Our Learning about Reggio-Inspired Education

We have come a long way since the beginning of the school year with our learning as a group about Reggio-inspired education.  Read about the fundamental principles of Reggio-inspired teaching and learning, and Reggio as it fits with the PYP framework.

The Reggio Emilia Approach emphasizes hands-on discovery learning that allows each child to use all their senses and all their languages to learn.

Today we will be using a visible thinking routine to reflect about our learning and questions we continue to wonder about and wish to continue to explore.

Insert Photo Thinking Routine
Questions

  

The Reggio Emilia philosophy is an approach to teaching, learning and advocacy for children. In its most basic form, it is a way of observing what children know, are curious about and what challenges them. Teachers record these observations to reflect on developmentally appropriate ways to help children expand their academic and social potentials. Long term projects connect core academic areas in and out of the classroom.

Image of the Child

Children are viewed as competent, curious, full of knowledge, potential, and interested in connecting to the world around them. Teachers are deeply aware of children’s potentials and construct all of their work and environment of the children’s experience to respond appropriately.

Collaboration and Interaction

Collaboration and cooperation are intentional in a school inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach to education. The entire system is designed to be connected and in relationship. Nothing is left to sit in isolation. Everything is alive and connected. Children, teachers and families join together to continually improve the system that supports our school community.

The Environment

The space within the school or the environment is considered the third teacher. Teachers intentionally organize, support and plan for various spaces for children. The daily schedules are planned to ensure that there is a balance between individual, small and large group activities, child directed and teacher initiated activity and inside as well as outside experiences.

The Three Subjects of Education: Children, Families and Teachers

For children to learn, their well-being has to be guaranteed; such well-being is connected with the well being of parents and teachers. Children, parents and teachers have rights; the right to safety, care and welfare, the right to be involved and the right to grow professionally.

The Power of Documentation

Documentation is a means to collect information, observations and learning. It can be in the form of observations, photography, video, conversation transcripts and/or visual mediums like paint, wire, clay or drawing materials. Teachers use documentation to identify strengths, ideas, and next steps to support learning.

Emergent Curriculum

Emergent Curriculum is a way of teaching and learning that requires teachers to observe and listen to the children. Teachers ask questions and listen for the children’s ideas, hypotheses and theories. After observing children in action, the teachers compare, discuss, and interpret their observations. Teachers plan activities, studies and long term projects in the classroom based on their observations. Teachers partner with children and the exchange of theories are referred to as the Cycle of Inquiry. Teachers use their interpretations, intentions and goals (social, emotional and academic) to make choices that they share with children. Learning is seen not as a linear process but as a spiraling progression.

The Hundred Languages of Children

The Studio teacher (or Atelierista) works closely with other teachers and the children through the Studio, an intentional space containing materials and tools to pursue thinking and concepts. In addition to the larger Studio, Mini-studios are found in every Discovery. What is done with the materials is not art per se, because in the view of Reggio educators the children’s use of media is not a separate part of the curriculum but an integral part of the whole cognitive symbolic expression process of learning.

The Role of the Teacher

The image of the child shapes the role of the teacher and involves four major components. Teachers are:

• Co-constructors: partners, guides, nurtures, solves problems, learns, hypothesizes
• Researchers: learns, observes, revisits
• Documenters: listens, records, displays, revisits
• Advocates for children: involved in the community, politics relating to children, speaks for children and presents work to other educators and community members.

The Role of Parents

Parents are an essential component of the school. They are an active part of their children’s learning experiences and help to ensure the welfare of all the children in the school. 

The Role of Time and the Importance of Continuity

Time is influenced by the interests and activities that the children bring to life within the school. This in turn impacts schedules, groupings and routines. Teachers get to know children (strengths, needs and personality) because children stay with the same teacher and the same peer group for two years.

Projects

Projects provide the backbone of the children’s and teachers’ learning experiences. They are based on the strong convictions that learning by doing is of great importance and that to discuss in group and to revisit ideas and experiences is the premier way of learning. Project ideas come from experiences of the children and teachers, a chance event or problem posed. They can last from a few days to several months.

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Fundamental Principles

Children are capable of constructing their own learning

They are driven by their interests to understand and know more.

Children form an understanding of themselves and their place in the world through their interactions with others

There is a strong focus on social collaboration, working in groups, where each child is an equal participant, having their thoughts and questions valued. The adult is not the giver of knowledge. Children search out the knowledge through their own investigations.

Children are communicators

Communication is a process, a way of discovering things, asking questions, using language as play. Playing with sounds and rhythm and rhyme; delighting in the process of communicating.

