Reggio Emilia Approach
Does anyone use the Reggio Emilia approach for their program? Can you tell me how you implement it in your home based program? I have been researching this educational philosophy and am interested, but I'm not sure if I fully understand it. I know it focuses on child directed curriculum so would that mean a play based curriculum? I learned about this way of teaching in an ECE class, but that was a loooong time ago...lol
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Originally Posted by melilley: I am hoping to do my Practicum 3 at a Regio program. I am particularly interested in using it with infants and toddlers, and the transitioning full-blown as they grow |
I use a mixture of both Reggio and Montessori and really focus on play based curriculum and unplanned teachable moments/moments of value.
Here is a really cool site about a Reggio child care and how it works for them! http://www.reggiokids.com/about/about_approach.php |
Originally Posted by Blackcat31: |
Originally Posted by Blackcat31: There's a lot of good blogs too! :Sunny: |
Originally Posted by Blackcat31: How do you approach this, BC? |
Since all "play" contains learning moments, I just choose one developmental area at a time to observe and document.
Lets use blocks for example. Blocks can be appropriate for math/science (counting, sorting and grouping) language/literacy (color identification, shape identification, bin lables and conversation and communication) social/emotional (sharing and group play) physical/motor skills(stacking, sorting) cognitive (bigger, smaller, wider, round, smooth etc) Is that the documentation part you are referring to? The rating thing here is still only a pilot program and we haven't been "schooled" or trained on any of that as of yet. I am simply remembering documentation from my college course work. :) |
Originally Posted by Blackcat31: For Youngstar. the expectation here is: You assess the children through an accepted assessment tool. Then, you decide what Early Learning Standards you want to address. Based on this, you write your curriculum (for all the children, including infants). Then, you document what they've done, communicate what they've learned, and you assess again. It's all about being "intentional". So...through your observations and assessments, you notice one 4yo hasn't mastered scissors. You intigrate use of scissors into your lesson plans. You take a picture of the child using scissors, ad an annotation into their portfolio, and make sure to communicate that with the parents. You would do the same for your infants-school agers. For school-agers, there is a whole OTHER set of criteria to integrate. |
Originally Posted by melilley: --yes, play based and child directed (some say "a negotiated curriculum," as in it's drawn from the children's play/interests/questions but is co-created between the children and the adults) --based on an assumption of children's competence (vs. their "needs," as we often see things here) --based on relationships --high value on the environment, aesthetics --offering opportunities for children to express what they know through "the hundred languages of children" (i.e. drawing, paint, dance, drama, construction, song, etc, etc, etc)--not crafts, not randomly selected art activities, but art as a medium of communication and problem-solving --using documentation to record what's going on, analyze it, share it with the community, and reflect back on it with the children--so to build on it and take the project further. At home, the trickiest part about implementing Reggio practices (for me) is that there's no co-teacher to brainstorm with. And when I'm deep into project work with children and someone suddenly needs to be wiped or a fight needs to be refereed, there's no one but me to do it--so there's a lot more interruptions. Also, at home I don't want the large documentation panels that were a big part of my work in the classroom, so I work to find other ways to document. I spend my naptimes writing blog posts for the parents, which serve as my main documentation. I'd love to be able to share them with you all, but it's a private blog. I have a few Reggio-based posts on my personal blog, which you may see here, if you're interested. Some other Reggio-inspired aspects you might notice if you visited my home: --other documentation of our work, such as a book about a recent project --a fully-stocked art studio in lieu of a playroom --the use of real materials--from drinking glasses to art supplies--rather than kids' stuff --child-initiated projects from tiny (a collage) to large (an "museum" evening event for parents planned by the kids, with costumes made by the kids, art displayed by the kids, invitations written by the kids, etc.) --use of natural materials, light, mirrors. You can get a tiny glimpse into our day through my recent craigslist ad, here. I also have some environment pics up in the decor forum. Well, this is turning into a ridiculously long post! I'll leave it there and you can ask me questions if you want more. :) |
Originally Posted by nothingwithoutjoy: |
Oh, good! Glad it was useful. :-)
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Maybe Crystal (??) will chime in. I remember awhile ago she was a fan. :)
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Hi, Heidi,
