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FINAL REPORT
FINAL REPORT
Professional Development
The life at First Pres was definitely changed by the work and organization that went into bringing the exhibit to Santa Monica and hosting for the 4 months. And while at times it seemed to be challenging as I reflect the rewards out weigh the challenges.
With the strength and guidance of Mary, teachers, parents and our community rallied together to bring this life changing experience into our lives. From the first parent meeting in September where the vision began and volunteers were recruited up to the very last day when the children frolicked over bubble wrap in the wide-open space, memories were made.
As the assistant director it was my role was that of organizing group visits to both the exhibit and our school. The exhibit had free public hours Thursday evening 4-8pm, Saturday 10-4pm and Sunday 12-4pm. Many educators and visitors requested visits during the week and evening hours other than the public hours to support their own professional development and the work of their schools. *Several of these organized visits included a tour of First Pres that included a dialogue with Mary or myself. It was through these encounters with the teachers, administrators and parents from different schools that I feel left the greatest impression on me. The questions that were asked, the reflections that were shared and the dialogues that happened provoked me to think more about my own work and professional development. I have always felt a deep connection to the work and philosophy but with the variety of exchanges my own understanding deepened. I was inspired by the experiences of others and the dedication and commitment that I could see we all shared. It is remarkable how I could see the exhibits presence change people. The vision of what quality education should be like for all children regardless of age was a common understanding. Kris Sanchez Assistant Director
"The Wonder of Learning: The Hundred Languages of Children" exhibit Santa Monica Initiatives January 2010- April 2010
January 22: Pre-Opening Donor Reception hosted by First Presbyterian Nursery School
Speakers: Amelia Gambetti (Reggio Children), Davide Boni (Reggio Children), Gisselle Acevedo (Para Los Niños), Mary Hartzell (First Presbyterian Nursery School)
January 25: First Pres Parent Reception hosted by First Presbyterian Nursery School
Speakers: Amelia Gambetti and Mary Hartzell
January 28-30: Dialogues for Quality in Education: The School as a Place of Community, Collaboration, Research and Innovation
hosted by First Presbyterian Nursery School Speakers: Amelia Gambetti, Beth MacDonald (NAREA), Mary Hartzell,
Michelle Appel (First Presbyterian Nursery School) 260 participants
January 29: Opening Reception at the Fairmont Hotel hosted by First Presbyterian Nursery School
Speakers: Amelia Gambetti, Beth MacDonald, Evelyn Hou (First Presbyterian Nursery School) Jan Perry (Los Angeles City Council), Lisa Rosenthal Schaeffer (Para Los Niños),
Mark Pan (Target), Mary Hartzell 325 participants
March 9: Educator Morning Tour & Exhibit Visit hosted by First Presbyterian Nursery School, 13 participants
March 4-6: The School as a Place of Community and Collaboration:
The Community as a Context For Learning hosted by Para Los Niños Speakers: David Hayes Bautista (UCLA), Gabriela Cardenas (Para Los Niños),
Gisselle Acevedo, Jan Perry, Judith Allen Kaminsky (NAREA), Karen Haigh (Columbia College), Kris Perry (First 5 California), Lisa Schaeffer,
Maribel Vasquez (Para Los Niños), Mary Hartzell, Norma Silva (Para Los Niños), Ray Cortines (LAUSD), Sylvia Fuentes (Para Los Niños)
March 23: Educator Morning Tour & Exhibit Visit hosted by First Presbyterian Nursery School, 31 participants
March 26: Educator Morning Tour & Exhibit Visit hosted by First Presbyterian Nursery School, 36 participants
April 15-17: The School as a Place of Community and Collaboration:
Five Schools Inspired by the Reggio Emilia Approach Share Their Context hosted by the West LA Collaborative: Blueberry Atelier (now renamed Branches Atelier),
Evergreen Community School, First Presbyterian Nursery School, The Growing Place and The New School West
Speakers: Alise Shafer (Evergreen), Bryan Giese-Gardner (Evergreen), Ellen Khokha (The Growing Place), Emily Colavita (Evergreen),
Jennifer Strange (NAREA), Mary Hartzell, Nicole Mandell (Evergreen), Patricia Hunter-McGrath (Branches), Peggy Hafenberg (The Growing Place),
Roleen Heimann (The New School-West) 220 participants
April 24: What Science Tells Us About Learning and the Brain with Daniel J Siegel MD, 89 participants
Our three major initiatives are in bold
Organized Exhibit Visits
This is a list of groups of varying sizes of educators, parents and other groups that organized visits to the exhibit during non-public hours. During these visits First Pres arranged to have the exhibit space opened and have a host available during this time. Asterisked groups also scheduled a visit to the school that included a reflections dialogue at the end of the morning with either Mary, Kris and/or other teachers.
February 15, 2010 Sony Bright Horizons
February 16, 2010* St. Margaret’s Episcopal School Early Childhood Development Center and Wee Tartan Center, San Juan Capistrano CA Director Ingrid Andrews plus 16 educators
February 20, 2010 Leah Sanders plus 8 Staff
February 23, 2010 Walgrove Elementary School, Los Angeles CA Principal Arleen Fortier plus 20 public school teachers
February 25, 2010* Westside Directors Meeting-40 participants
February 25, 2010 Palisades Preschool, Santa Monica CA Director Nancy Sadler plus 40 parents & educators (staff meeting)
February 26, 2010* Douglas College, Vancouver BC Teacher-Researcher-Consultant Laurie Kocher, PhD plus 3 educators
February 27, 2010 South Western College CDC, Chula Vista CA Irma Y. Gomez plus 12 students and educators
February 27, 2010* La Jolla United Methodist Church Nursery School, La Jolla CA Director Becky Candra plus 85 participants (San Diego Reggio Roundtable)
March 2, 2010 PS#1 Elementary School, Santa Monica CA Curriculum Coordinator Nancy Goglia plus12 teachers
March 9, 2010 Westwood Charter School, Los Angeles CA 20 public school administrators, teachers and parents
March 12, 2010 Westwood Presbyterian Nursery School, Los Angeles CA
March 12, 2010 Kumara School, Mill Valley CA Director Vanessa Campion plus 14 Educators
March 13, 2010 Manchester Family CDC, University of San Diego California Director Jacqueline Kennedy plus 9 Educators
March 16, 2010 The Growing Place staff and parents
March 17, 2010 Northern California Advanced Director Institute, 5 members
March 18, 2010 Santa Monica College Early Childhood Education Dept Educator Debby Pourroy plus 2 teachers and 15 students
March 18, 2010* CAEYC North Bay Chapter, 150 participants
March 19, 2010* Pierce College, Woodland Hills CA Professor of Child Development Joleen Voss Rodriquez plus 50 ECE students
March 20, 2010 California Mentor Teacher Program, 125 participants
March 27, 2010 Universal Studios Childcare Center Administrative Director Carolyn K Sanders plus 40 educators, parents and staff
April 1, 2010* Lella Gandini
April 8, 2010 CAEYC Leadership Day, 42 participants
April 9, 2010* Innovative Teacher Project Susan Lyon plus 9 educators, parents and administrators
April 12, 2010 New School West Parent Night
April 13, 2010 Child Development Inc, Sacramento CA Statewide Program Specialist Claudia Sumpter plus 50 teachers and staff
April 13, 2010 Topanga Charter Elementary School, Topanga CA Principal Liam Joyce plus 17 teachers
April 13, 2010 Child Development Incorporated Chief Program Officer Susan Dumars plus 45 administrators, teachers, parents and staff
April 14, 2010 San Diego Elementary School, Jennifer Tatro and 3 Educators
April 15, 2010 Civic Childcare Center, Santa Monica CA Ellen Khokha plus 5 City Officials
April 15, 2010 Crossroads School for Arts and Sciences, Santa Monica CA Faculty Meeting
April 17, 2010 Cerritos College Child Development Department Susan Gradin plus 50 participants
April 17, 2010 Pinnacle Presbyterian Preschool, Scottsdale AZ Director Sabrina Ball plus 12 Educators
April 18, 2010 Google Children’s Center at the Woods Infant Toddler Manager Janis Keyser plus 8 parents
April 19, 2010 Pepperdine University, Malibu CA Gary Stager Ph.D. plus 20 child development students
April 19, 2010 New School West Parent Meeting
April 20, 2010 Kehillat Israel, Pacific Palisades CA Director Paula Hoffman plus 5 participants (Parent Committee)
April 22, 2010 Early Education Specialist Nettie Lerner, M.Ed. plus12 psych course students
April 22, 2010 UCLA Lab School, Sylvia Gentile plus 10 participants
April 25, 2010 Early Childhood Education Services Director Esther Elfenbaum plus 85 participants
April 24, 2010* Claude & Louis Rosenberg ECE Program, Jewish Community Center of San Francisco CA Director Pam Schneider and 30 Educators
An incredible educational opportunity for supporting children’s learning is coming to the Los Angelesarea. “The Wonder of Learning,” the newest version of The Hundred Languages of Childrenexhibit, is scheduled to be in Santa Monica January 2010 - June 2010.
