I S F F EB R UARY 2021 N E WS L E T T E R
A COMMUNITY OF CREATIVE MAKERS AND DOERS ERIN HOOVER, VANESSA REGNIER, AND REBECCA BARTOLOTTI
"What children learn does not follow as an automatic result from what is taught, rather, it is in large part due to the children’s own doing, as a consequence of their activities and our resources." —Loris Malaguzzi, The Hundred Languages of Children
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he concept of an Artelierista comes from the Reggio Emilia approach to learning, an approach that aligns beautifully with the PYP philosophy and pedagogy, and one we are exploring and developing in Early Years and Foundation. So what is an Atelierista and why are we interested in enhancing this role throughout the Junior School? An Atelierista is essentially “a creative facilitator who supports children’s imagination, expression and experimentation, actively striving to encourage dynamic learning processes through the arts” (Reggio Children, 2020). The atelier provides a
place for children to use a variety of techniques, it assists the adults in understanding processes of how children learn, and it provides a "workshop for documentation" (Edwards, et al., 1993, p. 121). Equipping classrooms with an interesting variety of materials provides rich environments for both spontaneity and project revisitation. The collaboration at the JS involves students throughout the school, and is in support of the Art teacher, the ISF philosophy and the whole community as we strive towards a community of
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