In his words that follow, we can directly see how his language is rich, complex, and dense; it is poetic as well and thus invites careful re flection because it offers many layers of meaning.
This makes me think about how our classroom provocations are rich, complex, and dense. I think it's also interesting how his language is poetic which reflects the poetic nature of his philosophy.
n the late 1960s and early 1970s women, working women especially, were very actively asking for more equitable social laws and for participation in decision making. There was also a great deal of street protest by workers and students. Among notable changes that followed these active interventions was a national law passed in 1968 that established free education for all children from 3 years to 6 years of age.
This reminds me how early childhood education is a political choice! We can enact huge change by increasing quality of life/education for children and families.
While each fragment is imbued with the subjectivity of the documenter, it is also subject to the interpretation of others, as part of a collective process of knowledge building
This feels very important to me--the spiral quality of learning and how it relies on our subjectivity to add to the collective!
istening is an active verb, which involves givingan interpretation, giving meaning to the message and value to those who are being listened to by others.
This makes me think about the intersubjectivity that is at the core of learning and teaching
As in North America, such optimal teaching is understood to be a complex, delicate, multifaceted task, involving many levels and calling for much expertise and continuous self-examination
I feel like this is a cornerstone idea in the RE approach that is directly opposed to traditional US teaching systems. Just as in our personal lives, there is no arriving to a set destination and you've suddenly made it and you know it all. Teaching within this philosophy is an act of love in that it is always growing and evolving as the people involved grow/evolve.
They see the work and devel-opment of teachers as a public activity taking place within the shared life of the school, community, and culture;
I appreciate that its not just a one person job to grow--its almost a responsibility of the community to aid in collective growth
Such a method of teaching they consider important, complex, and delicate, constantly evolving and changing, and a matter of collective effort and concern.
I feel like this is so different than what traditional school settings are like in the US, and I'm so happy to have found a teaching philosophy that resonates so deeply!
It is important to note that analysis and feedback in Reggio Emilia involves both support and criticism. In contrast to a system in which concern for hurt feelings or ownership of ideas prevents extended examination and argumentation, in Reggio Emilia intellectual conflict is considered pleasurable for both adults and children.
This is so interesting to me and feels like a direct opposition to white supremacist ideals of paternalism/one right way! Usually I feel like we are supposed to just defer to those in power (e.g. children to teachers or younger teachers to older teachers) but I think this notion speaks to the value we should place on each person's unique point of view. And the pleasure of disequilibrium!
Like the poetic notion of a sink on the floor, this drawing conveys with artistic precision the sense of smallness that children often experience in the world of adults.
I wonder in which ways we as educators can "put a sink on the floor" for children? What can this offer back to children and the community?
This dialogue illustrates that '"listening' to very young children does not necessarily mean taking all their utterances at face value, but it does mean observing the nuances"
I think that this is important to consider in that adults usually write off children based on face value utterances, and they don't take the time to consider the nuances that are being presented. It's easy to ignore or take for granted something that you don't respect.
We need to givethem full rights of citizenship in life and in society
I love the recognition in the RE Approach that children are human beings now, not later when they reach some arbitrary age, but NOW. Thus, children deserve all the rights that their full and whole humanity affords them at every stage of their development.
If we redeemthe child from these difficult situations, we redeemourselves
This felt very moving to me! I think a lot of early childhood education is adults healing and redeeming themselves alongside the children. What a beautiful connection!
We have to find each other in the forest and begin todiscuss what the education of the child actuallymeans. The important aspect is not just to promotethe education of the child but the health and happi-ness of the child as well
I love this metaphor of life/education/experience as a forest. i think this is a beautiful nod to the wonders that nature can teach us as well.
Life has to be somewhat agitated and upset, a bitrestless, somewhat unknown
I like that the author claims that school needs to be a microcosm of life--unknown, flowing, unique, mysterious.
preconceivedimage of the child and the environment that you canbuild that is based on the child you see in front of you
This is intriguing to me! It's so easy to create an environment that fits in the preconceived "what children like" compartment of our brains, but there is a challenge in using the data in front of you instead of what your mind's eye says is the "correct" environment/interests of children.
Each one of you has inside yourself an image of thechild that directs you as you begin to relate to a child
I'm so interested in the ways that these images of the child change over time and how these changes alter our interactions with children.
early childhood programs as an industry, rather than as a service.
This simultaneously makes me sad and makes me think about how most education systems in the US are geared towards creating the ideal work force as opposed to progressive and free individuals
performance standards that are often referred to as outcomes.
I think this is interesting phrasing. "Performance" standards are really what they sound like--a performance instead of an actual learning experience. This was similar to my own experience in the education. I felt like if I just regurgitated information and I met the performance standard then I was learning but I know now that I was not!
consists of reflection on theory,practice, and further careful reflection in a program that is continuously renewedand re-adjusted.
I think this is incredibly significant and schools in the US truly have some work to do!!
They use their interpretations and discussions to make choices that they share withthe children.
I love that the interpretations are shared with the children--I think it's important that everyone is included in the process so the children don't feel like the adults are just talking ~about~ them and not ~with~ them
A strong image of the child has tocorrespond to a strong image of the teacher.
This feels quite important to me! Growing up, even with a teacher as a mother, I always heard that teachers were basically just babysitters. That was hurtful to hear especially since my mom obviously thought it was more than that, and I love that the RE approach has a strong image of teachers.
Thirdly, the tradition of cooperative work is firmly rooted in the Emilia Romagnaregion and is based on a sense of community and of solidarity
I'm wondering how the CO interpretation of RE accounts for the individualist nature of the United States and how we can combat this in our education system
What families have obtained was not easy toachieve; it came from a great deal of effort and political involvement
I think it is very interesting that this is the reason that we have a Colorado interpretation--because we can't recreate the political and social upheaval that resulted in this philosophy!