This beautiful exhibit, which began traveling in the United States in 1981, is now in its newest versionand presents the incredible work of the schools in Reggio Emilia, Italy. These municipal schools arestudied by educators throughout the world and have inspired many schools in the United States.Supported by the most current research in neuroscience, this approach lays a strong foundation forlifelong learning.
This is the first time that the exhibit will come to our area and its message to parents, policy makersand educators will make a significant impact on our schools. In every city it has visited it has influencedearly childhood education in a very positive way.
As a parent at a Reggio-inspired West LA Collaborative school (Blueberry Atelier, Evergreen CommunitySchool, First Presbyterian Nursery School, The Growing Place Marine Park, The Growing Place Ocean Park andNew School West), you are cordially invited to attend an informative meeting to find out how you canparticipate in this exciting event.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009 at 7pm
First Presbyterian Nursery School 1248 Second Street Santa Monica CA 90401
RSVP to your school office
the hundred languages of children
THEWONDER OFLEARNING
2
Invitation to the Exhibit OpeningReception
On Behalf of The Wonder of Learning:The Hundred Languages of Children Exhibit Committee
Mary Hartzellof First Presbyterian Nursery School
andGisselle Acevedoof Para Los Niños
would like to invite you to a Reception and Sneak Preview of“The Wonder of Learning:
The Hundred Languages of Children” exhibit.
Special Guests:
Amelia GambettiEducator, Reggio Children/International
Centre Loris Malaguzzi, responsible for Project Promotionand Development, International Network Coordinator,
International Liaison for Consultancy to Schools
Davide BoniReggio Children Facilities Coordinator
The Wonder of Learning: The Hundred Languages of Children
Opening Reception
Friday, January 22nd 6pm to 9pm
First Presbyterian Church 1220 Second Street
Santa Monica, CA 90401
RSVP (310)451-9259 or [email protected] January 15th
Reception generously donated by Robert and Chamisa Wilkinson & Houstons Restaurant
For information about the exhibit in Los Angeles,
please contact: First Presbyterian Nursery School
tel. (001) 310 451 9259fax (001) 310 451 7271
[email protected] orwww.reggioexhibitla.com
Exhibition of the infant-toddler centers and preschools of the Istituzione - Municipality of Reggio Emilia, Italy
North American Version
in collaboration with hosted by and
Opening Event
Dialogues for Quality in Education:
The School as a Place of!Community, Collaboration, Research & Innovation
January 28-30, 2010Speakers
•Amelia Gambetti, Educator, Reggio Children/International Centre Loris Malaguzzi, Responsible for Project
Promotion and Development, International Network Coordinator, International Liaison for Consultancy to Schools
•Simona Bonilauri, Pedagogista, Istituzione Scuole e Nidi d'Infanzia, Municipality of Reggio Emilia!
•First Pres TeachersTimes: Thursday 5:30-7:30pm, Friday 8:30am-8:30pm, Saturday 8:30am-4:00pm
Fee: " $380.00 (10% NAREA discount) includes opening celebration on Fridayand continental breakfast & lunch on Friday & Saturday
Mail: Registration form & check to: First Presbyterian Nursery School, 1248 Second Street, Santa Monica CA 90401
For more information: please call 310-451-9259 or email [email protected]
!
Registration Form for January 28-30, 2010 “The School as a Place of!Community, Collaboration, Research & Innovation”
Name Title
Organization/School
Address City, State, Zip
Telephone E-mail
Dialogues for Quality in Education:The School as a Place of Community, Collaboration, Research & Innovation
“Dialogues for Quality in Education” is a multi-year professional development series that coincides with presence of The Wonder of Learning: The Hundred Lan-
guages of Children exhibit in North America. The objective of this professional development series, which is coordinated by the North American Reggio Emilia
Alliance (NAREA) in collaboration with Reggio Children and exhibit host communities, is to strengthen dialogue and collaborative participation of educators,
families, administrators, community members and government leaders within the participating communities with the overall aim of giving more quality and excel-
lence to young children’s early childhood experiences and relationships, particularly with regard to children’s participation in settings such as schools and childcare
centers. “Dialogues for Quality in Education: The School as a Place of Community, Collaboration, Research & Innovation” is the fifth offering in this series.
Please join First Presbyterian Nursery School, along with NAREA and Reggio Children, for this important conference featuring:
Amelia Gambetti was an educator in the Reggio Emilia municipal preschools for 25 years. During those years, she shared her experience in semi-nars and workshops in Italy and abroad. Amelia also worked on the creation and consequent updates of The Hundred Languages of Children traveling exhibition of the municipal infant-toddler centers and preschools of Reggio Emilia. Currently, she is part of the new exhibit, The Wonder of Learning: The Hundred Languages of Children Research Group. In fact, Amelia coordinates the North American version for Reggio Children. Beginning in 1992, Amelia has led several professional development initiatives in Italy and abroad (North Europe, North America, Asia). She is a pedagogical consultant to many schools, universities and colleges in North America, where she has visited more than 300 schools in almost 50 states in the United States. Currently, Amelia is Reggio Children/International Centre Loris Malaguzzi, Responsible for Project Promotion and Development, International Network Coordinator, International Liaison and Consulting to Schools. She is a member of the Managing Coordinating Group of Reggio Children/International Center, and a board member of the Istituzione Scuole e Nidi d’Infanzia of the Municipality of Reggio Emilia. Amelia is also a member of the World Forum Foundation on Early Care and Education and the editorial board of Innovations in Early Education: The International Reggio Exchange, and is the Reggio Children Liaison for the North American Reggio Emilia Alliance (NAREA). Many articles on Amelia Gambetti’s expe-riences with educators, parents and children in Reggio Emilia and in North America have been published in early childhood education books and newsletters in the United States.
