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Starting a New School Year the Reggio Way - Pt. 2
11 Plays20 days ago
Join Pat and Rafa for the second part of our conversation as we talk about starting the new school year in a Reggio Inspired way!
As always send us your thoughts at this form! https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeHPEVVJFChyrRl6_6Gm3vwV0yc0nEjc-OZXS6smugiRXHjmQ/viewform?usp=header
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Transcript
Intro
Introduction to Sugar Hill Experiences
00:00:27
Pat
Sugar Hill, I just got to meet the wonderful people at Sugar Hill and talk about Reggio. And I know, Rafa, you've been distilling your thinking around environment as you get ready to bring all of your staff up to speed on new thinking and new ideas about the environment as a third teacher.
Social-Emotional Community Building
00:00:45
Pat
And I had a chance to do some of that think tanking with Sugar Hill. And um it was really interesting to just, you know, talk about how and their perspective of how important the social emotional community building time is.
Documenting and Encouraging Autonomy
00:01:00
Pat
at the beginning the year and how that is basically the curriculum for ah for the first several months.
00:01:00
Rafael Perez-Segura
Yeah.
00:01:08
Pat
And um we talked about documenting all of the things that happened during that time. um And just a lot of other things about the environment and thinking about how to set the environment up for autonomy, more autonomy.
00:01:20
Pat
um And re-looking at it from ah place of where do you find yourself gravitating in your environment? And where do you find yourself avoiding? And maybe thinking about the why behind some of that.
00:01:33
Pat
So again, just environment as the third teacher. And at this point in the year, everybody is really mindful right now of like, what are they changing? What are they keeping?
Principles of Environment Design
00:01:43
Rafael Perez-Segura
Yeah, you said autonomy.
00:01:45
Pat
Yeah.
00:01:45
Rafael Perez-Segura
I was thinking about how I've been starting to try to simplify for the team who's still relatively new to this approach about how to set up their classrooms. And there's ah I'm doing a whole session on the physical environment first, and then I'll be talking about routines and procedures.
00:01:59
Rafael Perez-Segura
And it's interesting. A lot of this stuff is not unique to Reggio. This is just strong teaching.
00:02:04
Pat
Absolutely. Check.
00:02:05
Rafael Perez-Segura
So when people think of Reggio as an as an a free-for-all, clearly isn't. as especially as we're talking about it. So I've been thinking about three things. Like one, the environment needs to provoke interest and wonder somehow, right?
00:02:19
Rafael Perez-Segura
And two, right, check, right?
00:02:19
Pat
jack
00:02:22
Rafael Perez-Segura
So the second thing, which I'm going to really emphasize in this session is the environment needs to promote order and a sense of organization, right? And then the third thing, which I'm going to also more emphasize, is and needs to allow for autonomy for the adults and the children and for opportunities for the autonomy of children to grow.
Structures for Safety and Expression
00:02:42
Rafael Perez-Segura
So, for example, I say it that way because we might not put all the materials we want out at the very beginning, but there should be a planning ahead of, well, this is where things could start to live once I start introducing them, right? So not forgetting about about that.
00:02:57
Rafael Perez-Segura
So those are the three big buckets I'm going to review and teach to extent with the team.
00:03:03
Pat
Well, and and I love, Rafa, the second bullet that you talked about, it brings up that idea of containers um that you like to discuss.
00:03:11
Rafael Perez-Segura
Mm-hmm.
00:03:14
Pat
Do you want to talk a little bit more about that?
00:03:16
Rafael Perez-Segura
Yeah, like containing and inviting from emotionally responsive practice, Leslie Coppola's work and from Bank Street College.
00:03:22
Pat
Yeah, Leslie, shout out to Leslie.
00:03:23
Rafael Perez-Segura
Woo-woo! whoo
00:03:25
Pat
Yes.
00:03:26
Rafael Perez-Segura
Yeah, containing structures in short are structures that provide safety, right? Predictability. So for example, there's physical containing structures, which is like a carpet where it's clear where we sit or non-containing structure we can't touch, but that we know is very important to teach, like how do we enter the classroom or more ah how do we with teachers
00:03:34
Pat
Thank you.
00:03:49
Rafael Perez-Segura
how do we work with disagreement, for example. And so prioritizing containing safety just makes a lot of sense because then we can start within, not necessarily weight, but at that it just can happen at the same time.
00:04:04
Rafael Perez-Segura
We can have inviting structures within those containing structures and inviting structures, meaning ways to invite children to express themselves. So within the containing structure of how to sit on the carpet, where we sit on the carpet, and you can vary how much you, and depending on development too, right? you have to know
Balancing Structure and Flexibility
00:04:22
Pat
Yes.
