as a deep resource. Lella: It is a complex way of working that requires, it seems to me, a great deal of time and many meetings together. Amelia: Yes, but it also happens with children; they also learn to do the same thing. I don’t think it necessarily requires a great deal of time but rather, an efficient use of time, so that instead of working more, you work better. When the children have established familiarity (this is a process), work in a group, and discuss something, their conversation is similar to a relay race. They refer to the words and thoughts of their peers to carry on the conversation. In fact, the more the group is capable of the strategies of communication, the more their conversation becomes articulate and full of meaningful details. This awareness about others’ processes March 2015 5 Carla Rinaldi has always urged us to include in our style of working— strongly based on theories and practice woven together—this attitude of observation. She used to suggest to us that we all had weaknesses and strengths, so that if we observed each other working in the school, we would learn from what others did differently and why. All of this facilitated the formation of an attitude of collaboration and collegiality rather than an attitude based on competition. –Amelia Gambetti of thought proceeds through the teacher to the children; parents also become involved and aware. Lella: Could you tell us more about how this way of working by observing and being observed had developed? Was it a deliberate plan or strategy, and how gradual was the process? Amelia: Carla Rinaldi has always urged us to include in our style of working—strongly based on theories and practice woven together—this attitude of observation. She used to suggest to us that we all had weaknesses and strengths, so that if we observed each other working in the school, we would learn from what others did differently and why. All of this facilitated the formation of an attitude of collaboration and collegiality rather than an attitude based on competition.… [In fact, it is very important to become aware of] one’s own personal way of working. I think that the more one becomes aware, the more critical one is with regard to one’s own work. That critical attitude is necessary, in my view, because as educators we have the responsibility to do the best work possible with children … It has always helped me to start from the conviction that the person who observed me and [criticized] my work was neither angry with me nor disliked me. That was out of the question. The most important thing has always been to do the best one can do in working [with children]. To be with the children always has to be at the highest level of one’s own potential to create relationships of high quality. Therefore, to reach that level, one must succeed in becoming aware of each detail of one’s own way of behaving. I believe strongly that this working with attention and listening is at the basis of the good work of [a teacher]. 6 Innovations in Early Education This awareness did not come easily. At the beginning of my work, I invested a great deal of energy to understand the importance of observation. At times, it has not been a particularly pleasant process, but it has been always a study of attitudes that is useful in the construction of my role as a teacher. For example, if one does something that inhibits the children, or [one] says something that produces a disequilibrium in the understanding of a child who is next to you, if one has [a listening attitude], one might understand what did not work well [and] right away, one can understand how to recuperate communication in a positive way. [This attention], I think, can help a teacher to improve … (Gandini, 2012, pp. 174–178) Lella: Therefore, your energy was directed to respond both to observations and selfobservation. Amelia: In my professional life, I have been fortunate to be observed many times in many different ways. I started working very young and to work by being observed has shaped me both at the personal and the professional levels. I was fortunate to receive my professional development [from] Loris Malaguzzi and Carla Rinaldi. Both Carla and [Malaguzzi] knew [very] well how to analyze the different personalities of teachers and had as an objective to work with us continually to enrich our knowledge … With regard to my personality, I am stubborn and [tend] to be tenacious and persistent; it is not like me to give up because of difficulties. However, I have to admit that professional growth has been [quite] complex and not always pleasant in its process. As a person, [in any case,] I am one who challenges herself all the time to do better and to do more. Both [Malaguzzi] and Carla understood this trait of mine right away, and I think that this was why they invested so much in my [preparation] as a teacher. Lella: It must have been an amazing experience to be accompanied in becoming a teacher by people of such caliber, dedication, and vision. Amelia: During that period of time, when they saw that I reacted in a negative way, they would tell me, “Look more carefully, listen but do not judge too quickly, try to understand, observe …” This strategy helped me a little at a time to learn to [judge] myself, so I would be angry with myself because I had made those mistakes. Of course, I would get discouraged but then I would use my frustration to work on improving my work as a teacher and as a person. I truly understood that children, and really everyone, deserve the best and sometimes even more than that. I would share these thoughts with my colleagues, and I also do that now when I meet and collaborate with other educators. In the work as an educator, one should not be content with approximations. One cannot think that children can do and understand only a little; we should not be satisfied with “just a little.” If educators are content with a little, [it seems that] they might think that a child can reach only small objectives. By doing so, it is as if we diminished our vision of the child. If, instead, educators learn to invest more in children’s potentials and capacities, not only will they offer more opportunities and possibilities, they will also offer more to themselves as educators. I have always pursued the objective that children can always do more; if one as a teacher does not try to do more … he or she will never learn enough about what children’s potentials are. Lella: I have noticed, Amelia, that when we are working together with teachers and the time comes to sum up our day of professional development with them (as happened recently), you find words of appreciation about their work [but] immediately … you express [this] point that what they do is not enough and that more could be done. Amelia: Yes. Because it is true, more can be done. I believe that there is a risk that, when people are pleased and satisfied with what they do, they start to be less curious [toward their work and life] and less interested in what more could be done. If I think about all the work we have done in Reggio Emilia, if I think about all the interest that we have constructed at the national and international levels, if we had started feeling satisfied and did not continue to invest in the evolution of our work and on research in innovation, we would not have done our duty [neither to ourselves, nor] toward all those educators who come to Reggio from many parts of Italy and the world. We have a responsibility to continue … and to evolve by keeping in step with a [society that changes]. We owe this to the children [and to ourselves]. I have always pursued the objective that children can always do more; if one as a teacher does not try to do more … he or she will never learn enough about what children’s potentials are. –Amelia Gambetti Now, when I happen to see a school such as the one we recently saw together where the children’s entire day is planned on a board with curriculum-imposed tasks rotating every 15 minutes and where the cluttered space is lined with desks, I feel that I am in a place where I do not see respect for the intelligence of children … and I know that we both feel sad and discouraged. But I remember right away what Malaguzzi used to say in similar cases, “I suffer when I see those schools … We can no longer remain indifferent when we see that [a child is] not respected, and this is for me a kind of violence which is done … to children.” [emphasis added] March 2015 7 Amelia Gambetti with children at First Baptist Church Kindergarten in 2014 I understand and share the determination that in Reggio, there is the strong will to continue to do research for innovation. I can see how hard and exhausting it is, but it is truly more and more the right thing to do to continue in this direction. There are new people in our educational system; there are very young teachers who do not know our history but [living it in the present, they still] can see its quality. I consider myself a [very] fortunate person as I have known, [I have worked, and I was taught and prepared] by Loris Malaguzzi and Carla Rinaldi. With them, we participated in research—also with you—and we had the opportunity to do our work giving value to our actions, understanding the importance of the process, always with the objective of doing better. Lella: In my own small way, I also feel fortunate for having worked with Loris Malaguzzi in [preserving his thoughts in the long interview he did with me and also] as his interpreter when he was in the United States. Tell me about your experience in this country. 8 Innovations in Early Education I understand and share the determination that in Reggio, there is the strong will to continue to do research for innovation. –Amelia Gambetti Amelia: I like to [be aware that I accompany] the experiences in the United States in dialogue with Reggio Emilia because I keep fresh in my mind my development and history there and [also, I am always in communication with] Reggio Children … The way I work with teachers is not decided by me alone but together with the educators involved. When I work in a new context, I make a great effort to connect my own experiences as a teacher in Reggio with what I am living in the particular new context. The schools with which I collaborate might have followed different … processes of educational work. At times, the collaborations can be less difficult if there are organizational structures that support the context—in particular where an exchange among teachers, children, and parents is already in place. That type of situation can support and maintain the positive level of quality that can be reached in our collaboration. At times, schools in this process might try to widen their experiences by entering into dialogue and exchange with other experiences or other schools that are working to improve learning through relationship. (Gandini, 2012, pp. 178–181) Lella: I would like to conclude with one of my first experiences observing intensely and with continuity the work of Amelia with children, colleagues, and atelieristi that took place during the documentation of “The Amusement Park for Birds” at La Villetta Preschool that I did with George Forman in 1992. Amelia Gambetti had a great deal of experience working with children and engaging in the processes of documentation. She had also been the protagonist in the video To Make a Portrait of a Lion. During this experience and while observing Amelia here in the United States, I have always been impressed by her way of “being there,” establishing a serious commitment to and participation within the educational community. It is a way that reciprocal trust with children and other teachers can be created. Amelia is able to be completely present, observing and listening, mostly silent and alert; she becomes cognizant of what is around and what is missing and seeks to provide or suggest what is needed. Her aim is to build a culture of learning and collaboration that includes being ready to accept and share constructive criticism and help one another deal with weaknesses and opportunities. At times, the collaborations can be less difficult if there are organizational structures that support the context—in particular where an exchange among teachers, children, and parents is already in place. –Amelia Gambetti REFERENCE Image Credits Images in this interview courtesy of Lella Gandini and First Baptist Church Kindergarten Gandini, L. (2012). The observant teacher: Observation as a reciprocal tool of professional development: An interview with Amelia Gambetti. In C. Edwards, L. Gandini, & G. Forman (Eds.), The hundred languages of children: The Reggio Emilia experience in transformation (3rd ed., pp. 173–185). Westport, CT: Praeger Publishers. March 2015 9 Inspired and Inspiring Change in Early Childhood Education in Ontario By Karyn Callaghan and Jason Avery Karyn Callaghan teaches in the Bachelor of Early Childhood Studies program at Charles Sturt University, coordinates the Artists at the Centre project, is president of the Ontario Reggio Association, and is a NAREA board member. Jason Avery is an artist in the Artists at the Centre project and worked as an atelierista in an early years program in Hamilton, Ontario, from 2002–2013. The inspiration of the Reggio Emilia educational project is evident in schools all over the world. In many cases, individual teachers are engaging in this work, regardless of less-than-conducive contexts. In others, entire schools, agencies, or school districts have taken up these ideas. Less often do we find Reggio inspiration at the level of state departments or provincial ministries of education. Yet a transformation is taking place at that level in Ontario Canada, and we were invited to share our experience and perspective on this significant change. We invited Lynne Besner, senior policy advisor, and Karen Calligan, child care advisor with the Early Years Division of the Ontario Ministry of Education, to reflect with us on the transformational change that is occurring in early years programs across Ontario. Q: Can you describe the landscape for educators, children, and families in Ontario? Karen: Ontario is a large province of over 13.6 million people, with approximately 6% of the population under 6 years of age. There are over 3,600 publicly funded elementary schools and 5,000 licensed child care programs, which include a mix of non-profit and commercial centers and municipally operated programs, many located in schools. In addition, licensed home child care agencies (overseeing 6,000 providers) provide another option for families. Across the province, there are family support programs for children, parents, and caregivers that operate on a drop-in basis and are funded by the provincial government. They focus on play-based learning, parenting supports, and referrals to other services. 