Simona Bonilauri Beginning in 1979, Simona Bonilauri worked as a teacher for several years before becoming a pedagogista in the infant-toddler centers and preschools of the Municipality of Reggio Emilia. Simona, who is a psychologist, has an ongoing collaboration with Reggio Children, and is involved in research and professional development projects. In particular, she coordinated the research project, "The City: Theories, Images and Ideas," which contributed to the creation of the book, Reggio Tutta: A Guide to the City by the Children. Simona is part of the Research Group of the new exhibit, The Wonder of Learning: The Hundred Languages of Children. She has also given her contribution as a speaker to many study groups, semi-nars, and national and international conferences in Reggio Emilia and in Europe, especially in northern Europe and the United Kingdom. Simona is one of the main curators of the historical exhibit, "One City, Many Children: Memoirs of a Present History," which is currently installed at the Loris Mala-guzzi International Center in Reggio Emilia, Italy. She has coordinated research projects on reading and writing carried out in the municipal infant-toddler centers and preschools, some of which are represented in a section of the new exhibit titled, "The Enchantment of Writing." Simona is the author of articles published in journals in Italy and abroad. She is also involved in ongoing research based on teaching and learning as part of the evolution of the concept “progettazione” in the daily life of the schools.
First Presbyterian Nursery School is a community of children, teachers and parents committed to supporting each other in raising creative, thinking, loving children who know their immeasurable worth and are able to utilize their gifts and potential. We strive to create an environment that respects, encourages, motivates and supports each child’s learning experiences. The school began in 1959, surrounded by rolling hills of grass and an ocean view. Over the past fifty years, the city of Santa Monica has undergone many changes. The school’s long history of continuity and community provides a focal point of stability for many families. First Pres is a system of interactions and relationships, a place for children, teachers and parents to learn from each other. Teachers respect and value children’s ideas and encourage focus and learning through exploration of the children’s own theories. First Pres is in ongoing dialogue with Reggio Children. Amelia Gambetti has been consulting with us since 1996. We look deeply at the image of the child, the role of the teacher and the importance of the environment. Teachers, parents and children are all protagonists in the school. The emergent curriculum works with the interests and theories of the children and collaboration supports our co-construction of knowledge. There is a collaboration of ideas between children and teachers giving respect to the many languages of learning. Our context offers many opportunities for investigation. The proximity of the ocean and beach, farmers market, library, post office, fire station and ongoing construction sites provoke many learning opportunities. The importance of social and emotional growth during the early years is supported through small group work and teaching problem solving skills with peers. Parent education brings together the child’s experiences of home and school. Children are co-participants in the organization of their daily life in the classroom and school. Our environment is continually evolving to create spaces that motivate learning, develop relationships and promote a child’s strong sense of self, security and autonomy.
The Hundred Languages of Children is a continuously updated travelling exhibition that, translated into various languages, has been telling the story of the Reggio Emilia educational experience worldwide to thousands of visitors for over twenty-five years (Autumn 1981-Spring 2008). During this time, Reggio Emilia municipal infant-toddler centers and preschools, together with elementary schools, have continued to enrich their journey and explore more deeply with further research. This has created a desire for a new exhibition that can continue the story of today’s children and teachers and today’s education, and accompany the original “The Hundred Languages of Children” exhibition. An exhibition can be a democratic piazza calling international attention to the importance of education and schools as places for discussion and mutual exchange – a piazza for dialogue about our qualities and our limits, about what we are now and what we could become. “The Wonder of Learning – The Hundred Languages of Children” continues the idea of a travelling exhibit. It can be seen as an activator for strategies and areas of cultural activities going beyond the world of child-hood, an enabler and promoter of professional development processes in continuous evolution for educators in schools and society at large. The exhibition speaks to all those involved in schooling – teachers, pedagogical coordinators, psychologists, families – and to all members of the general public who believe that safeguarding educational processes and their evolution is of fundamental importance for society. At the roots of this exhibi-tion, there lies a strongly interdisciplinary and intercultural concept of knowledge and learning that guarantees equal rights of expression and listen-ing to head and hands, to emotion and rationality. In this knowledge, aesthetic is no longer confined to artistic and poetic forms of expression but defines knowledge itself and traverses all the different languages. The exhibition aims to re-confirm certain values at the heart of the Reggio educa-tional philosophy and recount the changes, developments and innovation that have been motivated by experiences at different levels and in situa-tions going beyond Reggio Emilia and its infant-toddler centers, preschools and elementary schools, to involve other cities, other areas in Italy and other countries around the world. From A. Gambetti, "Lo Stupore del Sapere: I Cento del Linguaggi di Bambini - The Wonder of Learning: The Hundred Lan-guages of Children - A New Exhibit from Reggio Emilia - North American Version," Innovations in Early Education: The International Reggio Exchange, 15(2).
The Wonder of Learning: The Hundred Languages of Children Exhibit Opening Event:
“Dialogues for Quality in Education:The School as a Place of Community, Collaboration, Research and Innovation”
Thursday-Saturday, January 28-30, 2010
Thursday January 28 5:30pm-7:30pm
5:00-5:30 Registration
5:30-6:00 Welcome
Mary HartzellBeth MacDonaldNicole Hoegl& Shirley Lu
6:00-7:30 “The Principles of the Reggio Emilia Educational Project” Amelia Gambetti
Friday, January 29 8:30am-8:30pm
8:30-9:00 Continental Breakfast
9:15-9:30 Organization of the Day Mary Hartzell
9:30-10:30 “Introduction to the Wonder of Learning Exhibit Context” Amelia Gambetti
10:30-10:45 Break
11:00-12:00“A Sense of Place: Exploring & Investigating theLife of Our School in the City of Santa Monica”
Michelle Appel
12:00-1:00 Box Lunches
1:30-3:00 Blue Group: School Visit
1:30-3:00 Red Group: Exhibit Visit
3:00-3:30 Break to Switch
3:30-5:00 Red Group: School Visit
3:30-5:00 Blue Group: Exhibit Visit
6:00-8:30
Opening Celebration at Fairmont MiramarWedgwood Ballroom
Exhibit Open
Mary Hartzell, First Pres Nursery SchoolBeth MacDonald, NAREAAmelia Gambetti, Reggio ChildrenMark Pan, TargetLisa Rosenthal Schaeffer, Para Los Niños
Saturday January 30 8:30am-4:00pm
8:30-9:00 Continental Breakfast
9:00-11:00“Observation, Interpretation & Documentation:The Wonder of Learning Exhibit”
Amelia Gambetti
11:00-11:30 Break
11:30-12:30 Break-Out Groups with First Pres Teacher Facilitators
12:30-1:30 Box Lunches
2:00-2:30 Report from the Break Out Groups
2:30-4:00Panel DiscussionClosing Comments, Questions and Reflections
Amelia GambettiMary HartzellBeth MacDonaldEdie SpainMichelle Appel
4:00-6:00 Exhibit Open
Sunday January 31
12:00-4:00 Exhibit Open
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the hundred languages of children
THEWONDER OFLEARNING
2
Opening
Receptionat the
reception invites:Exhibit Opening 1/14/10 1:26 PM Page 1
You are invited to the Opening Reception of“The Wonder of Learning:
The Hundred Languages of Children” exhibit to celebrate it!spresence in The Los Angeles Community for the first time
Special Guest Speakers:Amelia Gambetti, Educator, Reggio Children/International Centre Loris Malaguzzi, responsible for Project Promotion
and Development, International Network Coordinator, International Liaison for Consultancy to Schools
Mark Pan, District Team Leader, Target Stores
Special Guest:Simona Bonilauri, Pedagogista, Istituzione Scuole
e Nidi d'Infanzia, Municipality of Reggio Emilia
Presented by the hosts of “The Wonder of Learning: The Hundred Languages of Children” exhibit committee:
First Presbyterian Nursery School & Para Los NiñosMary Hartzell Gisselle Acevedo
Director President/CEO
reception invites:Exhibit Opening 1/14/10 1:26 PM Page 2
“The Wonder of Learning: The Hundred Languages of Children”
Opening Reception
Friday, January 29nd 6pm to 8:30pm
Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows101 Wilshire Boulevard
Santa Monica, California 90401
RSVP (310)451-9259 or [email protected]
by January 22nd
The Opening Reception is generously sponsored by
reception invites:Exhibit Opening 1/14/10 1:26 PM Page 3
For information about
the exhibit in Los Angeles,
please contact:
First Presbyterian
Nursery School
tel. (001) 310 451 9259
fax (001) 310 451 7271
or www.reggioexhibitla.com
reception invites:Exhibit Opening 1/14/10 1:26 PM Page 4
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN NURSERY SCHOOL PARENT ASSOCIATION CO-PRESIDENTS’ PRESENTATIONS
AT THE WONDER OF LEARNING OPENING
As I began looking for schools, it was very important to be at a school whose educational approach was rooted in an appreciation of each person’s individuality and fostered children to become the best that they can be and feel good in their own skins. It was clear that First Pres had the same intention.
