Early Childhood Education Magazine

ORDINARY MOMENTS & EXTRAORDINARY POSSIBILITIES: USING THE REGGIO EMILIA APPROACH

ORDINARY MOMENTS & EXTRAORDINARY POSSIBILITIES: USING THE REGGIO EMILIA APPROACH

contents:

Ordinary Moments and Extraordinary Possibilities

04 The child as the protagonist 08 The child as a collaborator 12

The child as communicator

16

The environment as a third teacher

20 The educator as a partner, nurturer, and guide 24 The educator as a researcher 28 The documentation as communication 32 The families as partners

1

Descriptions of ordinary moments can show how extraordinary the ordinary moments in the lives of children are. How could we relate this idea to ordinary objects – how do adults and children look at them differently?

“The best known program that follows the emergent curriculum approach to educating young children is in Reggio Emilia, Italy.”

When following the Reggio Emilia approach, children, educators and families can experience the joy in communicating and sharing experiences that appreciate, share and celebrate play and learning through those ordinary moments.”

How do children view their world?

What extraordinary possibilities do they see in ordinary things? A puddle? A bird nest? A ladybug Creating Effective Learning Environments, Ingrid Crowther, p. 13 on a leaf? A cloud in the sky? A branch laying on the ground? Water “In Reggio the child is viewed as pouring out of a tap? The wind on strong, powerful, rich in potential, their face? driven by the power of wanting to grow, and nurtured by adults ” to the child, the journey of this who take this drive towards growth particular day, with its special light seriously. The curiosity of children and sound, has never been made makes them question and research before. So the child treats the the reasons for all that surrounds situation with the open curiosity them. This is childhood, for the and attention that it deserves. The schools of Reggio. This image of child is quite right.” the child is drawn from educational, The Art of Awareness, Carter and Curtis, page 41 psychological, and sociological How can adults challenge sources, as well as the everyday themselves to stop, linger and experience of children at the really examine the ordinary moments of a child’s experience to appreciate a new viewpoint? What is the value in doing this?

Try looking the way

” It takes practice for us, as adults, to recover this ability to see, or before that, the gift of wanting to see. For so many years we have been learning to judge and dismiss – I know what that thing is, I’ve seen it a hundred times – and we’ve lost the complex realities, laws, and details that surround us. Try looking the way the child looks – as if always for the first time.”

The Art of Awareness, Carter and Curtis, page 13

Reggio schools. In addition, the image of the child is drawn from the relationships among children, and their parents, friends and extended family that are observed daily. This understanding of children, education, and childhood influences everything that happens in the Reggio schools.”

Working in the Reggio Way, Julianne P. Wurm, pg. 16

the child looks – as if always for the first time.

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Ordinary Moments and Extraordinary Possibilities

The child as protagonist.

The child is chief player to make things happen; the child is seen as competent and inventive.

Ordinary Moments and Extraordinary Possibilities

How have you seen children inventing their own play and learning experiences?

5

“Children need active, hands-on involvement.

As children play, explore, experiment, and interact with people and objects, children are always trying to make sense of those experiences. Children learn best when they are actively involved.�

Basics of Developmentally Appropriate Practice: An Introduction for Teachers of Children 3 to 6, Bredekamp & Copple, p.16, 17

Include activities for exploration such as baskets of loose parts, ordinary found objects, parts of things, strings of household items, containers, resource books, and lots and lots of time and space.

Children learn best when they are actively involved.

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Ordinary Moments and Extraordinary Possibilities

The child as a collaborator.

The child works together with other children and with the adults within that child’s community.

Ordinary Moments and Extraordinary Possibilities

What have you observed about how children and educators work, play and plan together to create?

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Provide meaningful experiences Include time for actively listening to children’s thoughts and ideas, incorporate their ideas, expand on their ideas, ask questions, slow down, respect children’s ideas, teach skills in listening to others and working together on group projects. Provide meaningful experiences which assist children in constructing an understanding of their world. Answer the “Why?” and “How?” questions with respect. Observe children’s actions and interests with intention, being purposeful in your goals.

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Ordinary Moments and Extraordinary Possibilities

The child as communicator.

Children communicate in a verity of symbolic ways: words, actions, drawing, painting, building, sculpting, shadow play, collage, dramatic play, and music.

Ordinary Moments and Extraordinary Possibilities

How have you observed children representing what they already know and are learning about through different media? Why is it critical for children to explore the limitless possibilities of exploring with hands-on, open-ended, creative experiences?

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Provide all kinds of good quality materials for children to use, allow time for revisiting ideas, allow for choices, change pre-planned experiences to integrate children’s new ideas, and incorporate “process over product” thinking so individualism can flourish.

Provide space for big ideas and for setting projects aside so they can be worked on later.

“Process over product” thinking, so individualism

can flourish.

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Ordinary Moments and Extraordinary Possibilities

The environment as a third teacher.