Children are encouraged to use language to investigate and explore, to reflect on their experiences. They are listened to with respect, believing that their questions and observations are an opportunity to learn and search together. It is a process; a continual process. A collaborative process. Rather than the child asking a question and the adult offering the answers, the search is undertaken together.

The environment is the third teacher

The environment is recognised for its potential to inspire children. An environment filled with natural light, order and beauty. Open spaces free from clutter, where every material is considered for its purpose, every corner is ever-evolving to encourage children to delve deeper and deeper into their interests.

The space encourages collaboration, communication and exploration. The space respects children as capable by providing them with authentic materials & tools. The space is cared for by the children and the adults.

The adult is a mentor and guide

Our role as adults is to observe (our) children, listen to their questions and their stories, find what interests them and then provide them with opportunities to explore these interests further.

The Reggio Emilia Approach takes a child-led project approach. The projects aren’t planned in advanced, they emerge based on the child’s interests.

An emphasis on documenting children’s thoughts 

You’ll notice in Reggio and Reggio-inspired settings that there is an emphasis on carefully displaying and documenting children’s thoughts and progression of thinking; making their thoughts visible in many different ways: photographs, transcripts of children’s thoughts and explanations, visual representations (drawings, sculptures etc.), all designed to show the child’s learning process.

The Hundred Languages of Children

Probably the most well-known aspect of the Reggio Emilia Approach. The belief that children use many many different ways to show their understanding and express their thoughts and creativity.

A hundred different ways of thinking, of discovering, of learning. Through drawing and sculpting, through dance and movement, through painting and pretend play, through modelling and music, and that each one of these Hundred Languages must be valued and nurtured.

These languages, or ways of learning, are all a part of the child. Learning and play are not separated.

The Reggio Emilia Approach emphasizes hands-on discovery learning that allows the child to use all their senses and all their languages to learn.

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                                                        PYP Early Years


Research article
In full: PYP Early Years Final Report

Staff at all four of the sites stated that they saw their programmes as aligned with the principles of the Reggio Emilia approach. The reflective, inquiry based approach to teaching and learning that is the basis of the PYP programme is also in line with the Reggio Emilia approach. Researchers observed numerous examples of such approaches in the written, taught and assessed curriculum in the programmes of S1, A1 and A2. The extensive documentation as part of the planning, implementation and evaluation processes of these three programmes, and the view of the child as an active learner, with respect for IB Early Years Project Final Report (April, 2014). Morrissey, Rouse, Doig, Chao & Moss (Deakin University) 35 children’s thinking and ideas, could also be seen as reflective of the Reggio Emilia approach within these three programmes. The S1 and A1 programmes appeared particularly strongly influenced by Reggio Emilia, especially apparent in the design and/or layout of their builidings, and in their emphasis on expression through the arts, and a sense of aesthetics and beauty in their programmes. Photographs of these sites show, for example: carefully arranged displays of children’s papier mache heads, with a quote from Malaguzzi about the 100 languages of children (S1) (Photos 4 & 5); a Library decorated with beautiful objects (S1) (Photo 6); a display of branches of blossom as an inspiration at an art table that mirrors the blossom trees in a courtyard outside; (Photo 7); carefully arranged displays of children’s artwork in a piazza area (A1) (Photo 8)

The learning environment, both indoors and outdoors, is regarded as a crucial factor in children’s learning, both in the PYP Early Years curriculum (IBO, 2013) and in the Reggio Emilia approach (Millikan, 2003). The learning environment refers not just to the physical space and resouces, but also less tangible elements such as the social and emotional climate (Curtis & Carter, 2003). The learning environment can be regarded as reflecting a programme’s philosophy, values and pedagogical approaches. Observation of a learning envrionment can reveal for example how much children are given choice and responsibility in the set up of a space, or the choice of resources or equipment. It can reveal whether the outdoors and the natural world are regarded as places where learning occurs. A learning envrionment will reflect whether, for example, sustainability or a sense of aesthetics and beauty, or play-based learning are valued in the programme.

Let's Make a Map

Before you read the article write and post a few comments about what you know, understand, have experienced around map making with young learners.  Then read the article and we will discuss your reflection comments, wonderings, and connections.

Let's Make a Map Article (2016)
"The maps children make can offer insights into how they develop their spatial reasoning, depicting how they think about their position in space and how they perceive everything around them to be connected.  Children make errors not because they need more practice drawing maps but because they are mentally reconstructing the space around them in two dimensions.  Their mental representations of their surroundings are still developing, so at this age they often make maps that differ from reality.  Yet each time children make a map, either on paper (2D or 3D) or mentally, they reexamine their surroundings and may fix errors that they made on their previous representation of their world."