So when I came to this school and began to learn more of the Reggio approach, it was as if a light bulb went off in my head. “Oh right”, I thought. “You can engage children, not by lecturing to them, but through offering experiences from which they can learn through self-discovery. And if the learning is experiential, the discovery for each child will be different since we all process the world uniquely through our own senses. If the teachers are the beings of love and safety for the children at school, then the children can feel good about taking risks and sharing their wisdom with their class. And if a class feels confident and has a sense of ownership of their discoveries, they are excited to share what they learned with their peers and teachers. And the trust between teacher and child becomes stronger. The parents, seeing the children’s enthusiasm, will want to support the school’s learning by continuing the dialogue at home and offering assistance to the teachers in the classroom. This could then deepen the bond between parent and teacher. And this supports the collaboration and communication between parent, teacher, and child to become fluid and dynamic.” WOW!!!
I was blown away as I began to understand the interconnected nature of the Reggio philosophy and how it requires the full support of its community.
An active part of our community is our Parent Association, which supports the school, its teachers, and fellow parents and children. We have about 30 committees running different events, supporting the teachers, and sharing family and cultural traditions. We are there for each other creating a strong bond of love and support. It’s like having a second family.
It has been such a joy to see our children emerge from First Pres with the ability to think independently, be empathetic, and to be able to articulate their thoughts and feelings. First Pres taught us to realize that children are not vessels into which teachers and parents pour wisdom or intelligence. Instead, we have learned that we are co-constructing with our children. As a result, we get to witness the blossoming of their magnificence, their intelligence, and creativity. We are so excited for you to see the Wonder of Learning exhibit and to witness for yourself how truly extraordinary the Reggio philosophy is.
Nicole Hoegl
The Wonder of Learning” – these words are so appropriate for the experience that we, as parents, have at First Pres. First Pres is a place where children, parents and teachers are engaged in an interactive and dynamic learning process. As a co-President of the school’s Parent Association, I see on a first-hand basis just how involved First Pres parents are in the school
and in their children’s educational growth. As mothers, we know that our children have had an experience at First Pres that is truly special.
I remember when my husband and I toured First Pres for the first time when considering preschools for our son Aiden. We were so enamored with the Reggio philosophy, the teachers, the facilities and Mary -- I distinctly remember leaving the tour and my awestruck husband saying, “This is the place for Aiden, we don’t need to look anywhere else." We saw a profound opportunity to “co-create” Aiden's growth path – by that I mean that we saw an educational approach that is not based on teachers and parents dictating to our children what to do and how to think, but is based on a process that cultivates engaged experiential learning and deepens a child’s sense of confidence.
Between Aiden, who has since graduated from First Pres, and our daughter Zoe, who is now in the Sun Room, we have seen the First Pres philosophy and principles in action and the wonderful effect it has had on our kids. I think of some examples -- Aiden loved his woodworking class and built wooden airplanes and rocket ships that he designed with his own hands. Then the curriculum in Aiden's class turned to recycling and using products in a renewable and sustainable way – at home, he started to zealously save everything, from egg cartons to strawberry baskets, to make his own art projects.
Our daughter investigated shadows and light last year, and spent the whole summer observing her own and other’s movements through shadows. Then there was the time this year that I was moved to tears when one day at pick-up time, Zoe came running to me and proudly gave me a little book which she had stapled together and made herself, filled with her drawings and scribbled words that told a story she had made up. It’s not just what they learn, but how they learn that is so incredibly meaningful for our children. We, as parents, have learned that, while the destination is important, it is even more meaningful to slow down the journey.
Shirley Lu
February 4th, 2010 Dear Parents,
The Initiative and the opening of the Exhibit was a great success! Thank you so very much for all your support. The Educator Day Committee, led by co-chairs Samantha Kurtzman-Counter and Sarina Amersi, did a fabulous job working with Chloë Jones to have the conference of 270 people run exceptionally smoothly. There were many parents who helped
Jeannie Choi-Wolff and Carey Hern created beautiful flower and plant arrangements. The initiative was supported throughout the three days by the staff of First Pres Nursery School and the following volunteers:
Bertha Borin Rhiannon Dourado Lisa Eisenpresser
Katherine Eskovitz Nancy Glaser
Amara Hastings Carey Hern Nicole Hoegl Renae Hwang
Evelyn Hou Amy Iorio Shirley Lu
Liza Mastrippolito Zina Pistor Jessica Rich Rachel Ronn Anna Skinner
Amy Spitznagel
Chris Tragos Sharon Vidal Cunningham
Chamisa Wilkinson Leslie Williams Kate Colleary Shireen Rafat
Ann Soh Woods Michelle Jones Jean Kaneko
Paula Lowe Beth MacDonald
Mei Lisa Thompson Lee Ann Sauter
Annabella Novielli Kathy Stickel
Melissa Thomas Louis Yansen
Educators from six states as well as Canada gathered in the sanctuary for three days of
professional development. Amelia Gambetti from Reggio Emilia, Italy, was very inspiring and her talks provoked stimulating dialogue among the participants. “The Wonder of Learning: The Hundred Languages of Children” exhibit was officially opened for use. Teachers, directors and professors of early childhood education spent time studying the panels and videos in the exhibit. Last week the teachers at First Pres had the privilege of working with Amelia Gambetti who met with each team in their classroom, revisiting their work with them, asking questions and making suggestions as to how to make the learning process more visible to the children and parents. We all worked hard to make the children’s work visible and both children and teachers benefited greatly. During the initiative the teachers facilitated breakout sessions and Michelle Appel presented work of the school.
The participants had an opportunity to visit the classrooms and their positive feedback gave recognition to the teachers' and children’s thoughtful and creative work. The teachers are renewed by the recognition other colleagues in the teaching profession. Sharing the school and our work is a process that deepens our own understanding and builds connections throughout the school. It makes all our hard work worth the effort.
The exhibit is now here and will continue to be used as a tool for our professional development throughout February, March and April. We invite you to enjoy it as well. We will be having special times for the parents to visit the exhibit and you can always visit during the public hours: Thursdays 4pm-8pm, Saturdays 10am-4pm and Sundays 12noon-4pm.
Some of you may have questions about the value of the exhibit for your children and our school. Please bring any questions or concerns to the morning discussion on Wed. Feb. 10th at 9:30am in the community room.
I look forward to our continued work together for the benefit of the children.