The physical space needs to be designed to empower children to interact with one another and the materials within the environment.

Ordinary Moments and Extraordinary Possibilities

Consider your early learning environment.

How does the arrangement and the materials included empower children to explore, create, and be inventive and collaborative?

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“Include nature and natural materials indoors and outdoors – Furnish buildings with natural and sensory – rich objects, Offer natural materials indoors for study, design and play, Landscape with textures, colours and scents, Design natural outdoor play spaces, Include places for sand and water play, Provide loose parts in outdoor spaces.”

Designs for Living and Learning: transforming early childhood environments, Carter & Curtis, 2015, p. 142

“A selection and combination of materials can provoke curiosity, inventions, and theory building when you take the time to intentionally and attractively arrange things as an invitation for learning.

The way materials are stored and presented sends a message to children about how the environment is valued.

Designs for Living and Learning: transforming early childhood environments, Carter & Curtis, 2015, p. 222

...materials can provoke curiosity, inventions, and theory.

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Ordinary Moments and Extraordinary Possibilities

The educator as a partner, nurturer, and guide.

Ordinary Moments and Extraordinary Possibilities

How do you view the role of the educator? What does an educator do to demonstrate building partnerships with children, nurturance and guiding?

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provide an environment in opport

that is rich tunities to explore.

The role of the educator is to: provide developmentally appropriate materials, equipment and experiences, be responsive to children, maintain positive interactions with children and families, maintain consistent verbal exchanges with children and families, provide an environment that is rich in opportunities to explore, develop an atmosphere that is supportive and encouraging to each child, observe and document children’s interactions, develop and maintain positive relationships with families, be aware when to interact in situations and when to allow play to continue without interruption, provide an inclusive environment.”

Creating Effective Learning Environments, Ingrid Crowther, p. 446

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Ordinary Moments and Extraordinary Possibilities

The educator as a researcher.

Educators need to observe what’s happening in the environment with the children as individuals and as a group and share their observations in order to understand children accurately and completely.

Educators need to work with each other and with the children in order to provide a continuous rich environment based on the children’s interests.

Ordinary Moments and Extraordinary Possibilities

How do you view the role of the educator?

What does an educator need to be doing as a researcher? What does it mean to provide a continuous rich environment based on children’s interests? How does that look?

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decide you can

learn and grow along with the children.

Bring in resources, good quality books, ordinary items to stimulate thought and discussion (how many ways CAN a potato masher be used?), provide expert visitors, use field work often to explore and learn, say “I don’t know” and follow-up promptly with answers, use the computer with children to research ideas and find information.

Know that it is okay to feel “the ‘uncomfortable-ness’ of uncertainty;” decide you can learn and grow along with the children.

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Ordinary Moments and Extraordinary Possibilities

The documentation as communication.

Educators carefully document the children’s experiences through transcriptions of the children’s words and actions. These are carefully put together as panels or books to record and show the children’s activities.

Ordinary Moments and Extraordinary Possibilities

What documentation do you produce on a regular basis so children, educators and families can share experiences and knowledge? What are some guidelines for producing good quality documentations?

29

“Gathering observation notes and other forms of documentation and sharing them as stories of children’s pursuits gives the children and stories more visibility, meaning, and respect. The learning process is enhanced for the children as well as the adults. College professor and author George Forman puts it this way: We know that making children’s ideas visible is an important goal It helps children convert an activity into a learning encounter. Therefore, if documentation helps children make their own feelings, patterns of behaviour, theories, and rules more visible and explicit, then documentation could become the primary means of educating young children. (online dialogue on Reggio listserv discussion, 1999)” The Art of Awareness, Carter and Curtis, p. 5

Post documentation panels and change them regularly, make books showing children’s work and representations, display works of art respectfully and post the artist’s name clearly, frame work and set up beautiful displays, prepare documentation to share with families and children, post on-going project work to show progress and rev-visit the panels with the children regularly.

documentation could become the primary means of educating yo

oung children.

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Ordinary Moments and Extraordinary Possibilities

The families as partners.

Family participation is critical.

Families enrich any program through their ideas, skills, and enthusiasm for their children and need to take an active part in their children’s learning.�

Ordinary Moments and Extraordinary Possibilities

How can educators include families of children in a meaningful way? What specific inclusive practices support the development of these relationships?

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family involvement in programs is a key demonstration of inclusive practice. “Early childhood education serves families and children as well as the community and society. Encouraging family involvement in programs is a key demonstration of inclusive practice.

The more programs engage families in their planning, decision making, consultation processes, and emotional support network, the more included the children feel and the more empowered the family becomes.

Empowering Children: Play-based curriculum for lifelong learning, Dale Shipley, pg 52

“Reciprocal relationships with families require mutual respect, cooperation, shared responsibility, and negotiation of differences toward shared goals.�

Basics of Developmentally Appropriate Practice: An introduction for Teachers of Children 3 to 6, Bredekamp & Copple, p.52