00:04:22
Rafael Perez-Segura
about that? ah so but But all that said, within if once children are comfortable with that, they know where they sit on the carpet, let's say, if you really want them to have a, if they benefit from a, let's say, I don't want to say a sign seat, but a consistent seating arrangement, maybe their flexibility, right, with, is it a chair or a bench or whatever, then yeah it's easier to invite the conversations that we want to cultivate with our children.
00:04:45
Rafael Perez-Segura
It's easier to invite them
00:04:45
Pat
Well, I mean, I just like the way you think about, you know, you're thinking about things in that way. I think for some people, they could really relate to kind of separating the fact that we do need structured routines, right?
00:04:59
Rafael Perez-Segura
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
00:05:01
Pat
And that, but we also don't want to move so into these ah demands of creating structure that we limit the flexibility
00:05:13
Rafael Perez-Segura
yeah
00:05:13
Pat
That children need to feel confident and and trusted and have
Defining Classroom Culture Collaboratively
00:05:17
Pat
that autonomy. So it's that balance, that delicate balance when you're setting up your environment, your room, your routines, your community, um thinking through some of those things. It's also a time where, and I don't know that this is Reggio or just best practices for children,
00:05:34
Pat
collaborative ah partnerships, not only with the children, but with your other teaching partner to really discuss your classroom culture.
00:05:40
Rafael Perez-Segura
Mm. Mm.
00:05:45
Pat
Like what defines our classroom culture and what are some of the tenants and even finding out from the kids, if they're able to, if they're ah later threes, fours, and fives, if they're able to kind of help make some of those decisions about what makes, and some people call that the classroom rules.
00:06:04
Pat
I kind of like to think of it as what is our classroom culture? That's a little bit more Reggio to me. Yes.
00:06:11
Rafael Perez-Segura
Yeah, because culture in a sense is like the unsaid rules over time, right?
00:06:16
Pat
Yes.
00:06:16
Rafael Perez-Segura
yeah Which can change, right, based on the people in the room. So I think that makes a lot of sense how you connect it to a bigger idea, deeper idea of culture. I like that.
00:06:25
Pat
Yeah, and I think it came from me thinking, too, about Bronfenbrenner, who, you know, I'm a big fan of his ecological systems theory.
00:06:33
Rafael Perez-Segura
Yeah.
Reggio Approach and Ecological Systems
00:06:33
Pat
And in working with, um again, a shout out to the museum school, Sugar Hill, great guy. they come they have such a historical background and culture. And so we spent some time yesterday.
00:06:48
Pat
How does that impact your teaching environment? How does that impact the the things that you connect to with the children and all of those different circles that they're moving about in? And is history important? And is it a part of coming into your culture? So I think that comes from the Reggio approach where their culture, you know, we can't be a Reggio school. We can be Reggio inspired or influenced, right?
00:07:10
Rafael Perez-Segura
Yeah.
00:07:11
Pat
But we can't be Reggio because it's so much about they're the place and the culture um so and the history and all of those different circles.
00:07:16
Rafael Perez-Segura
yeah
00:07:23
Rafael Perez-Segura
Can you say a little more about what is ecological systems theory?
00:07:23
Pat
So and
00:07:26
Pat
I can say a little bit.
00:07:26
Rafael Perez-Segura
i the late The lay person version? Maybe the simple version.
00:07:29
Pat
Yeah, it's just thinking about where children's, you know, the first circle is their home.
00:07:30
Rafael Perez-Segura
Very, simple.
00:07:35
Rafael Perez-Segura
Yeah.
00:07:36
Pat
And then um extending from that is their school. And they have different terms for these different systems that I can't rattle off. and then past the school is the community, the different things that are happening in the community, such as, um you know, the the services in the community. All of those are things that also impact that neighborhood.
00:07:58
Pat
So what services are offered? um And then past that, it's ah what are the traditions that are found within the next circle and the different systems that are all in play and in place?
00:08:13
Pat
um in the bigger circles, so politics, religion, all of those things that are making up that environment. um How are those things being connected and
Historical Development and Influential Figures
00:08:24
Pat
what what are children hearing and thinking about and how do you as the Reggio engineer, architect, designer, pedagogista, how are you thinking with intention about listening and making and and supporting those connections that children are thinking about, you know, all of those circles. so I'm sorry, there's a little bit of a sound. So I'm going to turn my mic off a and for a second. And Rafa, what do you think about that?
00:08:51
Rafael Perez-Segura
i I might have been actually my my side. There was a fire alarm that went off for a second. I feel like every time something happens in my background. But what do I think about that? I think that makes a lot of sense in terms of the ecological model being, I mean, the the very, very concise version might be like,
00:09:09
Rafael Perez-Segura
It matters what happens. Children bring the outside in, and the outside makes its way into the school, no matter which way you look at it. but There's no real separation between the school and the outside world. So I think what Reggio takes from that is embraces that and works with it instead of being afraid of that and trying to keep it out.