Warmest regards, Mary
THE WONDER OF LEARNING EXHIBIT FROM REGGIO EMILIA
A SPECIAL DIRECTOR BROWN BAG
SPONSORED BY THE CALIFORNIA ECE MENTOR DIRECTOR PROGRAM, CONNECTIONS
FOR CHILDREN AND UCLA EARLY CARE AND EDUCATION.
Note new date
Please join us and bring a colleague !!
Thursday February 25th 12:15- 2:00 pm
We will meet at First Presbyterian Nursery
School 1248 Second Street Santa Monica to
eat our lunch hosted by Mary Hartzell,
director. At 12:45 walk together one block to a
private showing of the Wonder of Learning
Exhibit. Free!
Discussion and reflections
facilitated by Roleen
Heimann, director of
The New School West
and Ellen Khokha
director of The Growing
Place.
Type to enter text
Cut and return to Kathie Baldwin at 9945 Mont Helix La Mesa, Ca 91941 619 670-5005, with your check made to San Diego Reggio Roundtable When we receive your registration and check, you will get an email confirmation and directions to the buses. !------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
San Diego Reggio Roundtable is hosting an educator visit to “The Wonder of Learning: The Hundred Languages of Children”
Santa Monica /Los Angeles area. www.reggioexhibitla.com
Join us on February 27th 2010 for a day of fun, learning, collaboration and reflection. We will be traveling in a luxury bus and there will be two pick up locations. One in Fashion Valley and the other in the Carmel Valley area. The bus will be leaving at 7:00 am and returning by 6:00 pm. Schedule: 10:30am-12:30pm Tour the exhibit (Entrance is free) 12:30pm -2:00pm Lunch. (Bring your own or there are several places nearby.) 2:00pm-3:30pm Meet at the Exhibit for a discussion and reflection on the impact of the exhibit. 3:30pm Board the bus for return to San Diego. Refreshments provided. To insure participation, early registration is advised as space is limited. Registration deadline is February 5th 2010. Cost is $40.00. Non refundable. First Come, First Served!
Please print CLEARLY Name___________________________________________________________ Address_________________________________________________________ City ____________________________________Zip_____________________ Phone number________________________________ Email__________________________________________________________ School/Center___________________________________________________
Enclosed is my check for $40.00 Check your pick up preference Fashion Valley Carmel Valley
As part of The Wonder of Learning exhibition, Para Los Niños presents The School as a Place of Community & Collaboration:
The Community as a Context for Learning March 4 - 6, 2010
Inspired by the preschools in Reggio Emilia, Italy, the Para Los Niños early childhood centers and charter elementary school have begun to use their community as a context for learning. The areas of Los Angeles which surround our schools have more often than not been perceived as places where the deficits far outweigh the advantages. However, through a series of encounters with the people and places in our local communities, the students, teachers and parents of PLN are beginning to view our city as one that is rich in potential and full of possibilities. We invite you to share our experience of how these encounters have enriched our students’ learning experience.
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Conference Information $225.00 (10% NAREA discount) includes dinner on Thursday, continental breakfast and lunch on Friday, continental breakfast on
Saturday, and chartered bus service to and from Downtown Los Angeles on Friday LAX is the closest airport to Santa Monica Hotel information for the Santa Monica area will be mailed to you upon registration Mail registration form (& check, if applicable) to Para Los Niños, 500 Lucas Avenue, Los Angeles CA 90017
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Para Los Niños would like to thank: Sponsors Partners
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Registration Form Name_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Organization Name_____________________________________ Title___________________________________________________________
Address _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
City _________________________________________________________________ State ____________ Zip __________________________
Telephone _________________________________________________ Email ____________________________________________________
Enclosed is a check for $_________ .
Please charge my credit card in the amount of $_________.
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Media Sponsor
Conference Schedule*
THURSDAY, MARCH 4, 2010 | 5:30 P.M. – 8:30 P.M. | DOUBLE TREE GUEST SUITES, SANTA MONICA Welcome, Exhibit Overview Judith Allen Kaminsky, NAREA Exhibit Project Coordinator and Communications Consultant
Introduction to Para Los Niños Gisselle Acevedo, President and CEO of Para Los Niños
Relationship between First Presbyterian and Para Los Niños: Connecting Communities Mary Hartzell, First Presbyterian Nursery School Director
Welcome to LA Office of Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (Invited) Ray Cortines, LAUSD Superintendent
The Demographics of LA Children and Families Dr. David Hayes Bautista, UCLA
Chicago Commons Experience: Learning and Teaching with Reggio Principles in Urban Settings Karen Haigh, Assistant Professor of Early Childhood Education at Columbia College in Chicago, IL
FRIDAY, MARCH 5, 2010 | 8:30 A.M. – 5:00 P.M. | PLN FAMILY LEARNING COMPLEX, DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES Welcome to the Community of Skid Row The Honorable Jan Perry, Los Angeles City Councilmember
Investment in Early Childhood Kris Perry, Executive Director, First 5 California
Para Los Niños Paradigm Shift: Sharing our Journey Norma Silva, Para Los Niños Elementary School Principal and Lisa Schaeffer, Director of Pedagogy
The Community as a Context for Learning – Using the City as Inspiration (Select one:) “Putting a Face on the Homeless in Our Community: A Teacher Planned Student Driven Project”
Gabriela Cardenas, Third Grade Teacher, Para Los Niños Charter Elementary School “Discovering Wire Fences in our Community” & “Seeing our Community Through Windows” Maribel Vasquez, 3 Year-old Classroom Teacher, Vermont Child Development Center Sylvia Fuentes, 4 Year-old Classroom Teacher, Eisner Family Foundation Child Development Center
Lunch and Breakout Session
Tours of the Classrooms (Select one:) Vermont Child Development Center Para Los Niños Charter Elementary School and Eisner Family Foundation Child Development Center
!
Panel discussion with Para Los Niños teachers, administrators and parents
Visibility as a Tool for Learning Eugenia Catellani, Reggio Emilia Educator
SATURDAY, MARCH 6, 2010 | 10:00 A.M. – 11:00 A.M. | FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, SANTA MONICA Using the Community as Inspiration in Columbian Reggio Inspired School Maria Emma Mejia, Fundación Pies Descalzos (Colombia)
Closing Remarks Gisselle Acevedo, Para Los Niños
Wonder of Learning exhibition tours available before and after closing session. (Select one:) 8:30 a.m.—9:30 a.m. 11:30 a.m.—12:30 p.m.
