Traditionally, schools have constructed their identities and objectives by decontextualizing themselves, by separating the disciplines and fields of knowledge, and by being intolerant of any ambiguity or uncertainty.
I think the traditional schedule that schools adhere to and never veer from, are only perpetuating the separation of disciplines, making goals of interdisciplinary work and intersubjectivity unnatural and overly structured.
This brings to light new and unexpected elements that help us constantly to reconsider _the limitations and possibilities of the context in which we work. It is our actions that make the difference, and this implies our responsibility to be not so much the interpreters as the builders of the experience.
An educational project cannot fully create meaning and possibility without a community dedicated to collaboration and reciprocal (and active) dialogue.
Seeing school as a system of communication and relationships was an initial choice that continues to characterize and distinguish our commitment to valuing, as well as putting into practice, the dialogic nature of the individual and of knowledge
When a school leads with communication and relationship they place value of the individual and the community at the top - therefore the system of the school will always be in place to uphold the strong image of the child and a strong culture of collectivism.
Another challenge while we observe is understandingwhose agenda we are following. Is it the child’s or theadult’s, or both? While exploring a topic with chil-dren, it is often too easy for us to want to teach themsomething that we think they should know.
Having an understanding of our biases and assumptions can support a more mindful practice of observation - not only focusing on the intent of the child but making sure not to guide their intentions in different direction than what they intended!
Young children have a natural impulse to share whatthey know with someone else.
Active and mindful listening supports this natural impulse and supports identity and self expression!
We believe that the city, its identity, how it isinhabited and its destiny is a very relevant topic, espe-cially at this time in our history. It is a vital topic thatinvolves both adults and children, that encourages usto reflect on our own experiences and relationshipsbut also on the idea of citizenship itself.
Location is such a part of our identities! The children were able to build upon this experience because their identity (and senses) were driving their passion to share more about their city.
This is a risk weoften take when working with children. Even if we arenot conscious of it, we face this dilemma every daybecause of our own pre-conceived notions and theo-ries. I believe that we can choose to offer topics for thechildren’s consideration as long as we are aware of
I think that awareness is key for being able to teach within a context we as adults may be familiar with. In this particular experience there was almost a system of checks and balances to make sure the students hypotheses and ideas stayed at the forefront of their research.
It is a constructive feeling that must be reinforced so that the connected pleasure lasts even when reality may prove that learning, knowing and understanding can be difficult and require effort.
As teachers we must provide an environment that encourages the use of everyone's voice to help construct meaning - the joy in learning must be supported by providing a sense of belonging and understanding of each individuals identity and their efforts (voice) in the co-construction of knowledge.
We recognize that every lanugage has the right to realize itself fully, and in the process it becomes part of other languages enriching them as well
a child's search for identity and place in their world must be supported in any way they choose to express who they are
Therefore the teacher working with children on visual expression was named atelierista, rather than "art teacher."
When considering the 100 Languages of Children, teachers are also taking on the role of atelierista - providing visible documentation, providing materials and setting up a space that is rich with beauty and possibility.
From the beginning, children demonstrate that they have a voice, know how to listen and want to be listened to by others.
We must continue to advocate for children to use their voice everyday - not actively listening to our children is taking away their right and freedom of expression.
This concept of a context of multiple listening overturns the traditional teaching-learning relationship. The focus shifts to learning - children's self-learning, and the learning achieved by the group of children and
Having trust in the process of allowing children to be heard and following their lead is a collective relationship which should be the foundation of every classroom.
For both adults and children, understanding means being able to develop an interpretive theory, a narra-tive that gives meaning to the world around them.
How we make sense of the world differs from person to person, based on experiences, culture, biases..etc..I think encouraging the sharing of theories about the world around has such value as our differing viewpoints shed new light and provide personal growth and enhances meaning and understanding.
n addition, how-ever, a method of extended mutual criticism and self-examination is very much accepted and an important part of teacher professional development in Reggio Emilia,
how are we ever going to grow without criticism? There are so many types of criticism I think we easily forget about - those that are practical and positive and promote a collective community of those who want to continue to grow and learn within their own practice!
From day to day, the teachers raised new questions for the children to won-der about, and these questions seemed to respond to the anthropomorphic thinking of very young age, and also to their interests about other beings.
An inquiry based approach to teaching can and should start from a very early age - these questions give space for voice and the sharing of thoughts and ideas about the outside world...and ultimately lead to other pathways to explore.
All children seek to realize their identity and make their voice heard
Helping a child discover their identity and voice is truly at the heart of early childhood teaching and learning.
he authors believe that young children are far more competent than most adults imagine.
The authors are correct, and I think we all see this when we question how deep we can go with our learning - the answer is always, "they are capable!" And when they are part of a collective community of learners, they elevate their understanding and create meaningful connections.
If children do indeed speak using 100 languages, then in order to understand what children are saying, adults must lis-ten with all of their creativity. Rinaldi (2001) proposed
Active listening, a key part of meaningful observation, must be part of our daily practice in order to understand the process of uncovering and used as a guide as we co-construct our classroom projects, provocations, and curriculum.
"How can we give voice to all the children at the school, including chil-dren who are preverbal?"
We are in the midst of a week of PD and are uncovering various mediums/100 languages as a vehicle for voices of change for our students.
Overactivity on the part of the adult is a risk factor.The adult does too much because he cares about thechild; but this creates a passive role for the child inher own learning
I'm working on this daily! Finding comfort in the silence, giving think time, and making sure the practice of observation and documentation is present.
your happiness, your sadness,your hopes, your pleasures, the stresses from yourlife. You never come in an isolated way; you alwayscome with pieces of the world attached to you. Sothe meetings that we have are always contaminatedwith the experiences that we bring with us
I read then and think about support! As teachers we must support our students and their authentic personal experiences and feelings but we must as teachers support our fellow teacher with that same compassion and understanding!
There’s a difference between the environmentthat you are able to build based on a preconceivedimage of the child and the environment that you canbuild that is based on the child you see in front of you— the relationship you build with the child, thegames you play.
The image of the child must be relationship based, settings bias aside (whether intentional or not) until you get to know the children and what environment makes them feel comfortable, loved, confident and supported.
The power of documentation.
Documentation is incredibly powerful! It provides a timeline of a child's personal journey of creating meaning. Documentation also must be collaborative to also be effective, it involves the entire research team - students and teachers together sharing in the process. It's from that documentation they together we can begin to hypothesize and make meaningful connections.
started by parents
Parents/Families/Caregivers are an essential piece of a social constructivist community. A community of learners that work together for the good of the children. Families have so much to give, and deservedly so, I wonder if part of any apprehension "to dive in" we experience was set by a prior classroom experience?