I just found your post, misfiled under another post--glad I spotted it! I'll cut and paste it here, since I don't know how to fix that: "Nothing Without Joy: Oh...I have SOOO many questions. I was going to PM you, but since there is interest, I'll ask here. My first question, is I noticed that you had several rooms that you use. Are the children free to roam around, or do you keep them together as a group? I see that your daughter is a 1-year old. Is she an exception to your program, or do you typically have such little ones? How do you keep her safe in your program with glue guns and tiny pieces available? How do you keep your studio and home beautiful? I am trying to figure out just how I could offer paint, clay, and tiny pieces of things here and not have it everywhere. I would love to do it... Do you have any "toys"? Maybe I missed it. You said no "playroom", but do you have a selection of blocks, dressup toys, etc? Where can one get Reggio training? There is a center in Madison that uses the approach, and I think they are offering a training in April. I'm just trying to figure out how to apply a center approach, with everyone the same age in a classroom, to a mixed age group.... " Then I'm going to reply separately, so I can quote it properly. |
Originally Posted by nothingwithoutjoy: https://www.daycare.com/forum/showthread.php?t=59049 |
Originally Posted by nothingwithoutjoy: |
[quote=Heidi;309611]
Originally Posted by : Originally Posted by : Originally Posted by : Originally Posted by : Originally Posted by : It's definitely a challenge to apply it to home and mixed ages, as you say, and there's not much available out there about how to do that. (Someday, I'd like to write that book!) But Reggio educators always emphasize that what works for them in their Italian municipal-run preschools is not what will work for us in our American classrooms. We can be inspired by their ideas, but must adapt them to our environment, our community, our children. I'd love to talk more about how to do that, but once again, I've gone on too long and my daughter's about to wake up from nap! Will reply again if you've got more questions for me, though. :-) |
Originally Posted by Blackcat31: |
Thank you NWOJ!
I like how you segued from babies to toddlers to preschoolers. As a matter of fact, my older kids are moving shortly, and I will be starting "over" with 4 babies over the next 5 months. Can you give me some examples of materials you had for babies? At what age do you introduce art materials...paint, clay, collage materials, etc. If you were required to document "lesson plans" or "activity plans" (to get 4 or 5 stars here, we do), how could you do that? Here is the document that we are using for my Praticum 3 class: ________________________________________________________________ DEVELOPMENTAL ACTIVITY PLAN Student Teacher’s Name: Center Placement : Date Written____________ Date Carried Out______________ Name of Activity ______________________________________________ CURRICULUM AREA(S): (circle) Language Arts / Literature Math Readiness Dramatic Play Music Social Studies Movement Sensory Science Art Cooking Other_______ Age of the children ___________ # of children completing activity at one time ________________ Time _______ Area where activity will take place________________________ What were the children say or doing that made you think of this activity? Wisconsin Model Learning Standards: Domain: Sub-Domain Performance Standard: Key Developmental Indicator: (List one) Concepts/ Vocabulary: Specific accommodations for children’s individual needs/goals; additional educational tools, modified materials, physical support, positioning, etc.: Personal Goals: Materials Needed: (Be specific, include size and number of materials also include set-up and clean-up materials and supplies.) Teacher Role/ Procedure: • Motivation: (Describe gathering technique, use of visuals, such as pictures, books, puppets, or props, use of songs, finger plays, clapping games, etc.)- Be specific • Main Activity/Description of Actual Procedure: (Be specific and include your own role as the teacher and possible statements you may use during the activity.) • Closing Remarks/Transition: Ideas for Follow-up: ___________________________________________________________ I'm trying to juggle a lot of different things, here. When you document, do you use anything like this? I'm thinking I could use it for my class and for the Youngstar rating. Can I use it (or something similar) as evidence of intentional planning? Can it fit with the Reggio approach? What kinds of activies (I think you called them provocations, & can I intertwine them) can I do with infants? I was going to interview you for my class. I'll consider this the interview, on the open forum for everyone's benefit. :D Thank you again for sharing, and take your time answering. I know you have other things to do, as well! |
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Originally Posted by Heidi: Originally Posted by : Originally Posted by : 1st photo: kitchen set. Breakable dishes up high where the "big" kids could reach them. Below are lots of metal pots, pans, wooden spoons, etc. I'd often park the baby there to bang around while I worked in the kitchen. 2nd photo: toy shelf. Wooden peg puzzles, cardboard stacking blocks, wooden wheeled elephant, soft cloth dolls, ball squish thing (super popular!), wooden rattles, board books, vintage jingly wobbly things, teddy bear, alphabet blocks, push toy. (nearby and not pictured: huge stack of cardboard brick blocks) 3rd photo: studio shelves: I can't possibly say everything that's there, but on the lower shelves (i.e. most accessible to littles) were markers, paper, colored pencils, crayons, tape, stickers, chalk and chalkboards, paint (visible, but they couldn't really reach or open without help, so they did have to ask), scissors. 