*Schedule subject to change
Exhibition of the infant-toddler centers and preschoolsof the Istituzione -Municipality of Reggio Emilia, Italy
North American Version
in collaboration with hosted by and
Educator Morning Tours& Exhibit Visits
Tuesday, February 16, 2010 Tuesday, March 9, 2010Friday, March 19, 2010
Tuesday, March 23, 2010Friday, March 26, 2010
9:30am-1:00pm
$50.00 per person per tour
•An introduction to the Reggio Emilia approach
•An opportunity to tour theFirst Pres Nursery School environment
•A facilitated visit to “The Wonder of Learning:The Hundred Languages of Children” exhibit
•Reflections and dialogue with Mary Hartzell
Educators’ Morning Tour (please check date)! February 16! March 9! March 19! March 23! March 26
Your Name
Title
Organization/School
Address
City, State, Zip
Phone
Fax
Amount enclosed
Mail your registration form and check to:First Presbyterian Nursery School
Attn: Chloë Jones1248 Second Street
Santa Monica CA 90401
fax: 310.451.7271email: [email protected]
REGISTRATION FORM
The North Bay Association for the Education of Young Children proudly presents
Spring Event with "The Wonder of Learning:
The Hundred Languages of Children" exhibit Thursday, March 18th 2010
at First Presbyterian Nursery School
(Certificate for 2 hours of Professional Growth)
Please join us for an evening of educational fun! 5:30 - 6:30 Light Refreshments & First Pres Nursery School visit 6:45 -7:30 Presentation by Mary Hartzell in the First Pres Church Sanctuary 7:30 - 9:00 Exhibit viewing
Must RSVP to Terry Lernihan at [email protected] or (310) 207-8040
NAEYC North Bay members free (need a current NAEYC member ID number to register free) Santa Monica College students contact Gwen Dophna
for register list (limited to 50 students)
Non-members $25.00 Option below:
Become a new member or renew your membership at this event and get in free. Student Membership $50 Regular membership $65
________________________________________________
First Presbyterian Nursery School - 1248 2nd Street, Santa Monica 90401 "The Wonder of Learning: The Hundred Languages of Children" exhibit - 1129 2nd St
Do not contact school - registration and questions to Terry Lernihan
The Parent Education Committee Presents An Evening for First Pres Parents:
AN OPPORTUNITY TO DEEPEN YOUR UNDERSTANDING OF
THE REGGIO EMILIA PHILOSOPHY
Thursday, March 25, 20106:30-8:30pm
upstairs in the Community Room
includes:
• Dialogue with a panel of our teachers
• Visit to “The Wonder of Learning: The Hundred Languages of Children” exhibit
please RSVP to Emily Henry at [email protected]
Childcare is available, please sign up in advance in the office
presented by in collaboration with hosted by and
presented by
in collaboration with
hosted by
and
The School as a Place of!Community, Collaboration, Research & Innovation:
Five Schools Inspired by the Reggio Emilia Approach Share Their Context
April 15-17, 2010hosted by the WLA Collaborative
includes:
• Tours of Blueberry Atelier, Evergreen Community School, First Presbyterian Nursery School, The Growing Place & The New School West
• Teacher Presentations• A visit to “The Wonder of Learning: The Hundred Languages of Children” exhibit! Where:! First Presbyterian Church of Santa Monica, 1220 Second Street, Santa Monica CA 90401
! Times: ! Thursday 5:30-7:30pm, Friday 8:30am-5:00pm, Saturday 8:30am-5:00pm
" Fee: " " $250.00 (10% NAREA discount) includes bus transportation between schools,"" " appetizers on Thursday and continental breakfast & lunch on Friday & Saturday
" Mail: " Registration form & check to: "" " First Presbyterian Nursery School, 1248 Second Street, Santa Monica CA 90401
! For more information: please email [email protected] or visit www.reggioexhibitla.com
!
Registration Form for April 15-17, 2010
Name Title
Organization/School
Address City, State, Zip
Telephone E-mail
Exhibition of the infant-toddler centers and preschools of the Istituzione - Municipality of Reggio Emilia, Italy
North American Version
The School as a Place of Community, Collaboration, Research & Innovation:
Five Schools Inspired By The Reggio Emilia Approach Share Their ContextApril 15-17, 2010
Hosted By The WLA Collaborative
THURSDAY APRIL 15 5:00PM-7:30PM
5:00-5:30 Registration at First Presbyterian Church
5:30-6:30Welcome: Mary Hartzell, Jennifer StrangeEllen Khokha, Roleen Heimann, Patricia Hunter-McGrath, Alise Shafer
6:30-7:30 Tour of First Presbyterian Nursery School environment and wine & cheese reception
FRIDAY APRIL 16 8:30AM-5:30PM
8:30-9:00 Continental breakfast at First Presbyterian Church
9:15-9:30 Organization: Ellen Khokha
9:30-10:30Presentation:“What is a Car Really All About?: The Construction of Knowledge Through the Affordances of Materials”
Peggy Hafenberg, teacher - The Growing Place
10:30-10:45 Break
10:45-12:00Presentation: “Public Versus Private: An In-Depth Look at Ownership Within the Classroom”
Emily Colavita, Bryan Giese-Gardner & Nicole Mandell, teachers - Evergreen Community School
12:00-1:00 Lunch & walk to afternoon visit
1:00-2:30 Group A goes to “The Wonder of Learning: The Hundred Languages of Children” exhibit, 1129 2nd Street
Group B goes to at Santa Monica Bay Women’s Club, 1210 4th StreetPresentation: “A Sense of Wonder, A Sense of Place”
Patricia Hunter-McGrath, director - Blueberry Atelier
2:30-2:45 Break to switch locations
2:45- 4:00Group A goes to at Santa Monica Bay Women’s Club, 1210 4th Street
Presentation: “A Sense of Wonder, A Sense of Place”Patricia Hunter-McGrath, director - Blueberry Atelier
Group B goes to “The Wonder of Learning: The Hundred Languages of Children” exhibit, 1129 2nd Street
4:00-4:15 Break to return to First Presbyterian Church
4:15-5:30Panel discussion:Mary Hartzell, Roleen Heimann, Patricia Hunter-McGrath, Ellen Khokha, Alise Shafer, Jennifer Strange
SATURDAY APRIL 17 8:30AM-4:30PM
8:30-9:00 Continental breakfast at First Presbyterian Church
9:00-2:45Tours of Blueberry Atelier, Evergreen Community School,The Growing Place Marine Park and The New School-West
9:00-9:30 Bus ride to first school visit
9:30-10:45 First school visit
10:45-11:15 Bus ride to second school visit
11:15-12:30 Second school visit
12:30-1:00 Lunch at second school visit
1:00-1:30 Bus ride to third school visit
1:30-2:45 Third school visit
2:45-3:15 Bus ride back to First Presbyterian Church
3:15-4:30Closing comments, questions and reflections:Mary Hartzell, Roleen Heimann, Patricia Hunter-McGrath, Ellen Khokha, Alise Shafer, Jennifer Strange
presented by in collaboration with hosted by and
Exhibit Closing Event
Daniel J. Siegel, M.D.MINDSIGHT AS A WINDOW INTO HOW OUR SOCIAL
BRAIN EMPOWERS RELATIONSHIP-BASED LEARNING
Saturday, April 24, 2010Hosted by First Presbyterian Nursery School
includes:
•Tour of First Presbyterian Nursery School
•Visit to “The Wonder of Learning: The Hundred Languages of Children” exhibit
•Dr. Siegel speaks from 9:00 am-10:30 am! Where:! First Presbyterian Church of Santa Monica, 1220 Second Street, Santa Monica CA 90401
! When: ! Saturday 9:00 am-1:30 pm
! Fee: !! $75.00, includes a continental breakfast
" Mail: " Registration form & check to: "" " First Presbyterian Nursery School, 1248 Second Street, Santa Monica CA 90401
! For more information: please email [email protected] or visit www.reggioexhibitla.com
Daniel J. Siegel received his medical degree from Harvard University and completed his postgraduate medical education at UCLA. He served as a National Institute of Mental Health Research Fellow and is an award-winning educator practicing psychiatry for over twenty-five years. He is on the faculty of the UCLA Center for Culture, Brain, and Development and the Co-Director of the Mindful Awareness Research Center. He also serves as the Executive Director of the Mindsight Institute. Dr. Siegel is the author of the internationally ac-claimed academic text, The Developing Mind (Guilford, 1999), and is the Founding Editor for the Norton Professional Series on Interper-sonal Neurobiology. His book (with Mary Hartzell, M.Ed.), Parenting from the Inside Out: How a Deeper Self-Understanding Can Help You Raise Children Who Thrive (Tarcher/Penguin, 2003) reveals the applications of this newly emerging view of the mind, the brain, and human relationships for a parenting audience. His latest book is Mindsight: The New Science of Personal Transformation which offers the general reader an in-depth exploration of the power of the mind to integrate the brain and promote well-being. Random House released Mindsight on January 12, 2010 and it is already in its 3rd printing!