10 Innovations in Early Education Lynne: The regulations for licensed child care programs that were established in the mid-20th century are undergoing revision. The existing regulations are primarily aimed at safety, setting minimum standards with regard to space, group size, ratios, and qualifications for staff, with limited attention to program components. Child care programs in Ontario follow a wide range of philosophical views and program approaches. In Ontario, the standard for qualification is successful completion of a 2-year college program in early childhood education. At this point, it is necessary for one person with each group of children to have this qualification. Early childhood educators must be registered with the College of Early Childhood Educators, a regulatory body established in 2007. The role of the college is to protect the public and ensure standards are met for professional qualification of Registered Early Childhood Educators (RECEs). Q: Why would change in early childhood education in Ontario be welcomed? Karyn: Throughout the province for over 20 years, there have been pockets of intense interest in the Reggio Emilia experience. Although there had not been a curriculum document for child care programs, the Early Learning for Every Child Today (ELECT) document, which was released in 2007, includes a set of foundational principles and a 44-page developmental continuum that was intended to guide curriculum. This non-mandatory document was used to varying degrees and in different ways across the province. While it was not intended to be used for screening and assessment, some pro- grams came to use the continuum as a means to evaluate children’s development. dren—had become the lowest priority in their daily lives. The continuum also came to be seen by many as the professional knowledge of RECEs. Concurrently, I saw an increase in the number and use of checklists and rating scales coming from a variety of sources, intended to standardize practice and ostensibly to provide accountability. In some cities, these were linked to program funding, so their use was mandatory. For educators who had begun to see themselves as researchers and were foregrounding relationships, there were tensions as this modernist sensibility gained strength. There are suitable applications for checklists; they are efficient tools for monitoring practices related to health and safety, for example. However, to paraphrase Deb Curtis, tools were becoming rules, and rather than the tools serving the practice of educators, the relationship seemed to go in the opposite direction. In my experience working with the early childhood education community in the city where I teach, this trend had a chilling effect on educators who had been engaging in critically reflective practice, as they now had to adapt to a culture of compliance. Those who had been creating documentation said they had no time to do it anymore because of the amount of record keeping required. It seemed to me that their work was no longer intellectually stimulating. Even in programs that did encourage the practice of documenting children’s play, educators were often required by administrators to link their observations to numbered skills on the developmental continuum. This worked against a stance of recognition that our knowledge is partial and perspectival and that children have the right to be seen complexly. Fear is a great motivator when dealing with a bear. It tamps down intellect and prepares your body to run. In education, we wish for the very opposite. We look for an intellectual response to the world. This is difficult and requires everyone involved to participate while encouraging a fearless approach to an educational context. Jason: During my time working with several teachers, each talked about having to complete rating scales and forms with conflicting points of view, and the requirement to do it on a deadline kept them away from children. In the end, they had little or no positive effect on the program. The teachers seemed worn out, wondering what the next requirement might be. The very thing that drew them to the field of education in the first place—learning alongside chil- Q: Where was the impetus for change coming from at the Ministry level? Karen: A report titled With Our Best Future in Mind (2009), authored by the Premier’s Special Advisor on Early Learning, Dr. Charles Pascal, was commissioned to build upon Ontario’s Best Start strategy for a comprehensive, continuous, and integrated system for children from birth to age 12 and their families. Pascal’s report recommended significant changes to the current system. Several of these changes have been implemented, and some have afforded opportunities for shifts in thinking: 1) The Early Years Division at the Ministry of Education was established. The transfer of child care and, subsequently, family support programs from the Ministry of Children and Youth Services into the Ministry of Education’s Early Years Division provided impetus for rethinking the purpose and mandate of child care—that is, for child care to be seen first and foremost as a benefit to the child’s learning, well-being, and development—and also as a support to parents and their employment. There were renewed discussions about “quality” and accountability (what does it look like, from whose perspective, and what is the impact on learning?). 2) A 2-year full-day kindergarten (FDK) program, staffed by a team consisting of a certified kindergarten teacher and a registered early childhood educator (RECE) was phased in over 5 years and is now available in publicly funded elementary schools across Ontario. While enrollment is not mandatory until grade 1, all children are able to attend kindergarten the year they turn 4 years old. Grade 1 begins the year they turn 6 years old. A draft program March 2015 11 There were challenges that, in many cases, were faced with determination and a spirit of collaboration. Unlike what we see in Reggio Emilia, our culture is less inclined to see disagreement as an opportunity to learn. But now that we are 5 years into this “marriage,” the dynamic pairing has contributed to the start of a process of rethinking many aspects of practice, including rigid schedules and theme-based curriculum that had been prevalent, to a greater or lesser degree, in both education and child care. –Karyn Callaghan document released in 2010 established a program direction in FDK that would be based on learning through play and inquiry and would be co-constructed with children. Karyn: The introduction of RECEs into every kindergarten classroom with 16 or more children has added complexity. It is rather like the coming together of two cultures—each with its own beliefs and practices. Initially, some educators described it as an arranged marriage as there was no choice about the partnership. There were challenges that, in many cases, were faced with determination and a spirit of collaboration. Unlike what we see in Reggio Emilia, our culture is less inclined to see disagreement as an opportunity to learn. But now that we are 5 years into this “marriage,” the dynamic pairing has contributed to the start of a process of rethinking of many aspects of practice, including rigid schedules and theme-based curriculum that had been prevalent, to a greater or lesser degree, in both education and child care. Transformation was beginning to happen in classrooms for 4– and 5–year-olds, but FDK educator teams expressed feeling pressure to “get children ready for grade 1.” So while there was much to feel optimistic about, there were also tensions. In the early days of implementation, I believe that the absence of a shared view of the child, educator, and family resulted in a lack of a solid foundation for discussions to begin. Jason: I spent more than a decade building and documenting relationships in a child and family center and during that time, I heard parents express their concerns for their children’s health and education. This sounds reasonable enough. Who isn’t concerned for his or her child’s welfare? But in many situations, the parents were reacting to outside influences. 12 Innovations in Early Education These worries came in waves. One week, it was literacy; then the next week, it might be mathematics, then speech problems, and then conflict resolution, empathy training, and on and on and on. A case is made for each course of treatment. But each approach looks at one aspect of a child without considering the context in which that child exists. Each breaks a child into discrete pieces. The lip-biting fear that parents experience and have shared with me about their children’s place in the scheme of things is nothing short of game changing. (Larger families seemed more resilient. Having knowledge built on raising older siblings seems to pay off for the younger. Grandparents can also play a role in easing worries.) To see a child as a collection of pathologies seems to ignore that child’s competence. The documentation we were creating in that program often relieved these anxieties. Karen: Today, our conversations at the Ministry of Education begin with a strengths-based view of the child, educator, and family. This is a key area of focus for Ministry-led pedagogical leadership sessions with kindergarten to grade 3 teams and with our early years partners across the province. Q: As Peter Moss (2007) said, reform in education is not just a matter of political intent and top-down implementation. What was percolating at the grassroots level, perhaps in response to these factors? Karyn: At the same time that the movement toward measurement and a particular type of accountability gained strength, those little pockets of educators who were exploring the Reggio Emilia philosophy were continuing to navigate their way. They were mostly in the child care sector but included individual elementary school teachers who had studied with Carol Anne Wien at York University, a couple of independent K–12 schools, and a few faculty members in schools of education. There is evidence of their enthusiasm and the generative nature of their practice in their pedagogical documentation and in the articles that were written about changes they made in their context and relationships (Wien & Callaghan, 2014; Wien, 2008). In 2006, an ad hoc collaborative consisting of the Toronto District School Board, York University, The Bishop Strachan School, and Seneca College brought “The Hundred Languages of Children” exhibit to Toronto and, after that, key participants established the Ontario Reggio Association (ORA). ORA held annual conferences, featuring educators from Reggio Emilia along with others from the North American context as keynote speakers. The Reggio study group that had begun meeting in 1998 in the city where I live continued to flourish, and groups formed in other communities. Q: What influences shaped the direction of the new pedagogy for the early years document? Lynne: In addition to what we learned from research and practices across Canada and internationally, the Ministry engaged in hundreds of conversations with all levels of the early years sector, including system leaders, academics and researchers, provincial early years associations, child care operators, and educators and staff in family support programs. It was critically important to listen to a wide range of perspectives and to invite others to think with us in developing Ontario’s pedagogy for the early years. Karyn: Several members of the Ontario Reggio Association board of directors (Carol Anne Wien, Anne Marie Coughlin, Lorrie Baird, and myself) were among those who were consulted. Following those consultations, the Ministry extended invitations to submit research briefs for the Think, Feel, Act document and to be filmed for videos that are posted on the Ministry website. Two of the other contributors, Dr. Jean Clinton and Dr. Stuart Shanker, had been speakers at ORA conferences, and Jean had also come with us on the Canadian study week in Reggio in 2011. I feel that the documentation we were able to share presented convincing evidence that the philosophy that guides us respects the rights and competence of children, families, and educators and provides a foundation for vibrant pedagogy. In addition to what we learned from research and practices across Canada and internationally, the Ministry engaged in hundreds of conversations with all levels of the early years sector, including system leaders, academics and researchers, provincial early years associations, child care operators, and educators and staff in family support programs. It was critically important to listen to a wide range of perspectives and to invite others to think with us in developing Ontario’s pedagogy for the early years. –Lynne Besner Lynne: All of these conversations contributed to the development of the resource How Does Learning Happen? Ontario’s Pedagogy for the Early Years (HDLH?) that we hope will support educators in this type of ongoing critical reflection, dialogue, and learning. The document’s title is a question, framed intentionally as an invitation to think together about these critical questions about our work with children, families, and educators and to build a shared understanding of pedagogy in the early years. Karyn: I thought it was delightfully serendipitous that this document was released on April 25—the date that inspired the name of the first school opened by parents in Reggio Emilia after Italy was liberated from fascism. Q: How did the policymakers and the educators who were engaging in Reggio-inspired practice converge? Karyn: When ORA was organizing the Canadian study week in Reggio, Lella Gandini suggested, “You should bring people with you who can help with this work.” In response, we extended an invitation to the Early Years Division of the Ministry of Education to send two people as guests of ORA. We were delighted that Karen Calligan and Lynne Besner were able to join us. Lynne: Participating in the Canadian study March 2015 13 Lynne Besner and Karen Calligan in Reggio Emilia in 2011 week in Reggio Emilia was a wonderful opportunity for more in-depth learning through our visits to the programs and through the many rich conversations with educators from Reggio Emilia and from across Ontario and Canada. These experiences helped to shape our thinking, not only about the content for HDLH? but also about the approach to developing the document. Staff within the Ministry had also been engaging in discussions with other divisions across the Ministry, exploring our questions and understandings of what was most important for learning, development, health, and well-being— not just for young children but for students of all ages. One of the ways the Early Years Division engaged with colleagues across the Ministry was through a book study on Susan Fraser’s Authentic Childhood: Experiencing Reggio Emilia in the Classroom (2011). Karen: Both of these experiences were incredibly rich as they provoked us to examine our view of the child, educator, family, and environment and to share our perspectives and respectfully challenge one another’s ideas about learning, teaching, relationships, and pedagogical leadership. These encounters supported a deeper understanding of our own beliefs, values, and biases and opened up a win14 Innovations in Early Education Both of these experiences were incredibly rich as they provoked us to examine our view of the child, educator, family, and environment and to share our perspectives and respectfully challenge one another’s ideas about learning, teaching, relationships, and