00:09:28
Rafael Perez-Segura
So I think that makes a lot of sense.
00:09:30
Pat
Love it. Thank you for that, Rafa.
00:09:32
Rafael Perez-Segura
Makes lot of sense.
00:09:34
Pat
Yeah. And I think that, you know, one of the things that we we like to think about is how many different layers make up this approach and how many different theorists he really took a lot of time to think about.
00:09:47
Pat
And, you know, I have to say something came up yesterday, just talking off the top of my head right now about something that would was an aha moment for me.
00:09:52
Rafael Perez-Segura
Absolutely.
00:09:55
Pat
One of the teachers shared that um in her reading and in her delving into more of the historical background of the Reggio approach and how it came to be is that there were actually mothers and women who started this approach.
00:10:09
Pat
and and And they should be given more credit for how they got the ball rolling. Yeah.
00:10:16
Rafael Perez-Segura
absolutely and
00:10:18
Pat
And so I thought that was a really important thing. And I'm going to i'm going to research a little bit more of that myself. But I think what happened as far as um the framing of it was that they maybe had some of the initial concepts.
00:10:31
Pat
But at that particular time, um i think that Malaguse had such a background in psychology, pedagogy, and he was a teacher,
00:10:41
Rafael Perez-Segura
Mm-hmm.
00:10:43
Pat
that his bike ride into that village at the time where they were starting those um feelings of inspiration about wanting to do something better for young children to actually create an education system for the first time for the very young, that they all just met magically at the right time. And so, yes, a lot of thinking, planning, and research went into this. And thinking of the environment as the third teacher was also something that Maria Montessori did at the same time. And um so all of that beginning to create something designed for young children was a first.
00:11:22
Rafael Perez-Segura
Yeah, I mean, there's such a richness there in history and the whole idea of the role of women and the elevation of Malaguzzi, right, a man. I think that's a fascinating topic and something I've thought about because there are such powerful thinkers as well.
00:11:36
Rafael Perez-Segura
Leila Gandini, Carla Rinaldi, may she rest in peace, she passed recently.
00:11:38
Pat
Yep.
00:11:40
Rafael Perez-Segura
And so I leave Leilesta with us.
00:11:40
Pat
Right.
00:11:43
Rafael Perez-Segura
And I mean, I was just referring to Leila Gandini's article, Values and
Practical Classroom Setup Advice
00:11:47
Rafael Perez-Segura
Principles, that we use in our class. So I think it's funny, we've taught that class so many times, and yet it's taken, don't know how many times we've taught it at this point, 12 times, 13 times?
00:11:57
Pat
Ah, so many.
00:11:58
Rafael Perez-Segura
But we've used that reading every time. And finally hit me, I'm like... This reading in many ways is kind of the blueprint.
00:12:07
Pat
Yes.
00:12:07
Rafael Perez-Segura
So you should, you you also Google it. I'll i'll link it in the show notes, but it's Lele Gandini's values and principles. It's so well written. It's taken me a while to the point where when I'm preparing my coloring, but what is Reggio for my team, I'm actually taking that article, using that as my my starting point. And then I need to simplify it because the language is still a little bit too abstract for my team, I think.
00:12:30
Pat
Uh-huh.
00:12:30
Rafael Perez-Segura
but but But be very grounded in that and in that article. just it just so eloquently, so beautifully brings it together. All to say, Leila Gandini is amazing. If you're not aware of her work, if you're only if you're more aware of... I'm talking to the general you right now.
00:12:45
Rafael Perez-Segura
Laurie Malaguzzi's work. Consider also looking at Leila Gandini's and Carla Arnaldo's work.
00:12:49
Pat
I love that. Thank you, Rafa. Yes, for holding those women up.
00:12:50
Rafael Perez-Segura
Yeah.
00:12:52
Pat
They were soldiers, definitely, for many years, bringing this to so many other countries and really, ah yeah, just being the ambassadors. And they did such a beautiful job of it.
00:13:05
Pat
So that was really nice of you.
00:13:07
Rafael Perez-Segura
Yeah, so I see we're getting to about the 30-minute mark from what I can see.
00:13:10
Pat
Wow, that's crazy. That went so fast.
00:13:13
Rafael Perez-Segura
Well, yeah, it was it again, we we this is a hodgepodge episode, which is fine.
00:13:19
Pat
Yes.
00:13:20
Rafael Perez-Segura
Gives it more character. so maybe maybe we land with some, I guess, takeaways from our conversations.