!
Registration Form for April 24, 2010
Name
Organization/School
Address City, State, Zip
Telephone E-mail
Come Join the Work Party!
We really need your help to dismantle and pack up the
“The Wonder of Learning” exhibit Sunday April 25th-Tuesday April 27th
No prior experience needed!
All help is welcome! sign-up in your classroom and the front office
Community
As co-hosts of the Wonder of Learning, Para Los Niños had the extraordinary opportunity of sending over two hundred teachers, parents and administrators to the exhibit to view firsthand the profound work of the preschools in Reggio Emilia, Italy. Inspired by the Reggio Emilia Approach, the schools of Para Los Niños, most of which are located in or around downtown Los Angeles and serve low-income children and their families, embarked on a journey of deep transformational change. However, it was our experience at the Wonder of Learning exhibit that helped solidify our educational path by bringing to life the multitude of possibilities that lay ahead for our students, teachers and parents.
Lisa Rosenthal Schaeffer Para Los Niños
The Wonder Of Learning exhibit was an incredible opportunity for the community of Santa Monica, especially for the students and faculty who attended from Santa Monica College. After taking any or all of our three Reggio inspired classes, students felt that they were truly able to put their various pieces of information together into a cohesive picture. The exhibit did indeed make learning visible! Because administrators were also aware of the exhibit, we were just recently contacted by one to invite us to do a spring Reggio inspired initiative (The administrator used that term!) on campus. It will be done in conjunction with a showing of the documentary, Race to Nowhere. Our “initiative” on March 31st will focus on a “What if?” regarding the shortcomings of education in America. We will ask the question, “What if the entire Pre-K through college education system applied Reggio inspiration to curriculum approaches for all of those ages? What would that look like and would it cause our children to stay in the race instead of dropping out of it?” We are still in the planning phase but know that the exhibit inspired even the college administrators. One evening in Italy, we were asked to share a passion about the approach. I said that it had the potential to change the face of education in America. At SMC, we will take a small but significant step in that direction.
Professor Edie Spain, MS Santa Monica College
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1514 12th Street Santa Monica CA 90401 www.branchesatelier.com
As a member of the West LA Collaborative, the Branches Atelier community, under the directorship of Patricia Hunter McGrath, set a goal to develop a stimulating visit/workshop for the The Wonder of Learning: Hundred Languages of Children - West LA Collaborative Initiative attendees. Due to the limited space at our school and the requests from the educator community to view our traveling exhibit : A Sense of Wonder, A Sense of Place , we were thrilled when the Santa Monica Woman’s Club donated their space to hang the exhibit and for Patricia Hunter McGrath’s workshop. Not only was it 2 blocks from The Wonder of Learning : The Hundred Languages of Children Exhibit on 2nd Street, it was a historical building and a symbol of the city of Santa Monica. The Exhibit expresses a natural human desire to experience, connect, express and preserve the extraordinary elements of nature and our earth. Through the lens of a camera, brush-strokes with paint & canvas, hikes through the woods, conscience and playfulness of words, listening to sounds, words and wisdom, and the activity of picking up and disposing of random debris, this community strives to learn, practice and teach simple acts and behaviors to admire, enjoy and sustain our natural environment. Even in an urban community. The exhibit was subsequently invited to the Portland Children’s Museum and is currently installed at the West LA Municipal Building in Los Angeles. Other schools inspired by the work of the children have added their documentation to the exhibit. For more information – www.asenseofwonderasenseofplace.com
Quotes from
Growing Place Teachers after studying the exhibit:
I was inspired to see work that others are doing, and relate it to the thinking that we are doing in our school. The exhibit is big in the sense that it has so much information. I recommend that you see it in parts, so that you can really take the essence of the work. You will see how children use materials to express ideas, therefore using different languages to explain their thinking process. I am motivated to invite parents to collaborate with children and teachers in making our classroom rich with materials for us to use.
Lynette, Teacher !"The moment you are at the exhibit you begin to think about what you are doing (in your classroom) and question it!" "Documentation is visible learning...and the process enables reading and interpretation which becomes an integral part of children's and teacher's knowledge building process.” "Learn to share work in process. This shows the significance of your work and you become vulnerable and sharing generates conflicts on opinions, and ultimately motivates you to ask why are you doing this work?" Amelia Gambetti Our ability to be vulnerable by being visible, communicated that teachers know what they are doing and have questioned why this work is important.
Anita, Site Director !During the exhibit the prefix "re" was used often, re-listen, re-think, re-asses, this re-minded me of how important it is to envision knowledge as an active state of being, just as children may naturally do. I liked this quote: “Context deserves respect. We must understand the identity of our own context. Being able to reflect and discuss the ways in which children and all human beings learn is a great necessity all schools should offer.”
Maha, Atelierista !The children build relationships with the material before they begin to work with it. They are apart of the organization process. In the Magnolia room we are involving the children and families in organizing the spaces to support them building a relationship with the materials. For example: Collecting material, sorting, deciding where things are placed.
Kayce, Teacher!
“From a very young age, children seek to produce interpretive theories, to give answers. Some may say these theories are ingenuous and naïve, but this is of little importance: the important thing is not only to give value to but, above all, to understand what lies behind these questions and theories, and what lies behind them is something truly extraordinary. This is the intention to produce questions and search for answers, which is one of the most extraordinary aspects of creativity.” Carlina Rinaldi. For me this quote explains why we should see the exhibit.
Maria L, Pedagogista !"The art of research already exists in the hands of the children acutely sensitive to the pleasure of surprise!" Loris Malaguzzi. The title of the "Power of Running" was amazing! How inviting and inspiring it is to think of a common, universal movement as running to investigate with children. The idea of investigating the sense of freedom, how one communicates with a space, spatial sensitivity, and the various physical forms that is required from the body for the act of running!
Christine, Atelierista
It was a lot of hard work and a lot of planning on the part of Mary and her amazing team and I am grateful. A lot of people benefited from the experience. The hard part for me was that just when I felt I was on a roll of knowing how to fully access and share the opportunities that the exhibit offered with others outside the ECE world, it was over!! !I did manage to bring parents not only from our school but from other neighboring preschools, as well. Parents of our graduates brought their children’s teachers and fellow elementary school parents and we planned gatherings around “where do we go from here?” How do we bring this information back to the schools? I met with two elementary school principals both of whom brought several of their teachers. Lots of people agree that children learn best when they have more time, that they have to touch and feel and co-construct and shouldn’t be under so much pressure to achieve high test scores but I’m not sure there is the movement that says we must change. !It is clear that there is a lot of talk about what’s happening in the schools and the word is that it’s the parents who are coming from the Reggio inspired schools that have the strongest voices in advocating for changes. When Amelia said, “Are we inviting parents or involving parents?” I was immediately struck by how strongly we influence the changes that can happen in the public schools. Having the parents (there were 5 of them) join us (13 teachers) at the first Initiative in January marked a turning point in how we work with our parents. No longer was it just our responsibility to bring the information back, but it was all of ours together. Three of the parents have moved onto kindergarten in public schools and still have a strong voice. !I did not bring any government officials to the exhibit and I’m not sure how strongly we as a community worked this arena. Looking back, I’m sure I missed on this but as I spoke in the beginning, it took a little time to get the momentum. !This is what I passed onto the Monterey people in preparation as hosts to the exhibit in June of 1011. Start preparing now. Host book groups, gatherings to speak about the Values of the Reggio approach. What’s this about? Context and history of the schools in Reggio. And get the colleges involved. I don’t think Santa Monica College took full advantage of what the exhibit was offering to the community. Did the president of the college come? I know there were several faculty members that never stepped into the “tent”. I personally offered to go with them but they never went. What was that about? !Not sure what dialogue is happening communally to continue with this experience. I do know there is a lot of work going on in each individual school and some of us stay connected. Just today, directors and studio directors met to share some work that was happening in one of our schools and it was amazing to feel the support beyond ourselves. Our next plan . . . parents inviting parents (from all the schools) to meet together with possible focus groups.