4th photo: opposite wall of studio: rocking boat/steps thing I once won at a conference! I wouldn't have bought this for my small space, but since I have it, we've used it well. Perfect for getting toddlers up to the window and for crawling practice and indoor gross motor activity. Mirrors above it. (Mirrors are a must-have in my book.) The cupboard to the left holds lots of recycled loose parts. For example, there's a large basket in there full of caps from all sorts of containers. They were one of the babies' favorite "toys"--they stack and nest and fall down and have lots of bright colors and you can poke clothespegs onto the sides of them and, and, and... I like open-ended non-toys like this a lot. Likewise, the big basket of pine cones on there got a lot of use. 5th photo: longer shot of studio. Easel--a must. See-through-plexiglass easel--even better. This was a favorite for toddlers, who liked to peek at each other through it. You can also get a peek of rhythm instruments, another big hit. And another mirror--fascinating for babies. Not seen, but also part of the studio then and very big to babies/toddlers: a push cart; scarves, bags, and hats for dress-up; and an overhead projector for light play (on the floor, projected up onto ceiling or walls). 6th photo: kitchen island. This photo shows a lot about what I wanted my program to be--not a classroom in a home, but a home designed with children in mind. Toys are incorporated into my regular space (with the exception of the studio, which is pretty much kid focused). Bottom shelf holds teethers (which I offered whenever I saw a kid mouthing something else I didn't want them to chew), ball-and-wire thing I used because I had it (I wouldn't recommend these--too closed and one purpose), wooden cars, wooden sorter, and wooden duck-on-a-ramp (again, not a must; I had it because it was a gift. We loved it, though.) I generally had one baby, or sometimes two, and then the rest were toddlers. So I offered materials to the toddlers, and included the babies as they seemed ready. I tried to listen to what they were telling me. My first baby demanded to be included in painting at 8 months (by pulling himself up at the table where they were painting and grabbing a brush), and so he was (I could have done it earlier, but he seemed to nap when we were painting--or maybe that's all I could manage at that point, I don't remember). Scissors at 14 months--same way. But I had him poking his fingers into clay from my lap before he could sit up, and he had crayons and markers in his hands as soon as he could sit. He was included in art in other ways, too. For example, the toddlers would draw with markers on the overhead as he lay on the floor, watching the changing designs on the wall. As soon as he could crawl over there, he was in on it. I tried to offer things on the floor so he could participate: for example, rather than a sensory table, I use a large metal tray intended as a boot tray. When we put snow in it, I put it on the floor, and the older kids kneeled to use it, and he could drag himself over and reach in, too. But if I didn't want him doing something, it could go up on a table. I'm just remembering that I still have my brainstorming lists of what I was looking for when I started. I'll attach them. My absolute must-haves for babies/toddlers: blocks, balls, teethers, push toys, containers w/stuff to dump and sort, dolls, paper, colored pencils, paint, clay, mirrors, lots of recycled stuff and natural stuff. Man, I'm wordy! See how I need to write a book? :-) That's enough for now! |
Originally Posted by nothingwithoutjoy: |
Thanks for the all info. ladies! Well, after doing research I have come to a conclusion that this teaching style isn't totally for me. I will incorporate some of the Reggio ways of teaching/learning, but it will be mixed in with other ways too. I really am inspired by nothingwithoutjoy, I just don't see myself being as "open/free" as you (if that makes sense). Thank you all again for sharing with me!
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Originally Posted by melilley: |
Originally Posted by Heidi: Originally Posted by : Originally Posted by : Originally Posted by : Originally Posted by : Originally Posted by : Originally Posted by : Originally Posted by Heidi: Haven't forgotten your other questions. Will get there! :-) |
nwj, I run my house similar to yours. I too let the kids take things out and clean up just before we go outside or have lunch. I have seen kids drop something and another one pick up. I've seen my littles play in the kitchen (funny how they don't really talk but they understand each other) and I don't want to interrupt that.
I too have so many books, and I think if you teach them, they will treat the books right (they are sacred in this house too) I also found that by putting chairs near the reading areas the kids would sit and pick a book out even the littles do this. I've downsized my stuff but I now have a house for everything. Everything has a place. I found that if they have too much stuff to choose then they make too big of a mess and don't want to put it away. I have a ikea table that the kids eat at (and do art and color) once you can sit still you can sit at the table otherwise my littles would not eat. the only difference is that I do a mix group, I find that the older kids should learn how to play with the little kids and vice versa. Also, I find that the older kids start to use their voice and tell the littles "no" which is big because some kids just wouldn't talk at all. I use to do a very structured home (ok, food and nap are still routine) but I started to find that I was so exhausted that it wasn't fun anymore. And the kids where all over the place and the parents didn't care. So now I focus more on kids being kids and learning activities of daily living, like putting a coat on or wiping their own nose (thats a big one and even the littles love to do this) and manners |
Originally Posted by countrymom: Originally Posted by : Originally Posted by : |
How I do lesson planning w/in Reggio-inspired program
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All, right, Heidi, the kids are asleep and I have a few minutes, so I'm going to tackle the lesson plan question. Might have to start now, finish later.