00:13:21
Pat
Hopefully.
00:13:27
Rafael Perez-Segura
Yeah, so ah are you ready? or i can sit for a second and think.
00:13:31
Pat
um I don't mind just some practical things that I think teachers really like to hear when thinking about the environment um connected to the Reggio thinking is if you haven't ordered your new furniture or if you're getting new furniture, always think about having it on wheels that will lock so that you have more opportunity to make quick and easy adjustments when a project calls for it.
00:13:49
Rafael Perez-Segura
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
00:13:56
Pat
um That's one thing. I think when setting up your art, think about it being close to a sink in the classroom so that children, we know that building that autonomy and letting children have the responsibility um to go get water, get clean up after themselves is very important. So um just those practical things, really take a minute and step back and think about the light.
00:14:20
Pat
Are there ways you can adjust the light? Are there ways you could use a projector? Do you have blackout curtains you could use to create a scene, project a scene on the wall?
00:14:30
Rafael Perez-Segura
Hmm.
00:14:30
Pat
ah for ambiance and and change of light. um There are just so many ways to to rethink and open up your mind to to the creativity that anything is possible.
00:14:43
Pat
um And there are lots of ways to change environment, even in a small room when you don't have a lot of room, because I was in one of those. um when you're just creative and it doesn't cost a lot of money.
00:14:53
Pat
So we'll be talking more about that subject. But if you have questions, we hope that you'll always submit them.
00:15:00
Rafael Perez-Segura
Yes, through the form.
00:15:01
Pat
We do have a form. So I'm going to ball toss it to you, Rafa, and you can wrap us up.
00:15:07
Rafael Perez-Segura
Yeah, well, I'll just provide some additional thoughts in terms of practice. I think in terms of thinking of the environment, think bigger first than details. So think of the spaces you're trying to define.
00:15:20
Rafael Perez-Segura
And so where does the furniture go? When I tell the furniture. And if you have a less than ideal furniture interest situation, what I've done in the past when I worked when i did this in a public school setting, ahbra i brought ah desks together and then I made a wall with fabric over the desks. So they're still aesthetically...
00:15:37
Rafael Perez-Segura
pleasing.
00:15:38
Pat
that.
00:15:38
Rafael Perez-Segura
ah still Still wasn't to the level I wanted, but it worked.
00:15:38
Pat
Yeah.
00:15:41
Rafael Perez-Segura
And so I went to Joann's, or Joann's even around Michael's, whatever was it was, and I got some fabric. And that was pretty, like, it was blue, it was it was tranquil, it was semi-neutral.
00:15:55
Pat
Mm.
00:15:56
Rafael Perez-Segura
ah like it the the It was a summer school I was teaching and the whole theme that was put on us was the sea.
00:16:02
Pat
Mm.
00:16:03
Rafael Perez-Segura
so So anyway, think of the big things first and then consider what are you going to what materials do you want out in the beginning of the year? And then what materials do you maybe not want out, but you want to introduce, right? So in that way, how we organize our classroom is our planning. So if someone comes and looks at your classroom, that is considered part of your planning, in my opinion. So those are two quick things, I would say.
00:16:25
Pat
Also, what about blocks? we We didn't talk about the fact that if you can get a raised platform for the block building, it can also serve as a stage for different times if a project requires a stage.
00:16:30
Rafael Perez-Segura
Mm-hmm.
00:16:38
Pat
But if you can get a raised platform, ah that really helps create and a much better environment for but building. so So think about that. And we should someday post some pictures some and about the environment.
00:16:53
Rafael Perez-Segura
I was thinking linking to some pictures or that's where maybe a little a bonus bonus upload on the YouTube good could be helpful.
00:16:55
Pat
Yeah.
00:16:59
Pat
Right, right. Could be helpful, yeah.
00:17:03
Rafael Perez-Segura
ah yeah Yeah, sounds great.
Audience Interaction and Invitation
00:17:05
Rafael Perez-Segura
Well, as as we're winding down, then we invite you all to communicate with us through that form to or through the comments if you're on YouTube. Even I believe you can comment on Spotify.
00:17:15
Rafael Perez-Segura
and perhaps Apple. I'm not as familiar. And just let us know what your thoughts are, what's working, what do you think is missing, and just to be in conversation with us.
00:17:25
Pat
Yeah.
00:17:25
Rafael Perez-Segura
So I think that's it for now.
00:17:27
Pat
I would also say if you have a topic where you would like to be a guest and and discuss a topic with us about pedagogy, we'd be open for that. So send in your ideas.
00:17:36
Rafael Perez-Segura
Absolutely. Well, until next time. Bye.
00:17:39
Pat
Bye. See you later. Bye.