!Roleen Heimann
The New School West
I'm mailing some notes taken at the Initiative along with the check to you but attached is a photo that most reflects our NSW experience as a community of teachers and parents working together. Three parents were able to join us on Friday and we found time to meet at lunchtime to talk about "It's not enough to invite the parents. We must involve them." During this meeting, our teacher, Flora, said that she feels we already ask so much of the parents. One of the parents replied, "You are not asking enough. Ask us to do different things. We want to support you and be a part of the learning." With that, we have since met with some other parents to re-evaluate our Parent Involvement. "What works? What doesn't? Where are the disconnects? How do we strengthen our systems?" Already, we have one of the parents writing something for the parent community to gather support and begin stronger, more powerful, exchange to enrich the dialogue and next week we have a Parent Enrichment Night to share our work and discoveries. Though I didn't fill out the form in the packet, I hope this helps you understand how this first Initiative has moved us. Thank you. Roleen
From Roleen Heimann, Director The New School West
Via email 2.10.10
Dear Mary, First, on behalf of the families and teachers at Palisades Preschool, I would like to thank you again for hosting the Wonder of Learning Exhibit. Our proximity to the exhibit's location allowed our community to visit a few times during the exhibit's presence in Santa Monica. On one occasion teachers and parents walked over together to share the experience while children remained at the preschool. I really enjoyed observing parent/teacher interactions as pairs and small groups stopped before particular parts of the exhibit and shared responses and reflections. The opportunity to build understandings together was quite valuable. I believe that the shared moments at the exhibit and subsequent conversations did help create a deeper awareness of the rights of children--especially with regard to the contrast between the kinds of explorations and projects that were featured in the exhibit and the kind of learning that takes place in many of our public programs for young children. I am not sure if the deepened awareness will translate into broad advocacy without an explicit --and sustained--effort on our part as educators to encourage parent voices to speak. Perhaps as a consequence of your asking this question, we will be inspired at our site to revisit those shared moments from the exhibit with our parents. Perhaps parents interested in working as “change agents” within the community could form a “liaison committee”--? As a footnote . . .I am wondering about the kinds of pre-k programs that will be created in Santa Monica as part of the state age requirement change for kindergarten--? I wonder how much input parents might have regarding these new classes that will be forming in the coming years--?
Nancy Sadler Palisades Preschool
Joan Martin, Elementary School Director Crossroads School for Arts & Sciences
Reflection from The Wonder of Learning Opening Event
There were many intangible concepts that I learned from attending this event and discussing with other educators and professionals in the field. The first profound revelation was that I realized that there are really no mistakes in the journey of education or right/wrong when it comes to the learning process. It is just that, a learning process, therefore it is better to see them as missteps that may occur along the journey since they can be viewed as learning experiences and help guide us into different paths.
While the exhibit may look simple to the naked eye, it is a really a complex
representation of the Reggio schools and how Reggio schools cultivate the child’s growth and learning which is not dictated by adults or educators. I was amazed at how the Reggio approach fosters each child’s individuality and provides experiences where children learn from self-discovery. I was able to rethink my image of the teacher and my image of the child. It does not view the teacher as the distributor of knowledge and the child as the receiver of knowledge, but both are co-constructors of knowledge. Often times, our language and actions show our true image of the child. If we give children real, quality materials instead of cheap, plastic representations, we are showing the child that they can be competent and empower them by showing we believe they can manipulate real tools and materials. We can empower them by focusing on what they do have and can do; of course, this involves rethinking how we view the child and sometimes takes us out of our comfort zones, and that is okay.
I also came away with a renewed view regarding documentation and its critical role in
the Reggio approach. It is a permanent process of listening, rethinking, reflecting and connecting. It supports dialogue, learning, and promotes discoveries and possibilities. Not only can it be used as an assessment tool to continue the process of children’s learning, but it provides an opportunity to give meaning to work by supporting learning, leaving traces of the children’s work, and promoting dialogue between children, parents, and teachers. It is not solely for the archives, for panels on the wall, or for displaying nice photos. Another very important aspect of documentation that I discovered is that an adult is not being detached from the activity; they instead should use the documentation as a part of the activity and include the child’s opinions.
I am convinced that attending this event not only helped me as an educator, but also
gives me the tools and the open mind to help guide children in the most effective manner. Children get confidence if you give confidence to them. Give them a voice and listen to what they have to say.
Stephanie Nord
Cal State Long Beach Student
The Wonder of Learning: The One Hundred Languages of Children, Reggio Emilia, Italy. Dialogues for Quality in Education:
The School as a Place of Community, Collaboration, Research and Innovation.
I want to personally express my gratitude to Mary Hartzell and Chloe Jones for their dedication in making this opportunity of a lifetime come to fruition. My experiences were multi faceted and embedded in rich socio cultural experiences that surpassed my expectations. As I listened to Amelia Gambetti’s dialog about her Reggio Emilia experiences, I knew this would be an unforgettable moment in my career as a graduate student and educator. It enhanced my knowledge as a researcher and graduate student. In addition, the dialog exchange between the many educators who were in attendance nationwide broadened my understanding of the Reggio Emilia approach. I gained a deeper understanding of reciprocal learning and teaching occurring among teachers, parents, and others in the community to enhance competencies.
During the touring of the First Presbyterian classrooms, I saw theory into practice come alive. As I read the documentations that took me on the children’s journey of discovery, I experienced the image of the children’s thought processes being represented through the many languages. I clearly understood the importance of documentation and giving visibility to children’s work. I learned that documentation is a powerful tool and that it takes time to develop careful and meaningful observation skills to document the thought processes of children.
Reflecting on Gambetti’s discussions about the different languages in collaborative work at the Reggio schools was salient in all the work shown at the exhibition. I was inspired by the way in which children with special rights are included in mainstream classrooms. Children are respected and viewed as competent individuals and the focus is placed on strengths rather than on weaknesses. Rather than describing children with special needs, they are described with special rights which seem to be a more empowering term. I learned about how educators at Reggio Emilia are committed in the personal life project of children with special rights in collaboration with social services, health systems and family schools. Children at a very young age are exposed to children with special rights taking away the stigma attached to children who have different abilities.
Overall, in my opinion this extraordinary exhibition in North America was successful and the work at Reggio Emilia which has evolved over 47 years has once again emerged from the shadows to enlighten us in California with their philosophy of the powerful image of the child.
I am thankful for this opportunity to grow as an educator. I believe we need to be child centered and step back to allow children to construct their own knowledge and encourage policy makers to understand that we must not interfere with the children’s natural intrinsic learning process. Respecting children and their individual learning abilities by engaging them in varying skills based on their interest rather than undermining their motivation for learning must be a priority in the field of early childhood education. While it is important to close the achievement gap it is equally important to have effective teaching methods that spark the love of learning for children rather than extinguishing it.
Annabelle Abboud, Graduate student in Education California State University, Long Beach
Beata Stylianos, Parent
Orange County, California