Reflections:
We started by making our maps of the lower floor.  It was interesting to see how our thinking about making the map changed as soon as the instruction was narrowed to, 'Make a map for a new family with a preschool aged child coming to visit the school.'  Both groups started immediately with the front door to the school and reception area, then added the rooms down the hallway to the accounting office at the end.

 

We noticed how with more time details emerged, but given the time constraints the maps were limited to outlining the rooms and naming them.  PreK students would have had a very different approach, probably starting from the classroom and incorporating lots of details immediately that convey their experiences in those places (eg. favorite thing(s) on the playground), special place in the classroom.




       

How we think about and react to 'errors.'
'Errors' young children make whether in learning about spatial relationships or in other areas are an important part of the learning process.  How we react to guide learning and 'correct' errors in best practice should support the students to re-examine their thinking, re-test their theories, and reconstruct their understandings.  This requires time for reflection.  Time to repeat the same activity, or similar ones, comparing different experiences and outcomes.  Giving them the answer to copy, "we could tell Michael the error he made and show him how to draw his map correctly," does not challenge them to think or construct meaning.  When teachers notice an 'error' one of the first reactions should be 'I wonder why,' asking the student to explain their thinking, and working from there through inquiry.   Learning is about the journey and understanding the different possible destinations (as they relate to different stages of children development).

The future of map making
Map making can be incorporated into

Routines Reviewed / Wordless Wonders: The Power of Book Making

In today's discussion we used the article   'Rethinking Routines in Kindergarten,'  to reflect and discuss our own routines.

We want to make our routines meaningful to the children, co-constructed and developmentally appropriate. We want our daily routines to align with our philosophies about teaching and learning, and our image of the child.

#1 - Calendar Time 'Calendar time' looks almost completely different now to how it once did in my classroom. I used to use it as a morning routine. It was commercially-produced. We sang days of the week and months of the year songs. We counted the days, identifying numbers and recognizing what comes before and after given numbers or days of the week. Most important (and flawed) of all, we only filled the number cards up to the given date.  These concepts related to our learning outcomes but did not use the calendar in an authentic way. On top of that, I then discovered there is actually very little evidence that shows these types of calendar activities (which mark extended periods of time, like month and week) are meaningful for children below first grade (Beneke, Ostrosky & Katz, 2008, p. 13).

So, the routine needed to be re-thought. There is still a calendar in my classroom. Months, days and dates are still marked. This time though, it's all of them. Now our calendar is a co-constructed piece which evolves every day. The main purpose is not counting and temporal time, but rather reflection and the recording of community events. We look at our calendar in our Afternoon Meeting and discuss what happened during our school day. The Special Helper chooses one or more significant events and draws a picture on the date card.

The biggest difference? Now children are engaged in self-motivated and personally-meaningful dialogue around this shared tool - not just memorized songs and scripted conversations.

Check out these great reads on classroom calendar routines for more inspiration:

• 'Calendar Time for Young Children - Good Intentions Gone Awry' (Beneke, Ostrosky, Katz - Young Children, May 2008)
• 'Rethinking Calendar Routines. Is it time? Yep.' (Mardelle Sauerborn, Weeds in the Garden)

#2 - Seating Arrangements  If we intend to teach independence and practical life skills, we must do so all the time. Not only during specific planned lessons. When I first started teaching, I set required seating plans which didn't give students enough opportunity to self-regulate. Open seating allows children a developmentally-appropriate problem-solving opportunity. When two people want to sit in the same spot, what happens? How do they solve the problem? This is something I try not to intervene with and control anymore.

 Try it and see how the self-regulation and interpersonal skills that are discovered and demonstrated through the process are also extended to other areas or learning and interaction. 

Source: learningresources.co.uk

#3 - Classroom Jobs  Another routine I had when I first started teaching was a class jobs chart. In the beginning, I determined the jobs myself. Then we decided on the jobs as a class, which I thought was a great move to increase student ownership and responsibility. The thing was that the students were still being told what to do and when to do it - whether or not they had decided on the jobs. Now I have no class jobs. Inspired by the sense of shared ownership and fluid responsibility I observed in the Municipal Preschools in Reggio Emilia in 2011 and a Waldorf elementary school in 2010, I favour a more organic approach.

We still have one 'Special Helper' everyday who leads our class line and organizes the Morning Meeting. This person also lends an extra helping hand to any other incidental tasks, but, in general, the culture in our classroom is that everyone is responsible for everything all the time. We are all responsible for recognizing when the recycling needs to be emptied. We are all responsible for keeping track of when the plants need to be watered.