pedagogical leadership. –Karen Calligan dow to consider the thinking of others as we work together to achieve our shared vision for Ontario’s children and families. Karyn: As part of his ongoing and wide-ranging research, Assistant Deputy Minister of Education Jim Grieve visited The Bishop Strachan School in Toronto where the Reggio Emilia philosophy had been introduced into their junior kindergarten program several years earlier and gradually extended up through the grades. He also visited Reggio Emilia. It is a powerful provocation to see this philosophy brought to life in different contexts. Children are competent, capable of complex thinking, curious, and rich in potential. They grow up in families with diverse social, cultural, and linguistic perspectives. Every child should feel that he or she belongs, is a valuable contributor to his or her surroundings, and deserves the opportunity to succeed. When we recognize children as capable and curious, we are more likely to deliver programs and services that value and build on their strengths and abilities. Families are composed of individuals who are competent and capable, curious, and rich in experience. Families love their children and want the best for them. Families are experts on their children. They are the first and most powerful influence on children’s learning, development, health, and well-being. Families bring diverse social, cultural, and linguistic perspectives. Families should feel that they belong, are valuable contributors to their children’s learning, and deserve to be engaged in a meaningful way. Educators are competent and capable, curious, and rich in experience. They are knowledgeable, caring, reflective, and resourceful professionals. They bring diverse social, cultural, and linguistic perspectives. They collaborate with others to create engaging environments and experiences to foster children’s learning and development. Educators are lifelong learners. They take responsibility for their own learning and make decisions about ways to integrate knowledge from theory, research, their own experience, and their understanding of the individual children and families they work with. Every educator should feel he or she belongs, is a valuable contributor, and deserves the opportunity to engage in meaningful work. –How Does Learning Happen?, 2014, pp. 6–7 Q: What do you see as the major changes? children busy or following routines and schedules without really thinking about why or how they are meaningful to children, educators, or families. We believe it is important to meet educators at the edge of their learning to provoke their thinking and critical reflection rather than communicate judgment about right or wrong approaches. Karen: One of the big shifts for us as we created Ontario’s pedagogy for the early years was setting out a strengths-based view of the children, families, and educators as competent, capable of complex thinking, curious, and rich in potential. This understanding is central to guiding all of our work in the Early Years Division and is a key focus of our collaboration with other divisions across the Ministry. We ask ourselves questions like, “Will this policy, this decision, or this approach reflect a view of children, families, and educators as competent and capable?” and “How will this decision help us to move toward our vision of a more responsive, accessible, high quality, and increasingly integrated system for Ontario’s children and families?” This pedagogical framework is built on four key foundations: belonging, well-being, engagement, and expression. It has been encouraging to hear from educators who are using a range of curriculum approaches and have expressed support for this strengths-based view of the child, family, and educator and support for the four foundations. We heard from many that they wanted to make changes but were uncertain as to how they might do this. The pedagogical approaches that we included in HDLH? were intended to respond to this request. First and foremost, we know that learning happens through relationships and that positive, responsive interactions are critical. In addition, meaningful programs that support rich learning require the following elements: contexts that invite exploration, play, and inquiry; educators that see the environment as “teacher”; educators that engage as co-learners with children, families, and others; use of pedagogical documentation as a means to value, discuss, and make learning visible; and participation in ongoing reflective practice and collaborative inquiry with others. Lynne: It was important to be intentional in supporting programs to rethink the focus of their work, to move away from simply planning a series of daily activities and tasks that keep Jason: It is significant that the Ministry is encouraging documentation, collaborative inquiry, and critical reflection. In my experience, documentation and pedagogical documenMarch 2015 15 It is significant that the Ministry is encouraging documentation, collaborative inquiry, and critical reflection. In my experience, documentation and pedagogical documentation … have a recursive relationship affecting children, teachers, and parents in ways deeper than the mere recording of an event. A child who is offered documentation of his or her thinking is able to interrogate his or her own reasoning and, at the same time, is made aware of and can interrogate the documenter’s view of his or her thinking. The parent can also see his or her own child through the eyes of the documenter. Now the documenter learns something new about the context they share. –Jason Avery tation (Letts, Khattar & Callaghan, in review) have a recursive relationship affecting children, teachers, and parents in ways deeper than the mere recording of an event. A child who is offered documentation of his or her thinking is able to interrogate his or her own reasoning and, at the same time, is made aware of and can interrogate the documenter’s view of his or her thinking. The parent can also see his or her own child through the eyes of the documenter. Now the documenter learns something new about the context they share. A child who is offered documentation of another child’s work can know that he or she is seen as a part of the group and that he or she has agency in this context. What is created as a result is nothing short of astonishing. Documentation of the construction of a model of a cathedral, for example (Artists at the Centre, 2015), provides evidence of a child’s ability to stay with an idea, to innovate solutions to problems that arose at every turn, to master new techniques made necessary by his desire to realize his vision, and to inspire others to tackle difficult projects. (Many children viewed the model of a cathedral as a castle and pursued aspects of fortification and princesses and keeps and so on.) The educators recognized the investment the child made in his work, so care was given to store his work-in-progress prominently over the course of a year and at its conclusion, to give visibility to his thinking and continue his presence in the program long after he moved on. Also, the documentation offered insight into the child’s thinking so that the educators could plan and prepare ways to extend the learning. His mother used the documentation to aid in future discussions around his ed16 Innovations in Early Education ucation when she was told that he had trouble attending to tasks. These practices the Ministry is supporting enrich learning for children and adults and provide authentic evidence of learning. Q: What challenges did you encounter and/or do you anticipate? Lynne: Moving from a culture where quality is about reaching the “gold standard” and feeling as if “we’ve arrived” toward learning to see quality as a journey rather than a destination; moving from looking for “how to” instructions to simplify work toward being comfortable with questioning our practices, testing theories and ideas, and being uncertain. Karen: Large-scale change takes time, and it takes commitment at both the system level and the individual level—there has to be a desire at both levels to embrace change. Large-scale change can be especially challenging when deeply held beliefs and practices are connected to a view that children can only learn if they are “taught,” educators need to be “trained,” and parents need to be “educated” about their children—this mindset often leads teachers to a reliance on external tools (checklists/templates) to do the thinking for them. It tends to nurture a culture of dependency rather than a culture of individual and collective responsibility for learning. Lynne: It is so important to build coherence— that is why we are engaging with municipalities, school boards, child care operators, family support programs, post-secondary institutions, local children’s planning tables, and the College of Early Childhood Educators to discuss our views of the child, educator, family, learning, and teaching and to build a shared understanding of pedagogy. When there are so many involved in this transformation, it can be a challenge to move everyone forward, but we see this as a journey worth taking. Karen: How Does Learning Happen? describes parents as their child’s first teacher and communicates the importance of building meaningful relationships with families. “Families should feel that they belong, are valuable contributors to their children’s learning, and deserve to be engaged in a meaningful way.” (Ontario Ministry of Education, 2014, p. 7) Karyn: The new document invites us not just to do some things differently but also to think differently and listen differently. We recognize that it would be unwise to push for quick adoption of new practices. It should take time for understanding to be constructed at a deep level. Quick change in practice would suggest superficial understanding of why and how all the aspects are interrelated. Margie Cooper (2009) suggested that we “are better supported in our vision for children, families, and educators, the more we borrow dispositions and attitudes from Reggio Emilia, rather than techniques and examples” (p. 7). We also have to try to develop a culture of critical reflection—to nurture critical friendships. This change celebrates learning and embraces uncertainty. Everyone is learning at the same time. It is not a matter of a “top echelon” dictating to those who will “implement.” I am encouraging those whose role involves pedagogical leadership to be present in classrooms, creating documentation alongside educators. Educators are being given permission to take risks—in fact, being encouraged to do so. “Children learn through questioning and testing theories in their play. In the same way, we encourage educators to be researchers, to try new ideas and test theories” (Ontario Ministry of Education, 2014, p. 20). A significant challenge will come from those who want to see the same kind of evidence they sought as proof of the effectiveness of other approaches (that many say didn’t work). We have to be able to clear away the gravitational pull of those views if this approach is going to have an opportunity to grow wings. We will then have the chance to develop meaningful and complex curriculum that will enable children to have opportunities to reveal their capabilities and educators to develop the ability to document, providing the authentic evidence of the impact of a pedagogy that is based on the view of the child, educator, and family as competent. These discussions will continue. As Lella Gandini has told us, there are many ways to respect children. When practice is documented, we are able to consider with others the affordances and impacts of the decisions we make. The HDLH? document helps us to engage practices that create vibrant contexts for learning, in part by not providing a model. Instead, we are trusted to make meaning and question assumptions with each other. There is no end to learning—no “having arrived”—when one is re-conceptualizing practice from this perspective, so everyone will be joining a community of learners. The new document invites us not just to do some things differently but also to think differently and listen differently. We recognize that it would be unwise to push for quick adoption of new practices. It should take time for understanding to be constructed at a deep level. Quick change in practice would suggest superficial understanding of why and how all the aspects are interrelated. –Karyn Callaghan Large-scale change takes time, and it takes commitment at both the system level and the individual level—there has to be a desire at both levels to embrace change. Large-scale change can be especially challenging when deeply held beliefs and practices are connected to a view that children can only learn if they are “taught,” educators need to be “trained,” and parents need to be “educated” about their children— this mindset often leads teachers to a reliance on external tools (checklists/templates) to do the thinking for them. It tends to nurture a culture of dependency rather than a culture of individual and collective responsibility for learning. –Karen Calligan March 2015 17 Lella Gandini, Karyn Callaghan, and Karen Calligan in Hamilton in May 2012 Lynne: This is also true for Ministry staff. We see ourselves as learners who are actively engaged in researching, studying, and challenging our thinking about learning and teaching. Just as it is happening in the early years sector, we are also questioning our views and taken-for-granted practices, exploring new ideas and ways of thinking about our work. It is so inspiring and energizing to be on this transformational journey with our colleagues both inside and outside of government. Karyn: It is very powerful to see those working in our Ministry cultivating the same habits of mind and practice that they are encouraging in educators. Q: How are you supporting change on such a big scale? Karen: We developed an aspirational vision—a vision of hope that connects us both inside and outside of government to a shared mission with a clear set of priorities. Enacting the vision and priorities requires a collaborative, multi-pronged approach through participatory leadership at the system level (municipalities, post-secondary programs, school boards); at the program level (child care programs, educators working directly with children in centerand home-based child care and family support 18 Innovations in Early Education programs); and at the school level in ways that inspire educators to collaborate with parents as partners and invite them to play a role in these changes. Lynne: Michael Fullan (2011), recognized as an international authority on educational reform, suggested that focusing on capacity building rather than accountability is the key. Furthermore, he suggested that aligning policy goals with intrinsic motivation, building on human capacity and the moral imperative to do something that is personally meaningful and makes a contribution to others and society, is key to change that can transform the culture of the entire system. The Ministry has begun this work through provincial and regional conferences for pedagogical leaders and the development