The Quarterly Periodical of the North American Reggio Emilia Alliance | June 2016 In Early Education: The International Innovations Reggio Emilia Exchange Inside: The Culture of the Atelier in the Infant-Toddler Centers and Preschools of the Municipality of Reggio Emilia page 4 From Then to Now: Our Twenty-Year Journey of Building an Infant-Toddler Program in Dialogue with the Reggio Emilia Approach – A Conversation Among Cyert Center for Early Childhood Educators page 8 Finding Our Collective Values: “The Wonder of Learning – The Hundred Languages of Children” Exhibit in Pittsburgh page 20 Innovations In Early Education: The International Reggio Emilia Exchange Introduction Published Quarterly by the North American Reggio In this issue of Innovations, we are publishing The next article, “From Then to Now: Our Emilia Alliance articles that continue the dialogue on topics Twenty-Year Journey of Building an Infant- June 2016 - addressed in our last two issues. Filippo Chieli, Toddler Program in Dialogue with the Reggio Volume 23, Number 2 atelierista at Balducci Preschool of the Pre- Emilia Approach – A Conversation Among EDITORS schools and Infant-Toddler Centers, Istituzione Cyert Center Educators,” a conversation Editor: of the Municipality of Reggio Emilia, continues among 12 educators at the Cyert Center for Judith Allen Kaminsky the focus on children’s creativity, which was the Early Education in Pittsburgh, PA, is strongly North American Reggio subject of Vea Vecchi’s article in the December connected to Chiara Spaggiari’s article on the Emilia Alliance 2015 issue, “Children Seen as Citizens Who role of participation in the Reggio Emilia [email protected] are Active Protagonists of Their Growth and municipal infant-toddler centers in the March Associate Editor: Learning Processes – The Secret of a Raindrop.” 2016 issue of Innovations, “An Active Attitude Lella Gandini, Ed.D. Reggio Children liaison in the In his article, “The Culture of the Atelier in the of Listening as the Premise and Context of U.S. for dissemination of the Infant-Toddler Centers and Preschools of the Every Educational Relationship.” In addition Reggio Emilia approach Municipality of Reggio Emilia,” Filippo discuss- to the value of participation, the Cyert educa- [email protected] es the aesthetic dimension of the atelier and tors focus on their foundation of respect and a Consulting Editors: the importance of creating learning contexts strong image of the child, the interconnection Carol Bersani, M.S. in which children develop their abilities to use of systems and organization, and engagement Kent State University materials and media as expressive languag- with the environment and materials as import- Jeanne Goldhaber, Ph.D. University of Vermont es. In Indications, the atelier is considered to ant factors in the evolution of their infant-tod- Eileen Hughes, Ph.D. be one of the essential elements for operation dler program. In Indications, the educational Western Washington University of the municipal infant-toddler centers and principle of organization is elaborated: Gigi Schroeder Yu, Ph.D. preschools in Reggio Emilia: The organization of the work, the spaces, Albuquerque Public Schools The atelier is a metaphor for the preschool and the time of the children and adults is a and infant-toddler centre as a laboratory structural part of the values and choices of From an agreement by Loris that gives value to the expressive potentials the educational project. The organization Malaguzzi in concert with and creativity of each individual and of all constructs a network of choices and the Eli Saltz in 1992. Collaboration and the children. The atelier underscores the assumption of shared responsibility at the consulting with Reggio Children importance of imagination, aesthetics, and administrative, political, and pedagogical and the Istituzione Scuole e Nidi d’Infanzia, Municipality of the theory of the hundred languages in the levels—choices that contribute to guarantee- Reggio Emilia, Italy. Supported formative and knowledge-building paths; it ing identity, stability, and security to the chil- by Amelia Gambetti, Paola Riccò, contributes to giving visibility to the listen- dren and to the educational service, connot- and Emanuela Vercalli, Reggio ing and the documentation of the learning ing it in its potentialities, quality, and praxis. Children International Network processes of the children and the adults. (Istituzione of the Municipality of Reggio Exchanges. (Istituzione of the Municipality of Reggio Emilia, pp. 12-13) Emilia, p. 18) © 1992 Innovations in Early The educational principle related to environ- Education: The International Reggio ment, spaces, and relations is explained in this Emilia Exchange way in Indications: The