In the past, I found that designated classroom jobs didn't really work to support the class community and environment I wanted. While they did give everyone a sense of responsibility eventually, they narrowed it to one area and encouraged those without classroom jobs to 'check out'.

#4 - Behaviour Charts Does this traffic light look familiar? Surely at some point most teachers have used at least a version of this in their classrooms. When I first started teaching I had 25 children in my classroom and I was the one adult. A behaviour chart would be a great way to manage them, right? Wrong.  Well, not completely wrong. It did manage them, but in the most superficial way. And, upon reflection, in a way that completely undermined my educational philosophy of developing relationship with children.

Source: http://beyondthestoplight.com/2014/03/19/my-stoplight-moment/

A few key issues I noticed about the chart:

• It publicly shamed children
• It was a point of comparison between children in conversations and friendships
• It wasn't developing authentic self-regulation   
• It glossed over real conversations between teacher and student about feelings and choices 

Now, there is no behaviour chart in my classroom. No traffic light, no stickers, no happy and sad faces. Instead, we emphasize supportive group dialogue, private conversations, and trusting relationships.  

There was lots of discussion about how these things have worked in the past, however, understanding the following perspectives has challenged us to try these and other routines in new ways.  We agree that we wish to:

1.  Emphasize supportive group dialogue, private conversations, and trusting relationships. 

2.   Develop and support the culture in our classroom so that everyone is responsible for everything all the time.

3.   Use tools that support self-motived and personally-meaningful dialogue, as well as self-regulation and interpersonal skills.

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We need to come back to this.

Reflections on book making activities in our classrooms.

Post pictures of book making and stories - reflections on learning

Wordless Wonders Article (2016)



Documentation Reflections & Inspirations

"Documentation is not about what we do, 

  but about what we are searching for."     -Carla Rinaldi

Documentation is displayed or easily accessible to teachers, children and families to:

• provide a record of the learning process
• reveal connections between events
• review past experiences
• plan future experiences
• make learning visible to children and families
• honour children's words
• honour children's families

Through documentation and display, children see their own images and ideas having an impact on the physical space around them and on others.

Which projects do we have going on in our classrooms?

Monika & the Owls:
We are still working on the materials unit.
We read the Three Little Pigs and built houses.  We will huff and puff and test our theories.
They have been working in groups building these houses, and learning about the characteristics of the materials.

Analisa:
I still struggle with student vs teacher initiated by me.  Now I am stuck because I don't want it all to come from me.  Once this week the students were engaged with Carolina putting on a puppet show.  Don't want to do teacher initiated, but I feel I am so ambivalent nothing is happening.  I should have engaged in the puppet show, but we lost momentum with Spanish class, time to go home.  I don't feel like we have projects going on.  There are lots of activities but not necessarily 'projects.'  The activities that are going on are amazing, and they are super independent.  My project is creating an alphabet book using nature materials; graph of textures materials.  (Is it attractive?)

Carolina:  They were so into the box and theatre they even took them outside.  Maybe we can continue this.  I tried the story play but it was so hard to capture their story.

Think about how you set up your environment.  Activities vs. Project Areas.

What about your hanging stick?

Maria A.:
Today I built off your chandelier idea.  After Earth Week, they have been really excited about bringing in recycled materials.  So we have had them building things with them.

Stephanie:  I saw a picture of stick frames.  Today Christopher created painting and I thought maybe there.  Chandelier.  Weighing...looking at how heavy things are, we made a chart, and started drawing what they put in and which was heavier.  Always putting out things to make them curious, cotton balls and stones.  I felt like that I followed them and added to what they were testing.  I've put it away because they sort of lost interested.  What they seemed to be drawn to was the chart we made.  They are also really interested in having me record what they drawing about.

Shenaz:  Joey the worm...looking at how moves, an egg.
Books are our activities.  Pictures of animals, insects, plants, cutting gluing and telling a story.
Am thinking about asking them what they want to do with the branch?

Gabriela: Our project is the city.  They keep building, building every day.  They spend hours playing there.  They plan and build.

Stefania: Superhero project.  Last week the boys were still interested in superheroes, so I asked them what are heroes.  Four girls made a book.  We made masks and asks the boys what are super at?  Once upon a time there were three super girls.  We made connections to unit, he is flexible because he can bend.  Super Recycle hero the job.  We have many experiments - we have slime - maybe they can use this to save people!  I wanted them to create symbols.  I saw on pinterest they can make them on a paper roll and put in a torch.

Reflections:
it's a good start.  I think every day or week we have little ah ha moments.  With time we will get more understanding of what we can move on and asking the right questions.  Hard to know what to do with their answers?