of resources including research briefs and videos available on our website to support critical reflection, dialogue, and ongoing learning within programs and communities. Karyn: Perhaps most importantly, foregrounding relationships and learning to truly listen must become central to what we do at all levels, and I think the Ministry has done that. Lilian Katz (2004) suggested that a good place to begin that will have lasting impact is our day-today interactions with children: “[W]e have to start somewhere, and our children cannot and Just as it is happening in the early years sector, we are also questioning our views and taken-for-granted practices, exploring new ideas and ways of thinking about our work. It is so inspiring and energizing to be on this transformational journey with our colleagues both inside and outside of government. –Lynne Besner should not wait until all the elements are in place” (p. 69). We look to those who have lived by these views and who share their learning with us so patiently and generously for ongoing support and provocation. We are grateful that Carlina Rinaldi, Amelia Gambetti, Lella Gandini, Vea Vecchi, and the other educators, children, and families in Reggio Emilia continue to show us what is possible. Q: To what do you attribute the success of the transformation that is beginning in Ontario? Why is HDLH? referred to as a “transformational document”? Lynne: So far, the process of developing this professional resource and our ongoing engagement with the early childhood sector has been really important. Valuing open dialogue, recognizing the importance of inviting and honoring all voices, being transparent, provoking new thinking, engaging in ongoing critical reflection, and seeing ourselves as co-learners with those in the early years sector have allowed us to create something where many see their voices and views reflected. Karen: Modeling these values and learning alongside our colleagues in the sector have helped build trust and promote a shift in mind- sets—to consider new ideas, embrace uncertainty, let go of strongly held beliefs and practices that are not in alignment with our view of children, and take an active role in this transformational work. Leadership teams in early years settings have told us they are re-thinking how they construct their staff meeting agendas—instead of simply sharing information, the agenda is designed to provoke thinking and discussion with the educators. Lynne: We have heard that HDLH? has touched educators and others who work with young children on many levels—it resonates on a personal, emotional, and philosophical level as well as from a logical perspective. It is a document of hope—it values the importance of their work, and it recognizes and gives educators permission to exercise their professional judgment to be thinkers and researchers and to question what they believe, what they are practicing, and why. Karyn: I think this point is very important—it is not just the content of the ideas but also the process of ongoing consultation, careful listening, and inviting a variety of perspectives that has marked the work of this Ministry. In early stages, change is fragile. I feel protective toward the ideas, wanting them to have a chance to truly take root before they are challenged. HowevMarch 2015 19 er, Loris Malaguzzi faced ongoing challenges when he was introducing this philosophy with the support of the educators in Reggio Emilia. They rose to the challenges—welcomed them for their potential to strengthen the practices. Malaguzzi saw the ideas as competent, not as weak! I have great respect for Jim Grieve, the Assistant Deputy Minister, and for Lynne and Karen and the other members of the Early Years team for how they have approached the process of change. Q: What do you think will be different in Ontario in 10 years? Karyn: I would expect to see a reduction in fear and a rise in creative energy in early years programs and schools—that these would be seen as places of participation and listening, as places of democracy, as vibrant places of learning for children and adults. I would expect to see fewer children being labeled with anxiety disorders and with disorders based on disruptive or distracted behaviors in classrooms. I would expect to see less bullying. I would expect to see children, educators, and families excited about what happens in early years programs and schools, where children’s competence is fully recognized, as is the context that supports them. I would expect to see a different kind and level of engagement of families and also stronger relationships between communities and schools as greater visibility is provided for how learning is constructed inside and outside of classrooms. 20 Innovations in Early Education I would expect to see us pursuing creativity and learning in a way that is consonant with each child’s eyes, ears, hands, and heart with the same passion as we pursue learning to read and write. When children are encouraged to believe in the power of their own ideas from a very young age, their competence as thinkers is limitless. I expect we will encounter our own limited expectations and work collaboratively to listen better and ask better questions. I realize this will take more than 10 years, but it nourishes the spirit to feel that we are moving in a direction that will, as Jim Grieve has promised, “get schools ready for children.” Finally, I expect we will all become better at playing. To quote a child from the Balducci pre-primary school in Reggio Emilia, “To play, you need all the power you have in your heart.” REFERENCES Artists at the Centre. (2015). Documentation. Retrieved from www.artistsatthecentre.ca/ documentation.html Cooper, M. (2009). Is beauty a way of knowing? Innovations in Early Education: The International Reggio Exchange, 16(3), 1–9. Fraser, S. (2011). Authentic childhood: Experiencing Reggio Emilia in the classroom. Scarborough, ON: Nelson Thomas Learning. Friendly, M. (2008). Canada’s legacy of inaction on early childhood education and child care. Policy options. Retrieved from http://policyoptions.irpp.org/ issues/canadas-working-poor/canadaslegacy-of-inaction-on-early-childhoodeducation-and-child-care/ Fullan, M. G., & Miles, M. B. (1992, June). Getting reform right: What works and what doesn’t. Phi Delta Kappan, 745–752. Fullan, M. (2011). Choosing the wrong drivers for whole system reform. Seminar Series 204. Centre for Strategic Education. Melbourne. Retrieved from www.sce. edu.au Ontario Ministry of Education. (2015). Think, feel, act (Videos). Retrieved from http:// www.edu.gov.on.ca/childcare/research. html Pascal, C. (2009). With our best future in mind. Implementing early learning in Ontario. Province of Ontario. Retrieved from http://www.ontario.ca/document/ our-best-future-mind-implementingearly-learning-ontario Wien, C.A. (Ed.). (2008). Emergent curriculum in the primary classroom: Interpreting the Reggio Emilia approach in schools. New York: Teachers College Press and Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children. Wien, C. A., & Callaghan, K. (2014). From policing to participation: Overturning the rules and creating amiable classrooms. In C. A. Wien, The power of emergent curriculum: Stories from early childhood settings. Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children. Katz, L. (2004). The challenges of the Reggio Emilia approach. In J. Hendrick (Ed.), Next steps toward teaching the Reggio way: Accepting the challenge to change (2nd ed., pp. 62–69). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Merrill Prentice-Hall. Letts, W., Khattar, R., & Callaghan, K. (in review). Sketching the contours of documenting, documentation, and pedagogical documentation to make our learning visible. Image Credit Images in this article courtesy of Karyn Callaghan and Jason Avery Moss, P. (2007). Bringing politics into the nursery: Early childhood education as a democratic practice. European Early Childhood Education Journal 15(1), 5–20. Ontario Ministry of Education. (2014). How does learning happen? Ontario’s pedagogy for the early years. Retrieved from www. edu.gov.on.ca/childcare/pedagogy.htm Ontario Ministry of Education. (2013). Think, feel, act (Research briefs). Retrieved from http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/childcare/ ResearchBriefs.pdf March 2015 21 Everything Has a Shadow, Except Ants: A Reflection By Lella Gandini Lella Gandini is the Reggio Children liaison in the U.S. for dissemination of the Reggio Emilia approach, associate editor of Innovations, and a NAREA board member. seems as if books had always been produced there. However, while the intention to give visibility to their experiences had been developing with strong initiatives since the beginning of the city-run schools, the means employed consisted of presentations, photographs, flyers, and exhibits. Spaggiari noted how this book highlights the fundamental theses of the Reggio Emilia approach: knowledge developed in social interaction, the child viewed as constructor of his or her own learning processes, and innate curiosity made visible by teachers who document the process and take initiatives based on interests shared with children rather than use preconceived plans. He noted how much these views were inspired by Dewey, Piaget, and other thinkers and made familiar through the continuing professional development of the educators of Reggio Emilia. This book of visual stories about children encountering and experimenting with shadows opens with three notable essays that become sequentially more insightful. Even these essays are interspersed with images and children’s words that introduce the reader to those encounters with shadows and their power. The book presents a deeply reflected upon and extensively documented experience that is famous in the history of the preschools of Reggio Emilia. Sergio Spaggiari wrote in his introduction that it was this book’s first edition in 1990 that launched a plan to make available the experiences of teachers and children in Reggio Emilia in book form. We have now such a wonderful collection of publications from Reggio that it 22 Innovations in Early Education Mariano Dolci then introduced his perspective, writing several beautiful pages on the history and anthropology of shadows. He was for many years the resident consultant on theater for the municipal infant-toddler centers and preschools in Reggio Emilia. There are many visual documents including videos of his inventive work with puppets and theater alongside children and teachers. He is now a professor at the University of Urbino and the co-publisher of an Italian journal about theater performances in educational and correctional institutions. Among his reflections, he first suggested that “consulting a good dictionary is all that is necessary to find out just how many metaphors and expressions there are [that] the shadow has given … to many languages” (Dolci, 2006, p. 17). He also mentioned that There is often a [sort] of … confusion in the metaphors using shadows, and the shadow is seen as the opposite of light and therefore a synonym for darkness … Shadows are a useful and even indispensable way of gaining access to concepts that cannot be reached directly. The shadow, then, can be seen as a metaphor for mediation and relationships. (Dolci, 2006, p. 17) Further on, he wrote Given the lack of specific studies on the genesis of the shadow, it might be important to look at what happens in the mirror reflection, so as to keep in mind analogies and differences. We know that recognition of the self in a mirror … is … the result of a long process of elaboration [in children’s development]. This recognition is mainly due to two elements of the mirror: synchronic correspondence and the reproduction of figurative characteristics. The [processes are even] more complex when we consider shadows. (Dolci, 2006, p. 19) He gave the advice to consider Piaget’s theory of causality relation, which describes an event (the cause) and a second event (the effect), where the second event is understood as a physical consequence of the first (Mackie, 1988). Dolci then described the children’s experiences through the many games that were proposed by the adults in the preschool and how those experiences prepared the children to use shadows independently by inventing interactions with their own shadows. Children also experimented with graphic representations of shadows to continue their research by exploring objects seen through their shadows and/or reflecting on their own physical identity. Loris Malaguzzi’s contribution consists of 12 engaging reflections about the explorations and experimentations that involved children, teachers, and parents and that constitute the content of the book. Here are a few tidbits that invite the reader to enter into the narrative of the book directly: Children are … full-time researchers, untiring re-makers of actions, [thoughts] and theories, which is their preferred [idea] of learning and appropriating the world and life. They are [pleased] and grateful when adults want first to understand them and then help them. These encounters of children with shadows represent a good testing ground.… Saying “shadow” [is] evoking something subtle … almost nothing ... [something] adults [often think] has no meaning … for children … On the other hand, we have David Hawkins, a well-known scientist and humanist, who tells us that it is hard to believe how many adults haven’t the slightest notion of the genesis and geometry of light and shadow, and are not able to predict where a shadow will be before a light is switched on.… Spaggiari noted how this book highlights the fundamental theses of the Reggio Emilia approach: knowledge developed in social interaction, the child viewed as constructor of his or her own learning processes, and innate curiosity made visible by teachers who document the process and take initiatives based on interests shared with children, rather than use preconceived plans. –Lella Gandini But what are the reasons that make (or can make) shadows so attractive to children, something that they confront with such fondness and fascination in their play, in their words, and in their thoughts?… March 2015 23 Children are … full-time researchers, untiring re-makers of actions, [thoughts] and theories, which is their preferred [idea] of learning and appropriating the world and life. They are [pleased] and grateful when adults want first to understand them and then help them. –Loris Malaguzzi Shadows have a number of truly special qualities: They are capable of incredible and amusing paradoxes and mysteries; [children ask:] Why is a shadow there but you can’t hold it? Why doesn’t it weigh anything and it goes at the bottom of a pool? the sky near its lamp,” “And if it rains? It goes inside of us because it does not want to get wet” … a few months older [children might say,] “The shadow moves when you walk” [or] “Everything has a shadow except ants.” (Malaguzzi, 2006, pp. 24–26) [Shadows] are extremely evocative and can be found anywhere.