This description of the collaboration and community in Reggio demonstrates that the environment spoken of in the REA does not refer only to the physical space, but also the organizational structures, and the shared philosophies, support, and understanding of all members of a child's learning network.

How can those of us who work in schools without ateliers and atelieristi truly capture the essence of the REA in our context? While my school does have so many amazing features and qualities that not all schools have, I still feel that I am really lacking this essential space and the access to the expertise of an atelierista.

This phrasing is very interesting because it suggests that society once accepted a strong image of the child but then lost it. This makes me wonder about the historical image of the child in Italy.

I have found that when parents are invited in to the process and see what their child is working on and is capable of, their perceptions about early education changes. I imagine it was so impactful to bring the learning out into the public like this, and demonstrates how Malaguzzi was able to get buy in from an entire community, even those who did not have children in the schools.

This explains a lot about the origins of the beauty and intrigue that the classrooms of schools in Reggio Emilia have.

I think this bring up point about priorities, control, and what we see as valuable. In order to give children the time and listening they deserve, it is at the expense of other things - other children who at the time may be doing something that we want to observe, other tasks that the teacher may have planned, other things the adult wants to get on to for themselves, etc.

I think listening must be the basis for any genuine relationship. If I do not really listen to you without judgement and prejudice, then how am I to know the real you?

For me, this is one of the most important elements of the pedagogy of listening to remember. I should not walk away from an observation feeling like I understand a child and what they are thinking/feeling/doing. Learning is not neat and tidy, it does not have a distinct beginning and ending. True listening will create further questions about the child and about yourself as an educator and observer.

This statement is equally as important today as it was in 2001. Young children have now spend much of their lives - or at least remembered lives - in this pandemic. They may have internalized fears and anxieties related to being around others or family members getting sick that we need to allow them to express.

One form of presenting theories and understanding should not be prioritized or valued over others.

This is a very interesting definition of 'understanding.' I would have thought of this word as more of, 'knowing how things are/ how they work,' but we can never really know how things are or how they work. All understanding - even for those who are specialists in something - are theories that are open to interpretation and may change as more is discovered.

I love this description of what a school's purpose is - what it should be. A school is a place where both children search for the meaning of things in the world and to search for their curiosities and interests in life.

This is a very useful example of how teachers can address a mistake or error in thinking in a way that doesn't cause the child to feel that they have failed and does not make them feel like they have to do further work, but instead may inspire them to think differently next time.

This is shifting my thinking, as I have been more focused on problems that are a bit challenging but also manageable for the children to achieve. Perhaps this is how the schools in RE keep projects going for so long...

What is the right balance between letting students lead something fully on their own/with a group and stepping in to lend an idea or offer a provocation that will keep the project moving?

This is an important step I hadn't thought much about, my documentation of conversations is not just for me to keep and use later - I must return the ideas to the children so they can hear what they have co-constructed.

This is one area that I have found difficult to adapt in the various international settings I have worked in. For example, my students have been speaking about marriage and how it's between a man and a woman. This is not my personal or political view, but I also work in a country where homosexuality is illegal and many of the families would not approve of me teaching their children otherwise. I'm not sure what the balance between my moral duty and what is socially appropriate in my context is in those situations.

This further highlights the need for open schedules and the flexibility for plans to change depending on the needs for the day. Is this realistic for those of us who work in settings that do have set elements of the time table? Does this mean that there should be more flexibility for particular students on particular days, i.e. this student isn't going to music class today because they don't want to?

So important to remember. Teachers are not the protagonists in students stories, school is not about us and our plans going the way that we had hoped, it's about the children! Students are not one collective piece, but are instead composed of many unique and individual protagonists.

I think this is the important first step that a lot of early educators don't take the time to go through or reflect upon. I think the roles that many teachers take on suggest a very weak image of the child, and perhaps educators who do have a strong image of the child do not take time to reflect upon whether the roles they take demonstrate what they truly hold to be true about children's rights and abilities.

One of the biggest hurdles I feel I face to having what I feel is an appropriate amount of time each day to allow children to follow there fascinations is so many specialist lessons in our time table. We have managed to strip away a lot of the structure to the day, and have negotiated to get most of the special lessons after lunch so we have the whole morning in class together, but I still feel that the sense of and need to hurry comes from inflexible elements of our weekly schedule.

Wow, a very powerful idea.

This is such an important point! As with thinking about hearing the 100 languages of children, adults are responsible for listening with an open mind and curiosity about what children are saying.

It is so amazing to see how many of these children are able to advocate for what they want in their lives, and are at the same time capable of understanding the wants and needs of others. This list really demonstrates the deep understanding children do have of how we should treat one another and ourselves.

This is a provocation I have never thought of introducing to young children, but now I am so interested in doing so and hearing what their thoughts and ideas are.

Reminds me of how Kath Murdoch says to "Let the children do the heavy lifting!"

I love this term! Children really do reside in a separate world than us, one that does not have most the answers and definitions already "decided."

When I am having a hard time I often think that working is good because the children distract me from negative thoughts and feelings. I wonder if it is more important to instead be real and honest with students, to show them more of yourself because it allows them to have more awareness of the world and the needs of others, and also models emotional regulation strategies for them.

This really reminds you how observant children are and that they are constantly observing and making judgements about the world and people around them. Just as adults know when someone is hiding their true emotions, children can sense this as well.

How do you build the environment to suit the child when you have many children in front of you? What about when children have conflicting needs? Do you establish parts of the environment that suit most and other parts for the rest? Do you elevate the needs of the child who learns differently than the others?

Do these same principles carry over into primary schools in Reggio Emilia, or even into secondary schools? Have there been any studies on how attending these schools impacts students in their adulthood in terms of cooperation, productivity, innovation, etc.?

I really like the use of this term 'traces' - it really expresses that we can only capture a glimpse of what happens in the classroom through documentation and the magic of being there in the moment to witness something live.

I am curious to learn more about the ways in which parents are expected to participate in the school community.

These educators are educational researchers - they study varied groups of children all day long year after year!

It sounds like a model of a successful communist utopia - on a small scale.

This first paragraph really made me think about the current shift in thinking that is happening in the U.S. due to the pandemic (and perhaps other countries) regarding the importance of early childcare and education in order for society to function. I think there has been a large change in perception about the importance of early childhood education and the important work that these carers and educators are doing, but I am not sure what sort of reforms of policies and actions will come about due to these realizations.