atelier is a metaphor for The interior and exterior spaces of the infant- the preschool and infant- toddler centres and preschools are designed and organized in interconnected forms that toddler centre as a laboratory foster interaction, autonomy, explorations, that gives value to the and communication and are offered as Image Credit expressive potentials and places for the children and for the adults to Image on cover of Atelier Ray research and to live together. (Istituzione of of Light in Pittsburgh, PA creativity of each individual the Municipality of Reggio Emilia, p. 13) courtesy of Amy Strada and of all the children. Next, in the “Voices” column, four members of –Indications – Preschools and Infant- “The Wonder of Learning – The Hundred Lan- Toddler Centres of the Municipality of guages of Children” exhibit host community in Reggio Emilia Pittsburgh—Carolyn Linder of the Jewish Fed- eration of Greater Pittsburgh and Mary Moore, 2 Innovations in Early Education NAREA Mission Statement The interior and exterior spaces of the infant-toddler centres and The North American Reggio Emilia Alliance (NAREA) is a network of preschools are designed and organized in interconnected forms that educators, parents, and advocates foster interaction, autonomy, explorations, and communication and seeking to elevate both the quality of life and the quality of schools are offered as places for the children and for the adults to research and centers for young children. and to live together. We envision a world where all children are honored and –Indications – Preschools and Infant-Toddler Centres of the Municipality of Reggio Emilia respected for their potential, capabilities, and humanity. Our mission is to build a diverse Audra Selkowitz, and Amy Strada, current and REFERENCE community of advocates and former educators at the Cyert Center—write Preschools and Infant-Toddler Centres, teachers to promote and defend about the impact of the exhibit’s presence the rights of children, families, Istituzione of the Municipality of Reggio and teachers of all cultures through a reflection on the history and identity Emilia. (2010). Indications – Preschools and through a collaboration of of their educational community and their com- infant-toddler centres of the municipality colleagues inspired by the Reggio Emilia philosophy. munity as a whole in “Finding Our Collective of Reggio Emilia. Reggio Emilia, Italy: Values: ‘The Wonder of Learning – The Hundred Reggio Children. Languages of Children’ Exhibit in Pittsburgh.” NAREA BOARD Finally, the “Perspectives on NAREA” column Co-Chairs features the call for proposals for the first Inno- Barbara Acton, M.A. vations peer-reviewed issue in September 2017, Ohio which will focus on “Building Collective Knowl- Margie Cooper, Ph.D. Georgia edge in a Learning and Democratic Communi- ty Through the Processes of Documentation.” Board Members Then Patty Randall, NAREA professional de- Jennifer Azzariti, Ed.M. velopment and social media coordinator and Washington, DC Karyn Callaghan, M.Ed. Peachtree Presbyterian Preschool director of ed- Ontario ucational practices, shares the highlights of the Simonetta Cittadini-Medina 2016 NAREA Winter Conference, “Values and Florida Quality of Life Within the Context of an Edu- David Fernie, Ed.D. cating Society: Responsibility, Community, Cit- Massachusetts izenship, and Creative Thinking,” and Janice Angela Ferrario, M.Ed. Woods, program director at Chicago Commons Massachusetts Brenda Fyfe, Ed.D. Child Development Program, shares reflections Missouri on that conference. Amelia Gambetti Reggio Emilia, Italy Lella Gandini, Ed.D. Massachusetts Jeanne Goldhaber, Ph.D. Vermont Jennifer Kesselring Oklahoma Beth MacDonald Minnesota Susan Redmond South Carolina Jennifer Strange, MAT Missouri Pat Tarr, Ph.D. Alberta June 2016 3 The Culture of the Atelier in the Infant-Toddler Centers and Preschools of the Municipality of Reggio Emilia By Filippo Chieli Filippo Chieli is currently the atelierista at the Balducci Preschool of the Preschools and Infant-Toddler Centers, Istituzione of the Municipality of Reggio Emilia. Prior to this, he was the atelierista at the Rodari and Fiastri preschools in S. Ilario D’Enza (Reggio Emilia). Filippo participated in the course for atelieristi for the planning and coordination of expressive ateliers for children organized by Reggio Children. He has also partici- pated in various professional development initiatives in Italy and abroad. The following article is based on a presentation given by Filippo at the Eleventh NAREA Summer Conference in Pittsburgh, PA on June 18–20, 2015. Deanna Margini, pedagogista for Preschools and Infant-Toddler Centers, Istituzione of the Municipality of Reggio Emilia, was also a speaker at this conference.