… They have the virtue of doubling you, giving you supreme power to … pretend [to be something else]. All these qualities [reveal a] natural amiability, magic power, and invitation to reason in order to discover hidden identities … giving the children [possibilities] to choose among many different path [transformations] and situations.… These are brief examples of the many dialogues among children as they explore and draw. The dialogues are about the research of the children propelled by their curiosity for the natural phenomenon of light and shadows but supported by the teachers who had been documenting their work: it was a fruitful learning experience for all involved. Therefore, we can see in writing the children’s and teachers’ questions, hypotheses, attempts, and discoveries, all presented through a series of drawings and beautiful photographs. For a while [when they are very young], shadows for the children belong to the world around them: to the wall, the floor, the ground, the trees, the horse. Shadows have been around since the Big Bang. They have no master nor author nor time. Image Credit Image in this article courtesy of Reggio Children But then come the day and the night, light and dark, everything and nothing. The shadow is inside them; you just have to let it come out … the three-year-old children announce: “Shadows are made of light,” “[They walk] with the sun,” “At night, it goes back up in Among the familiar stories that have been part of my tools of communication about the delicate and efficacious way teachers have of observing, documenting, and reflecting with children are the stories of “A Compass for Two Elisas,” “The Bird Trick,” and “In the Night World,” but there are, of course, many others, some even presented in full color. REFERENCES Mackie, John L. (1988). The cement of the universe: A study in causation. Oxford, England: Clarendon Press. Sturloni, S., & Vecchi, V. (Eds.). (2006). Everything has a shadow, except ants. Reggio Emilia, Italy: Reggio Children. 24 Innovations in Early Education Dialogue of Two Cities – NYC and Reggio Emilia: Exploring Possibilities for Quality Early Childhood Education for All Children By Jane Racoosin and Patty Randall Jane Racoosin is the director of both Beginnings Nursery School in New York, NY, where she has worked since 1992, and Teaching Beyond the Square, an affiliated educational nonprofit organization. Along with New York City Encounters with Reggio Emilia (NYCERE), Beginnings Nursery School and Teaching Beyond the Square are hosting “The Wonder of Learning – The Hundred Languages of Children” exhibit in New York City from January 15–May 15, 2015. Patty Randall is the director of educational practices at Peachtree Presbyterian Preschool in Atlanta, GA, and the NAREA projects and events coordinator. On November 15th, 2014, the exhibit host committee, New York City Encounters with Reggio Emilia, welcomed over 600 educators to the first in a series of professional development initiatives connected to the presence of “The Wonder of Learning – The Hundred Languages of Children” exhibit in New York. The sold out event opened a dialogue that will continue through May and beyond between Reggio Emilia, Italy, New York City, and the wider early childhood community of North America. Keynote presenters included the following: Claudia Giudici, pedagogista, president of Istituzione, Infant-Toddler Centres and Preschools of the Municipality of Reggio Emilia; Sophia Pappas, chief executive officer, New York City Department of Education, Division of Early Childhood Education; Lynne Heckman and Pietro Biroli, Center for the Economics of Human Development, University of Chicago; Lella Gandini, Reggio Children liaison in the U.S. for the dissemination of the Reggio Emilia approach and NAREA board member; and Jerome Bruner, educational psychologist, New York University professor, and honorary citizen of Reggio Emilia. Leila Vujosevic, AIA founder, Roosevelt Island Explorers, and Noah Hichenberg, director of Saul and Carole Zabar Nursery School at the Manhattan Jewish Community Center, were co-chairs of this initiative, and Fretta Reitzes represented the 92nd Street Y, which hosted the initiative. Highlights from the conference included Claudia Giudici’s remarks during which she shared, “education is a right from birth and is the responsibility of the community” and “creativity belongs to all children, and it is our responsibility to create spaces that encourage this.” She complemented her remarks with excerpts from experiences taking place in Reggio Emilia involving children’s work with human figures, a long term project that is, for the first time, part of a brand new section of the exhibit presently located at the Williamsburg Northside School in Brooklyn. Sophia Pappas discussed the launch of New York City’s universal preschool initiative through a presentation on the benefits of current elements as well as the challenges of meeting the needs of so many children in very little time. She highlighted the training that has come from Bank Street College, Hunter College, and Queens College for the teachers who are running the programs, many of whom have never worked in an early childhood classroom. An overview of the research by James Heckman of the University of Chicago focusing on the impact of investments in high quality early childhood education was presented by graduate student Pietro Biroli. The well-known research findings on the economic impact of investments in early childhood education, as well as the positive outcomes for children, were reviewed. Additionally, preliminary findings of March 2015 25 Noah Hichenberg, Leila Vujosevic, Sophia Pappas, Jane Racoosin, Lella Gandini, and Claudia Giudici the study currently taking place in the towns of Reggio Emilia, Parma, and Padova were shared. Pietro Biroli and Lynne Heckman The day continued with Lella Gandini’s presentation of an introduction to a section of “The Wonder of Learning” exhibit called “Dialogue with Places,” and the day culminated with 99-year-old Jerome Bruner, who shared his thoughts on ways New York City and the new universal preschool initiative might benefit from looking at what has happened in the infant-toddler centers and preschools of Reggio Emilia, Italy. He suggested that in order to succeed, New York must establish a planning group of varying careers to reflect on the distinctive needs of New York City, have the planning group visit different schools and see what problems exist, connect all educators in all preschools throughout the city to inspire each other, provide seminars for parents, help teachers and parents to spend time in each other’s schools, and lastly, “start early, keep at it, and somehow use education not as a separate activity but as a part of a whole.” At the conclusion of the conference, the energy in the room was palpable. Attendees were eager to converse about the exhibit “The Wonder of Learning – The Hundred Languages of Children” and the impact it will have on New York. 26 Innovations in Early Education Reflections on the Contributions of Jerome Bruner Jerome Bruner, renowned American psychologist, has made significant contributions to human cognitive psychology over the course of many decades. His remarks in New York City regarding the newly launched municipal preschool initiative centered on how it can benefit from what has happened and is currently happening in the preschools in Reggio Emilia, Italy. He defined what we in the audience are passionate about—our roles as educators in both “passing on knowledge and cultivating individuality.” The two of us come from two distinctly different regions of the United States—the southeast and northeast—yet we feel the same way and want the same things for children. We approach each day as an opportunity to construct knowledge with children and take Bruner’s words to heart, “that we have entered a new era … that we know the powerful effect of the preschool years on later life … and that Reggio Emilia is playing a critical role in this new era.” At 99 years old, Professor Bruner captivated us as he spoke on the task of educating, reminding us that “there have always been and still are lots of questions about how schools should go about their business.” He pointed out various strategies that we could use to continue looking at the example of Reggio Emilia in order to help make a difference in children’s lives on a local and global level. As he laid out a multi-point proposal, which included reflection on the distinct needs of a community, the creation of special spaces that support the sharing of different perspectives (including the element of playfulness in education), the formation of professional teachers, and the offering of seminars for parents, we thought about our own schools and cities. Although he spoke to a local group, many of whom were New Yorkers, we believe his reflections could serve educators in any community. We would like to share our thoughts on Bruner’s proposal in an effort to think together about how we might continue to move forward in early childhood education. 1) Establish a planning group to reflect on preschool needs. Bruner asked the audience to think about, ”What’s distinctive about New York, Atlanta, Greenville, or Pittsburgh? What we need is a group that goes around [to learn about the problems of these new preschools] that the mayor has brought into existence … We Jerome Bruner and Lella Gandini have to keep the perspective fresh, broad, and new.” Jane: I have been part of a collaborative group of nursery schools in lower Manhattan for years. It is a supportive group of educators called the Downtown Early Childhood Association. Our group is an introspective and intelligent group of directors. We already have the know-how to bring a current topic to a group for discussion. What Bruner is calling to us to do, though, is to contribute our knowledge to our city’s preschools on a larger level. Patty: Carla Rinaldi (2006) referenced Bruner in her book In Dialogue with Reggio Emilia: Listening, Researching, and Learning, writing that he saw the municipal schools of Reggio Emilia as a cultural expression of a city that has generated them and sees in them a reflection of itself (p. 157). Like Jane, I am part of a larger collaborative group, Project Infinity, comprised of seven schools in the Atlanta, GA, and Greenville, SC, area. We have strategies in place to assist us in our growth as collaborators. We have a strong steering committee, meet on a regular basis, use technology to share information, utilize smaller working groups to tackle specific challenges, host “ambassador” exchanges for dialogue between project schools and local We need to find ways to open up to other communities who might be facing challenges that differ from ours but who may have perspectives that open our eyes to new possibilities. I wonder how we might broaden our scope … In my opinion, the more we come together as educators, whether connected to initiatives built around the exhibit, affinity groups at a NAREA conference, or local dialogue groups, the more likely we are to find new ways to work together in reflective practice. –Patty Randall March 2015 27 In only the first few days of the exhibit, people from different walks of life have come to interact with me and my colleagues, wanting to talk about children and what they can learn from them. It is an excellent time to truly listen and hear from those different perspectives. –Jane Racoosin Jerome Bruner of Atlanta, with distinct challenges of our own, we need to find ways to open up to other communities who might be facing challenges that differ from ours but who may have perspectives that open our eyes to new possibilities. I wonder how we might broaden our scope. What strategies can we think of together to address the unique challenges and needs of a school? In my opinion, the more we come together as educators, whether connected to initiatives built around the exhibit, affinity groups at a NAREA conference, or local dialogue groups, the more likely we are to find new ways to work together in reflective practice. The state of Georgia has had state funded Pre-K since 1994, yet I am not aware of planning groups made up of teachers, administrators, and members of the community with varying backgrounds who meet for reflection on early childhood education. Claudia Giudici and Jerome Bruner schools, offer professional development opportunities that support both new and experienced teachers, and we open our schools for “Educator Exchange Days.” It is a never-ending effort to learn together how to go about the business of school in a Reggio-inspired daily life. The challenge we face is to find time, space, and funding to meet with others in the community for dialogue, exchange, and reflection. As a staff member of a particular school in a specific area 28 Innovations in Early Education 2) Establish special centers to share ideas. “We need to come together to share their ideas, not to sell their ideas but to keep a broader point of view … to me, it’s so interesting in Reggio; some of the best ideas … come from doctors, from lawyers.” Jane: More often than not, I think we do not go outside of our circle of friends and colleagues when we are thinking of the bigger ideas about early childhood education. Having “The Wonder of Learning – The Hundred Languages of Children” exhibit in New York City is priming Fretta Reitzes, Lella Gandini, Jerome Bruner, Leila Vujosevic, and Noah Hichenberg us for this opportunity. In only the first few days of the exhibit, people from different walks of life have come to interact with me and my colleagues, wanting to talk about children and what they can learn from them. It is an excellent time to truly listen and hear from those different perspectives. Patty: In which ways might we gather thoughts about childhood and learning that come from outside the field of education? I think about how many examples there are from the schools in Reggio Emilia, Italy that have a broad scope. I think about the times I have heard Carla Rinaldi or Amelia Gambetti reference great scientists connected to neurobiology. It makes me think that often, as preschool educators, we focus on what we know and are reluctant to enter into uncharted territories. At the school where I work, we have had a focus over the past 2 years on studying and experimenting with “story.” Over the years, we have heard from a newspaper editor from the Atlanta Journal Constitution, an architect from Clemson University, a local dancer, and puppeteers from the Center for Puppetry Arts and have had shared readings from a variety of sources on narrative, oral story telling, and story. We have learned much and begin new endeavors with new points of view— open to new possibilities and most importantly, a richer field of vision through which to partner with, observe, and interpret children’s pursuits. 