Originally Posted by Heidi: I think the kind of form you included can be useful in college classes, to make sure that you're thinking intentionally, that you are well prepared, that you know why you're doing what you're doing, etc. But in my experience, in the real world, most of that stuff is done quickly in your head, and if you spent all the time it would take to fill all that out, you'd never have time for the richer documentation that is a part of Reggio-inspired teaching. Not only that, but you can't truly "plan" what a child is going to learn. You might plan to use magnetic alphabet letters with the idea that kids will learn to write their names, but actually find that someone doesn't want to play with them, someone else wants to sort them by color, someone else is intrigued by the patterns they can make with them, etc. And to me, what they're doing with them is far more important for them and has richer potential for learning than your pre-conceived ideas. In Reggio, a lot of the documentation comes after the fact. So you put out the letters and you watch and take photos and notes and reading them over later, you notice lots of pattern play was taking place. So you write about that pattern work for the parents, and then you support further exploration of patterns with the children, and continue observing and taking notes and reflecting and documenting. I can't share most of my documentation here, because some of the parents would prefer I not share their children's photos online. But I'll find a few examples that don't include faces, and a filled-in projection sheet, so you can see how I use them. Don't have time now, but will get to it soon. And to your question about activities w/infants. :-) Lise |
Originally Posted by nothingwithoutjoy: That fit's exactly into how I do things, although I don't document quite as much as I should. An example would be we are sitting at the breakfast table, and we see that the bluejays are out and about. So, we start talking about how pretty the bluejays are. The bluejay screeches, so I might say "Did you hear that?" Then I might pull up a Youtube video about bird songs. Or, maybe we will count aloud how many bluejays are out there. Or, maybe we get out our field guide (I have a great one with pictures), and find out bluejay facts. That might lead to a discussion about other birds, etc. Last March, we pinned up a piece of paper and every time we saw a new bird migrate back, we wrote it down (I wrote it down, but narrated every word). Then, we'd look it up in the field guide and find out more. Everyone, toddlers to 4 yo, was engaged in this activity, and it became such a fun thing for them. I could have expanded that into drawing the birds, probably should have, but I think that would have been too much for that particular group, mostly 1 yo, plus a 3 yo and 4 yo. It will be challenging to me to do the above activity sheets for my class, because it goes against how I think. Never mind that come March 15, I will have 3-4 infants under age 1 here every day. :rolleyes: |
Originally Posted by Heidi: Originally Posted by : Originally Posted by : Originally Posted by : Now, I'd better go free them from nap! |
NWOJ-
Does your overhead projector get hot? Where did you find one? I don't think they are used in schools much anymore? |
Originally Posted by Heidi: (Just looked--I think this one is similar to the one I used to have and liked a lot.) Yes, it gets hot (curiously, this newer one gets hotter than the really old one I used to have). Not so hot that if they touch it they'll get burned, but if you put your hand on the top (not the glass, but up by the mirror) for a long time, it's definitely hot. But they learn quickly, since it does feel hot enough that you don't want to stay there! When I had it on the floor with crawling babies, I always stayed close. When kids who are secure on their feet are using it, and we've talked about it, I feel safe letting them play. (It's low, and they're allowed to turn it on when they want it. I turn it off if no one's using it, so it doesn't get too hot.) |
Originally Posted by Heidi: |
So glad you asked this! I've been spending all day researching Reggio Emilia & Waldorf styles. I love the looks ( & drooled over Nothingwithoutjoy's rooms), though I prefer bright colours. I like the emphasis on natural materials, as we primarily use wooden toys here, though we do have a few plastic ones, including our outdoor jungle gym. The wooden, natural stuff goes along with my crunchy sensibilities. :) OK, now I'm going to actually go read the thread. I was just excited that someone else was on my wavelength today. :D
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I'd love to know what you think of Waldorf. I haven't researched it at all, so all I know about it is that gnomes are really popular. :cool:
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Originally Posted by AmyKidsCo: |
This post is beyond helpful as I work towards setting up my Reggio-based program. I can't even comment yet because I'm still digesting all the amazing information. Thanks so much!!
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