3) Get together with parents more. “Get together with parents more … let them spend an afternoon or a morning in schools … ask an average group of parents how often they get together for discussions on education with teachers in their kids’ schools.” Jane: In Reggio Emilia, I do not think you would ever hear a parent respond to Bruner’s question about how often they have discussions on education with their children’s teachers as “never,” as Bruner remarked. I do think that there is a fear of the unknown in entering into such a discussion with parents. We would have to come into a discussion like this without fear of being criticized and move the dialogue beyond that so it can be a learning opportunity for everyone involved. Patty: One of the many things I love about the schools in Reggio Emilia is the respect offered, day in and day out, to parents and families. The southeast has a particular set of mores that can place parents and families outside of the school setting. We have been working very hard to change the attitudes of educators and families in an effort to open up dialogue and create an environment that is supportive of all. Giving time and space for educators to discuss values, attitudes, concerns, and strategies for connecting with families in an open and safe environment seems to make sense. As we work to Giving time and space for educators to discuss values, attitudes, concerns, and strategies for connecting with families in an open and safe environment seems to make sense. As we work to instill trust in our communities, we might find supporting parent and family dialogue an easier undertaking if we do the foundational work with teachers first. –Patty Randall March 2015 29 A question I always hear from parents is how I find teachers who are committed to working in this challenging way. There is no prescribed curriculum that the teachers can just simply look up and use. It takes time and commitment, and I am in awe of the curriculum and documentation that the teachers at Beginnings are constructing with the children. The supportive environment that I can provide for them … is what is important to me in developing teachers. –Jane Racoosin instill trust in our communities, we might find supporting parent and family dialogue an easier undertaking if we do the foundational work with teachers first. 4) Develop professional teachers. “We can help teachers … [in Reggio Emilia,] they tend to develop … professional teachers.” Jane: A question I always hear from parents is how I find teachers who are committed to working in this challenging way. There is no prescribed curriculum that the teachers can just simply look up and use. It takes time and commitment, and I am in awe of the curriculum and documentation that the teachers at Beginnings are constructing with the children. The supportive environment that I can provide for them—by giving them time to work in their classroom on a Friday afternoon and engage with each other by sharing their work, which we do monthly either in “walk arounds” in each other’s rooms or by sharing presentations with each other, and by supporting teachers in oneon-one meetings with me to continually discuss what interests them and what the children’s questions are—is what is important to me in developing teachers. We have been extremely lucky that our parent body is on board and has helped us provide staff development opportunities over the years for teachers to go to the study weeks in Reggio Emilia; work with Lella Gandini, Amelia Gambetti, and University of Vermont colleagues Barbara Burrington, Jenn Irving, and Amanda Terreri; and draw on articles from Innovations to provide the backbone for how we can get better at what we are doing. These resources are making us better educators and researchers. 30 Innovations in Early Education Patty: I identify with the teachers who are striving to be professional. I work in a school in which the director has always supported professional development of the staff; expectations are clear. Over the years, we began to feel a shift in the drive for further improvement and investment in the school. After close examination of our program and more importantly, after discovering the schools of Reggio Emilia, Italy and finding NAREA, we committed to the ongoing study of Reggio Emilia, and a seismic shift occurred. I feel we are fortunate to have the collaborative exhibit project of which we are a part, and a world that is open to us through technology that supports ongoing professional growth. We have noticed that teachers committed to a professional way of being at school are more invested in the children, the families, the school, and education on a larger scale. We are also challenged to discern which types of professional development will truly move us forward as a Reggio-inspired school. Using the work of the schools in Reggio Emilia and the resources of NAREA as touch stones helps to keep us grounded in fundamental values and practices. 5) Include a good element of fun in education. “If you fail to stimulate a child to keep entering in, somehow he loses the push, the curiosity, the fun of education. If education doesn’t have a good element of fun in it … start over again.’” Jane: In preschool, it feels like we have that element of fun. It can start out with a small group of children looking at large buildings in lower Manhattan, drawing the buildings, then representing those “maps” using large found and recycled materials that would have been thrown out … then coming up with questions as they build to continue the investigation by finding other buildings to “research.” This is fun! It is our job as teachers to help others at the policy level in departments of education in our various cities to heed Bruner’s advice while continuing to stimulate the minds of children. Patty: Loris Malaguzzi said, “Nothing without joy.” Jerome Bruner reminded us of this. I would hope that at 99 years old, I could say that the life I lived was full of joy. Is that not what we want for children, families, and teachers? As a school located in the Buckhead neighborhood of Atlanta, an “academic pressure zone,” it is imperative that we keep in mind the fun of learning. Children will soon be in an elementary school environment with standards and rules, which often neglect the importance of fun and the role it has in cognitive learning. How often do we belly laugh with a 3-year-old or break into song? Joy comes with experiences that we share with people we have learned to trust and that enable us to share meaning. I feel that it is our responsibility to children and families to recognize the value of joy and to make it visible in the daily life we live with children. Bruner concluded his presentation by stating, “Preschools in New York are starting off. Let them continue to develop a kind of sensitivity to the endlessly changing task of how you prepare the young to be a little older, a little better, and to keep going.” This is advice we believe holds true in any city and in life. I feel we are fortunate to have the collaborative exhibit project of which we are a part, and a world that is open to us through technology that supports ongoing professional growth. We have noticed that teachers committed to a professional way of being at school are more invested in the children, the families, the school, and education on a larger scale. –Patty Randall Image Credit Images in this article courtesy of Joyce Culver REFERENCE Rinaldi, C. (2006). In dialogue with Reggio Emilia: Listening, researching and learning. London and New York, NY: Routledge. March 2015 31 Voices: Conversations from North America and Beyond Excerpts from the Daily Life at Beginnings Nursery School By Amy Miller Amy Miller is the studio teacher at Beginnings Nursery School in New York, NY, where she has worked since 2009. Beginnings Nursery School, along with Teaching Beyond the Square and New York City Encounters with Reggio Emilia (NYCERE), is hosting “The Wonder of Learning – The Hundred Languages of Children” exhibit in New York City from January 15–May 15, 2015. 32 Innovations in Early Education I am privileged to be a studio teacher at Beginnings Nursery School, where we celebrated 30 years with our children and families in 2013. In the past 10 years, Beginnings educators have been inspired by the work of Loris Malaguzzi and the municipal infant-toddler centers and preschools of Reggio Emilia, Italy. Our day includes two programs, morning and afternoon classes, serving approximately 200 students aged 18 months to 5 years. Each class is lead by a small team of teachers comprised of groupings from our staff of 30 teachers and is supported by five administrators. As the studio teacher, I interact with each classroom teaching team throughout the year. Like many Reggio-inspired schools, the studio is a place of exploration, construction, and expansion of ideas. This is a story of one such experience that grew out of the children’s play early in the school year last September. work at Beginnings. We strive for a close connection from one room to the next. To do this, educators are in constant communication. We talk freely—sometimes hanging over the railings in the stairwell, sometimes sitting down to pre-planned team meetings, and almost always talking over lunch. One of our challenges in this effort is the feeling that there is never enough time. Conversations are cut short by class transitions or dismissal times and often turn into emails or texts exchanged late into the evening. These projects are built from ideas that emerge from the children during their play, and those ideas grow as teachers brainstorm together about how to make the related concepts even broader for the children. These large studio/classroom projects incorporate not only the collaboration between teachers and children and teachers and teachers but also collaboration among children, teachers, and parents. One day in the yard, a teacher overheard a 2-year-old say, ”Watch out, the alligator is going to get you!” This followed months of boat play, during which the children took turns assuming the different roles of builders, drivers, and ticket holders. These are the kinds of observations that teachers at Beginnings Nursery School bring to my attention during our studio teacher/classroom teacher meetings. Projects like this that flow from classrooms to the studio and back again are the backbone of our While playing in the yard, one of the children turned around toward the others, opened her arms like big alligator jaws, and started chasing the others. “I’m the alligator—you better run!” she said. Unprovoked, the children created a fort to hide from the alligator; it was swimming around the big hollow crawl tube across the room, and they warned me to be careful. The teachers were helping the children secure blankets and sheets and pieces of fabric to shelves and other furnishings to make a safe place. I peaked inside their fort. It was so cozy and quiet inside. I did not want to interrupt the children in their work, so I quietly asked one of the teachers what the children were calling this space. A tiny voice called from inside the blankets, “Maybe a hiding house!” A “hiding house,” it was! The children were running out of ways to secure their blankets and still wanted to cover a few holes in their hiding house. As a provocation, I provided multiple kinds of fabric from our Materials Center. Located on the fifth floor of our brownstone-style school, our Materials Center is a 1200 square foot space made up of found and recycled materials that would otherwise be thrown away. The children easily integrated the fabric by securing it with clothespins to make their hiding house truly private. These projects are built from ideas that emerge from the children during their play, and those ideas grow as teachers brainstorm together about how to make the related concepts even broader for the children. These large studio/ classroom projects incorporate not only the collaboration between teachers and children and teachers and teachers but also collaboration among children, teachers, and parents. –Amy Miller As this play progressed day after day, the teachers and I often stepped aside to watch and quietly discuss what we were seeing. How could we extend the children’s play? What else could March 2015 33 When we told the parents about our project, they were interested and excited, too. During a collaborative meeting with parents, which we call Documentation Evening at Beginnings, we offered an invitation to spend time with the children in the classroom, to observe the play, and to support the children in their sewing. –Amy Miller we offer? Did they need a “real” alligator, one that they could touch and move around the room? But that would be primarily stationary; we should find something that can move, just as their imaginations move their alligator now. Wait! What if we helped the children make an alligator that they can wear like a costume? Maybe several children could wear it, like a Chinese dragon. This conversation continued over several days as we observed the children play. It was finally decided that we would bring the children upstairs to the studio in small groups to begin gathering materials that could help us make an alligator together. When we told the parents about our project, they were interested and excited, too. During a collaborative meeting with parents, which we call Documentation Evening at Beginnings, we offered an invitation to spend time with the children in the classroom, to observe the play, and to support the children in their sewing. While sewing can be seen as somewhat dangerous because it involves sharp needles, both the parents and teachers believed that this experience would support the children’s continued growth and feelings of accomplishment. Many parents joined us in the studio over the next few months. As roadblocks came up, as inevitably they will when making something of this sort, parents offered suggestions and solutions. Sometimes these design discussions con- 34 Innovations in Early Education tinued in the studio even after the children and their teachers had returned to their classroom— the parents were so excited to participate! Our alligator design morphed from an alligator that several children could wear together into separate pieces that could be tied onto a single child. Large jaws full of mat board “teeth” fit over the children’s arms and tied behind them. A tail, sewn and stuffed, was tied around their waists to slither along the floor behind them. Through these collaborative discussions, and by watching the children play with the separate pieces in the studio as they were completed, we came to realize that these were the only pieces the children really needed or wanted. They did not need the elaborate costume we had originally designed for them. After each piece of the alligator was completed, the children asked to play with it. After the lower half of the jaw was lined with teeth, “Chomp! Chomp!” was heard in the studio. I turned to look and saw a father dressed in a dark business suit, the jaw barely fitting over his arm, slowly stalking his young daughter to her squealing delight. Her friends ran away in mock terror! How often do you get to watch parents engage in dramatic play with their children at school? Before this project, I would have answered that it was rare—very rare. Through these collaborative discussions, and by watching the children play with the separate pieces in the studio as they were completed, we came to realize that these were the only pieces the children really needed or wanted. They did not need the elaborate costume we had originally designed for them. –Amy Miller The children and adults gained so much through this process. The children played with something they collectively feared—dangerous animals that swim in water—and became those things. They became powerful and dangerous beasts. While doing so, the children learned about materials and techniques usually reserved for older children and adults. The children also used this play to connect to other things in their school environment, from books to drawing materials. We have found that moments in the daily life, such as the ones connected to the children’s dramatic play with alligators, strongly contribute to the evolution of rich and complex experiences at Beginnings Nursery School. Image Credit Images in this article courtesy of Beginnings Nursery School March 2015 35 Brick by Brick: Reggio-Inspired Practice in New England By Jeanne Goldhaber Jeanne Goldhaber, associate professor emerita, taught in the Early Childhood PreK-3 Teacher Preparation Program at the University of Vermont (UVM) for 25 years and is a NAREA board member. The University of Vermont teacher education program has prepared many students to be teachers in Reggio-inspired schools throughout the United States. Jeanne has also authored several resources related to the Reggio Emilia approach, including a seminal chapter about documentation in Bambini: The Italian Approach to Infant/Toddler Care. The Brick by Brick series is a new choice taken by the NAREA board to further build and support ongoing conversation within local communities in North America. “Men and women working together, we built the walls of this school because we wanted a new and different place for our children.” –Brick by Brick: The History of the “XXV Aprile” People’s Nursery School of Villa Cella These words are taken from a testimonial written in 1945 to commemorate the opening of XXV Aprile, a school that the citizens of the village Villa Cella built following the end of World War II. Brick by brick, they constructed not only a building, but more significantly, a new vision for their children, one that Loris Malaguzzi tells us “opened up completely new horizons of 36 Innovations in Early Education thought” (Malaguzzi, 2000, p. 14). This notion of challenging the status quo both practically and pedagogically was central to the NAREA board’s decision to organize a series of professional development opportunities in various regions of North America. Borrowing inspiration (and the title!) from Renzo Barazzoni’s book Brick by Brick: The History of the “XXV Aprile” We felt energized by the possibility of engaging in the work that brought us to NAREA in the first place, work that involves thinking, talking, and strategizing about how to create both a pedagogical and political world that respects, celebrates, and promotes the well-being of young children, their families, teachers, and communities. –Jeanne Goldhaber People’s Nursery School of Villa Cella, NAREA board members volunteered to organize two one-day initiatives in their respective communities over the course of 2014–2015. We were enthusiastic about the idea of moving out of the realm of the stereotypical board meeting room—not the wood paneled and well-appointed one we see in the movies, but rather the windowless, airless, and under-heated and/or over-chilled hotel meeting rooms we experienced in real life! We felt energized by the possibility of engaging in the work that brought us to NAREA in the first place, work that involves thinking, talking, and strategizing about how to create both a pedagogical and political world that respects, celebrates, and promotes the well-being of young children, their families, teachers, and communities. Finally, we saw this initiative as a direct response to feedback we received from focus groups that we had organized over the last 2 years during NAREA conferences, in which we asked how NAREA could be more responsive to its membership. The appeal for more opportunities to collaborate with colleagues in the field was loud and clear. We hoped that the “Brick by Brick” series would offer a structure to support the exchange of ideas and experiences that might also reflect geographically- and regionally-situated issues, challenges, possibilities, and goals. As a Vermonter, I had the incredible good fortune to work with fellow New England board members Barbara Acton, David Fernie, Angela Ferrario, and Lella Gandini. While each of us had been involved in planning professional development programs in our own particular contexts, this was the first time that we were collaborating as board members to “build” an event designed specifically for NAREA’s New England membership. Could we create something uniquely reflective of our geographic, pedagogical, and political landscape? Could our session also serve as an introduction to those who might not have had the opportunity to learn about the ideas and values that are fundamental to the accomplishments of the community of Reggio Emilia? Were we capable of engaging in the critical yet delicate discussion that “doing” Reggio is no more possible than “doing” Boston or Burlington, Freeport or Providence, Nashua or Mystic? Would we be able to engage colleagues from across New England in the ambitious enterprise that Malaguzzi described as “opening up completely new horizons of thought”? These lofty goals elicited moments of excitement, anxiety, anticipation, and uncertainty. Thank goodness we have all known each other for many years both through our association with NAREA as well as through other overlapping arenas of interests and initiatives. (Is it ever not the case that it is all about relationships?) The deep respect and affection that we feel toward each other were always at play and smoothed over the inevitable bumps that long-distance committee planning encounters. Moreover, the dual aim of staying close to Reggio Emilia as a source of inspiration while sharing stories that represent the unique contexts of New England kept us on course as we shaped the October New England Brick by March 2015 37 We were especially hopeful that this day would deepen our appreciation and understanding of the role of the teacher as researcher and the power of documentation as a builder of culture and identity, engagement, and learning. –Jeanne Goldhaber Brick program. Our hope was to make the pedagogical work that is taking place in the early childhood programs and schools of Reggio Emilia as well as in our neighboring communities more visible and generative. We were espe- cially hopeful that this day would deepen our appreciation and understanding of the role of the teacher as researcher and the power of documentation as a builder of culture and identity, engagement, and learning. Inspirations from Reggio Emilia Each story reflected teachers who were prepared in the moment and over time to pay close attention, to document, to reflect, and to respond to the children’s meaningmaking, revealing the pivotal yet complex and subtle role that teachers play in children’s encounters with concepts that artists, scientists, and phenomenologists have researched through the ages and continue to research today. Our fall session was hosted in Boston by Wheelock College. We were always very clear that Lella would open the day; after all, she was the one who gathered and published many of the thoughts by Loris Malaguzzi in the course of several interviews. Her presentation “Stories From the Extraordinary Journey of Teachers and Children in Reggio Emilia” brought us into the infant-toddler centers and preschools where teachers and children collaborate together as co-researchers. Images reflecting children’s efforts to draw their peers as they played ringaround-the-rosy raised our appreciation for the challenge that perspective-taking presents, particularly when representing a three-dimensional event in two dimensions. A similar conceptual leap was required for another group of children who encountered what at first seemed like a contradiction in logic when they discovered that while two piles of chestnuts were the same weight, one pile had more chestnuts than the other! And while many of us have encountered baby Laura’s interactions with the catalogue containing images of watches and her teacher’s real (ticking) watch, Lella helped us consider how an everyday experience can evolve to an intellectual rite of passage. As Laura puts her ear to the watch in the catalogue as a sort of theory-in-action (the watch on my teacher’s wrist makes a sound, therefore the watch in the catalogue might do the same), Lella invites us to see what is not readily visible, the “invisible” elements that are foundational to Laura’s “research” and learning—elements such as a shared inter-subjectivity between the two protagonists, Laura and her teacher; a timeframe that allows the exchange to take place at baby Laura’s rate of processing; a teacher’s caring attentiveness; and of course, a skillful documenter nearby. While at face value these stories and others like them might appear unrelated, they are, in fact, connected on multiple levels. Each experience was embedded in relationships that reflected a sense of trust and high regard among the children and/or among the children and the teachers. Each story reflected teachers who were prepared in the moment and over time to pay close attention, to document, to reflect, and to respond to the children’s meaning-making, revealing the pivotal yet complex and subtle role that teachers play in children’s encounters with concepts that artists, scientists, and phenomenologists have researched through the ages and continue to research today. –Jeanne Goldhaber Inspired by Reggio: Stories from our New England Context Our commitment to creating a program that reflected the diverse voices and rich contexts of the northeast was realized (largely thanks to Angela Ferrario’s networking and exten38 Innovations in Early Education sive contacts across New England!) through the creation of a panel of five early educators, representing very different contexts and stories. Each panel member responded to the question, “How has the study of the Reggio Emilia approach influenced your work as an early childhood educator?” Panelists included Sarah Connor (Rhode Island), Ashley Crowley (Vermont), Karen First (Massachusetts), Laura Friedman (Maine), and Sara West (New Hampshire). Their stories were personal and powerful as each presenter shared images from her context and narratives that described both accomplishments and struggles in equal share. We heard of flexible and creative approaches to professional development that aspire to respect and support teachers’ growth as documenters, researchers, and collaborators; of innovative initiatives that invite families from widely diverse backgrounds and cultures to participate meaningfully in their children’s education; of a classroom investigation that responded to the close-at-hand, tragic events in Newtown and Boston by exploring the values of democracy and participation; of statewide efforts to support teachers in inquiry-based learning in a variety of venues and contexts; and of relationship-based programming that focuses on the whole child, encompassing an organic, inclusive environment for children and families. We were, however, all too aware that these stories were but a sampling of the experiences represented in the audience. Therefore we organized small discussion groups to promote exchanges of experiences and collaborative problem solving, followed by small table lunch groups. Lunch closed with “Town Crier” announcements of local and regional professional development opportunities and initiatives. Giving Value to Our Context: A Vermont Winter Through the Eyes (and Mittens, Hats, Boots, Snowsuits, Etc.!) of Toddlers After lunch, I had the privilege of presenting an investigation carried out by the UVM Campus Children’s School teachers and student teachers that documented a group of young toddlers’ winter outings. Observing very young children outdoors heightened our awareness of the vagaries of Vermont’s winter weather. Not just from season to season and day to day, but also from hour to hour, the temperature falls or rises; the wind gets stronger or dies; the snow becomes deep, crusty, icy. Our observations led us to the realization that very young children are regularly confronted by these seasonal, often rapid changes to what they thought were known environments. For example, where one day there was a puddle in which the children had stomped their boots to splash water in all directions, the next day there is a patch of ice where they lose their balance and fall hard onto the ground as their boots slide out from under them. not especially positive. (This investigation was actually provoked by an observation of an especially “unsuccessful” outing in which nearly all the toddlers ended up crying by the time they returned to the center. Why, we asked, was this experience so distressing, when up until now the toddlers had so thoroughly enjoyed themselves outdoors?) But perhaps the most important lesson we learned from this investigation is that the process of documentation isn’t some “frosting-onthe-cake” activity to engage in once the classroom is running smoothly, but rather it is a point of view, a mindset that shapes our responses to the big and little challenges and opportunities that present themselves in our unique contexts. This investigation also contributed to our appreciation of the kinds of decisions that the process of documentation entails. For example, over time, we learned that variables such as the wind velocity and air temperature can contribute to the quality of children’s outdoor winter experiences, but never in the past had we considered recording this data as part of our documentation of outings! We also learned that we need to be open to what our observations tell us, even when, or maybe especially when, they tell us that the experiences we are offering are March 2015 39 Closing Thoughts Our day ended with two very generous gifts. Lella Gandini shared recent images and stories from Reggio Emilia of children’s writing, exemplars of authentic literacy engagement that reflected children’s strong desire and capacity to connect with others through the powerful language of print. Then we were all invited by Stephanie Cox Suarez and David Fernie to tour the Wheelock Documentation Center, where narratives, images, and artifacts from teacher research projects of educators in the Boston area are on display for study and reflection. Yet again, we were reminded of the central role of context as we considered the experiences of children of different ages in diverse educational settings; of their families, who reflect a broad ethnic, cultural, and economic range; and of the intellectual curiosity and unmitigated commitment of their teachers. Before gathering our belongings to begin our journeys home, Barbara Acton sent us on our way with an invitation to reflect and elaborate on past, recent, or current experiences that reflect the unique opportunities, challenges, and possibilities of our own contexts and to consider sharing our narratives of these experiences at the next New England Brick by Brick gathering in February. Her invitation gave me pause: the story that began in Villa Cella in 1945 is still being written 70 years later in the municipality of Reggio Emilia. Inspired by Reggio and strengthened by a shared resolve, a group of educators gathered on an autumnal, somewhat rainy and overcast day in New England to talk, listen, laugh, and learn. Similar groups were meeting in places like Atlanta, St. Louis, Tulsa, and Bloomfield Hills, Michigan. Together yet in different ways and in different contexts, we are all working to build, brick by brick, a “new and different place for our children.” Our foundation is firm, our commitment strong: what will our story be in 70 years? The answer is ours to write. Yet again, we were reminded of the central role of context as we considered the experiences of children of different ages in diverse educational settings; of their families, who reflect a broad ethnic, cultural, and economic range; and of the intellectual curiosity and unmitigated commitment of their teachers. –Jeanne Goldhaber Image Credit Image in this article courtesy of UVM Campus Children’s Center REFERENCES Gandini, L., & Edwards, C. (Eds.). (2001). Bambini: The Italian approach to infant/toddler care. New York, NY : Teachers College Press. Malaguzzi, L. (2000). When we got the news. In R. Barazzoni, Brick by brick: The history of the “XXV Aprile” People’s Nursery School of Villa Cella. Reggio Emilia, Italy: Municipality of Reggio Emilia and Reggio Children. 40 Innovations in Early Education Perspectives on NAREA Questioning NAREA’s Impact By Margie Cooper Margie Cooper is the standing chair of the NAREA board, co-representative of NAREA within the Reggio Children International Network, and a member of the board of directors of the Fondazione Reggio Children– Centro Loris Malaguzzi. Margie is also the founder and executive director of Inspired Practices in Early Education in Roswell, GA. In this issue of Innovations, we take a moment to reflect on our organization. Much has developed in the work of NAREA since its inception in November of 2002 during the NAEYC conference, held in the not-too-common location of New York City. All the actions and investments of our organization might be taken for granted or exist unexamined if we do not invest in awareness and interpretation. To that end, since our 10th anniversary celebration, NAREA has compiled archives, interviewed members, held member conversations during conferences, and engaged in strategic projecting during board meetings. A partial result of these efforts is the newly published Impact Report we are introducing to members and friends. This publication will be made available at upcoming conferences and will later be placed on our website. We would love to hear your thoughts on the report—or on the work and opportunity of NAREA—so please drop a note with your comments to any of us anytime. By the time you read this, NAREA will have concluded its first-ever conference in the city of our founding. The NAREA Winter Conference in New York, like most of our conferences, was projected as a gathering around the presence of the exhibit, “The Wonder of Learning – The Hundred Languages of Children,” the participation of representatives from Reggio Emilia, and the work of an eager and determined local community that welcomes exchange with those of us in education outside the mainstream. It would be a mistake to believe that those of us engaged in the ideas and experiences of Reggio Emilia are representative of current mainstream thinking on education. We are living in a period of piercing argument regarding the best interests of our continent’s youngest children and their families and teachers. Private interests, corporations, and politicians are more than ever shaping the image society holds of children, education, accountability, right, and wrong. The mainstream outstrips us in size, resources, volume, and connections. Still, as NAREA’s growth has shown, there are those who increasingly see alternatives and wisdom in the kind of education and community life expressed in Reggio Emilia. Some might call us a fringe movement. And, as a fringe movement, we should not underestimate our influence. We all have a voice and the capacity to create, innovate, and express our knowledge of childhood tangibly through our daily life with children, families, colleagues, and communities. Our mutual inspiration, a small Italian town, stands as testimony to what is possible when we unite in vision and mission on behalf of the rights of young children. NAREA’s future influence in advancing a particular point of view in the education argument rests firmly on the web created when we unite in effort and perseverance. Our challenge and opportunity is to know one another, to share with one another, to resist competing with one another, and to believe in one another. Most of all, our future rests with the conviction we hold for a strong image of children and childhood. NAREA BOARD Co-Chairs Barbara Acton Massachusetts Margie Cooper Georgia Board Members Teresa Acevedo Arizona Jennifer Azzariti Washington, DC Karyn Callaghan Ontario Simonetta Cittadini-Medina Florida David Fernie Massachusetts Angela Ferrario Massachusetts Brenda Fyfe Missouri Amelia Gambetti Reggio Emilia, Italy Lella Gandini Massachusetts Jeanne Goldhaber Vermont Jennifer Kesselring Oklahoma Beth MacDonald Minnesota Susan Redmond South Carolina Jennifer Strange Missouri Pat Tarr Alberta March 2015 41 Mangiare in Bellezza: The Berkeley Urban Garden School By Melissa Stepien Melissa Stepien is a member of the teaching team at Berkeley Urban Garden School in Berkeley, CA, which was founded in 2010. Mangiare in Bellezza (Eating Beautifully) is a new feature of Innovations that focuses on beautiful foods, recipes, and environments in your schools. Those interested in sending a submission for this feature can contact Patty Randall for submission guidelines: [email protected] The unfolding garden project at Berkeley Urban Garden School is one of sustainable living and inspired learning. The children cultivate organic herbs and vegetables, assist in food preparation, and savor the passionate culinary skills of our teachers at the midday meal. A rich pesto sauce is the decided favorite of our young gardeners. The scent of fresh basil lends radiance to the experience of a healthy and hearty roasted chicken and quinoa. Using the remaining chicken along with garden kale, carrots, garlic, and tree collards, lentil stew is prepared for the following day. 42 Innovations in Early Education March 2015 43 44 Innovations in Early Education Garden Pesto Lentil Stew INGREDIENTS: INGREDIENTS: 2 cups fresh basil 8 cups chicken stock 2 cloves garlic 1 large onion, diced 1 tbs. pickled caper berries 2 large carrots, chopped Zest from 1/2 small lemon 3 stalks of celery, chopped 1/2 cup roasted cashew nuts (can substitute pine nuts or almonds) 3 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated 1 1/2 cups dry lentils (small Umbrian lentils preferred) 3/4 cup olive oil Combine ingredients in blender or food processor and blend until fully combined. If pesto is too thick (unable to be poured), add chicken stock to the desired consistency. Add salt to taste. Serves 12. Two of the children express their love of pesto: So yummy green! Lena, age 3 Yeah! Mysteries are like pesto! Rye, age 3 1 large yellow sweet potato, diced 3 cups kale, chopped (can use collards, chard, or spinach) Juice from 1 large lemon 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped Salt and pepper to taste Add onion, garlic, and carrot to boiling stock. Cook for 10 minutes (until onion is translucent and soft). Reduce to simmer and add lentils and sweet potato. Continue to cook for 30 minutes. Check to see that lentils are the desired texture and add salt to taste. Once lentils and potatoes are done, add chopped kale and cover for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice and cilantro. Add pepper and additional salt to taste. Serves 14. Image Credit Images in this article courtesy of Berkeley Urban Garden School March 2015 45 Resources Message from Reggio Children The office of Reggio Children is pleased that there is so much interest in North America about our infant centers, preprimary schools, and educational philosophy. We note with pride the resources published and professional development initiatives organized about the Reggio Emilia approach to education. We caution interested educators that some resources and initiatives related to the Reggio Emilia approach have not accurately reflected our experiences and philosophy. In order to ensure accurate representation of ideas concerning Reggio, we urge publishers and producers of resources as well as organizers of initiatives concerning the Reggio Emilia approach to coordinate their plans with Reggio Children, s.r.l., via Bligny 1/a, 42100 Reggio Emilia, Italy, [email protected], www.reggiochildren.it Bibliography Contacts for Reggio Children Visit the NAREA website for a comprehensive listing of resources related to the Reggio Emilia educational philosophy. NAREA North American Reggio Emilia Alliance reggioalliance.org Reggio Children Publications Resources published by Reggio Children are available from Learning Materials Workshop. 802-862-8399 [email protected] www.learningmaterialswork.com North American Study Groups in Reggio Emilia, Italy May 11-15, 2015 Canadian Study Group Contact: Ontario Reggio Association www.ontarioreggioassociation.ca May 16-23, 2015 U.S. Study Group Contact: Angela Ferrario [email protected] International Professional Development Initiatives in Reggio Emilia, Italy July 5-13, 2015 Third International Summer School The Reggio Emilia Approach to Education: Quality Education to Feed the Planet Contact: Reggio Children www.reggiochildren.it NAREA Jobs Site Searching for Reggio-inspired employment? Searching for Reggio-inspired candidates? See the NAREA Jobs Site section of our website to post or apply for positions. Reggio-inspired educators are in demand, and NAREA strives to connect employers with employees through this service. Please help us spread the word in your community. Amelia Gambetti Reggio Children international liaison for consultancy to schools International Network co-chair [email protected] www.reggiochildren.it Lella Gandini Reggio Children liaison in the U.S. for dissemination of the Reggio Emilia approach [email protected] Angela Ferrario Reggio Children liaison in the U.S. for study groups [email protected] “The Wonder of Learning – The Hundred Languages of Children” Exhibit January 15–May 15, 2015 New York, NY Hosted by Beginnings Nursery School, Thinking Beyond the Square, and New York City Encounters with Reggio Emilia, the exhibit is located at the Williamsburg Northside School in Brooklyn. A series of initiatives has been organized in connection with the presence of the exhibit. Contact: Jane Racoosin [email protected] www.newyorkcitywol.org July-November 2015 Pittsburgh, PA Hosted by the Agency for Jewish Learning and Pittsburgh AEYC, the exhibit will be located at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. A series of initiatives will be organized in connection with the presence of the exhibit. Contact: Carolyn Linder [email protected] Visit www.thewonderoflearning.com and reggioalliance.org for more information about the exhibit. 46 Innovations in Early Education Conference Calendar Discount for NAREA members at all initiatives listed “The Wonder of Learning - The Hundred Languages of Children” Exhibit Initiative New York, NY April 17-18, 2015 The Hundred Languages: A Metaphor for the Extraordinary Potentials of Children and Adults Contact: Jane Racoosin, [email protected] www.newyorkcitywol.org Call for Submissions NAREA is pleased to announce two new features to Innovations. “The Story of Us” is envisioned as a regular feature that will introduce readers to the many and varied stories of Reggio-inspired schools in North America. “Mangiare in Bellezza” (Eating Beautifully) will focus on beautiful foods, recipes, and environments in your schools. We invite you to send submissions for these new features and share the story and beauty of your work with young children. Contact Patty Randall for submission guidelines, [email protected] Contact: NAREA, reggioalliance.org The Eleventh NAREA Summer Conference Bridging Partnerships on the Path of Learning: Embracing History, Identity, and Culture in our Settings Pittsburgh, PA June 18-20, 2015 Speakers: Deanna Margini and Filippo Chieli Contact: NAREA, reggioalliance.org Carol Bersani, M.S. Kent State University Margie Cooper, Ph.D. Inspired Practices in Early Education, Inc., Roswell, GA Angela Ferrario, M.Ed. Reggio Children liaison in the U.S. for study groups Brick by Brick Series, Part Two May 2, 2015 St. Louis, MO INNOVATIONS EDITORIAL BOARD Call for Cover Photographs If you have photographs from your educational community that represent the values inherent in the Reggio Emilia philosophy, and you would like to see one of them published on the cover of Innovations, please submit jpg or tiff files of high-resolution photographs (300 dpi @ 8” x 10”) to Judith Allen Kaminsky, [email protected] Judy Graves, M.A.T. Opal School of the Portland Children’s Museum, Portland, OR Karen Haigh, Ph.D. Columbia College Chicago Mary Hartzell, M.Ed. First Presbyterian Nursery School, Santa Monica, CA John Nimmo, Ed.D. University of New Hampshire Andrew Stremmel, Ph.D. South Dakota State University Nora Thompson, M.A. Michigan State University Child Development Laboratories Carol Anne Wien, Ph.D. York University, Toronto, ON HONORARY EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBER Eli Saltz, Ph.D. Merrill-Palmer Skillman Institute, Wayne State University Correction to last paragraph of Mary Mumbrue’s contribution in “Memories of Malaguzzi” in December 2014 issue of Innovations: The last recollection I have of Loris Malaguzzi was a dinner at Grace and John Tarini’s home in Evanston, Illinois. How gracious and relaxed he was that evening as many of the guests spoke Italian including their daughter Carla and, of course, Lella. The evening seemed magical to me. I knew that this extraordinary man had quietly changed early childhood education over the decades by his convictions, dedication and passion. Visit reggioalliance.org for regularly updated conferences and initiatives calendar March 2015 47 Non-Profit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Permit No. 7 Marietta, GA c/o Inspired Practices in Early Education, Inc. 1131 Canton Street Roswell, GA 30075 770-552-0179 770-552-0767 (fax) [email protected] reggioalliance.org Innovations In Early Education: The International Reggio Emilia Exchange Our experience also confirms that children need a great deal of freedom: the freedom to investigate and to try, to make mistakes and to correct mistakes, to choose where and with whom to invest their curiosity, intelligence, and emotions. Children need the freedom to appreciate the infinite resources of their hands, their eyes, and their ears, the resources of forms, materials, sounds, and colors. They need the freedom to realize how reason, thought, and imagination can create continuous interweavings of things, and can move and shake the world. – Loris Malaguzzi
© Copyright 2024