Become a Creator today!Start creating today - Share your story with the world!
Start for free
00:00:00
00:00:01
On Head Start, a new school year, routines, and AI
0 Plays2 seconds ago
Mentioned resources
- Vox video on why more people wear glasses than before.
- NYT article on Head Start losing funding in NYC
If you ever want to share thoughts or ideas please reach out to us through our google form here!
Recommended
Transcript
00:00:01
Rafael Perez-Segura
Hey, Pat.
00:00:03
Pat Watkins
It's good to see you.
00:00:04
Rafael Perez-Segura
It's good to see you as well.
Introduction to 'Talking Pedagogy'
00:00:06
Rafael Perez-Segura
Welcome everybody back to Talking Pedagogy with Pat and Rafa, where we talk about all the things with Reggio and beyond, i would say.
00:00:14
Pat Watkins
and beyond. Yes.
00:00:16
Rafael Perez-Segura
Childhood. We were in preparation for this episode. Pat and I were talking about, right, like, including the news. Because unfortunately, there's some pretty big news that's going to impact a lot of people in New York and we wanted to talk about it.
Impact of Head Start Grant Cuts in NY
00:00:32
Rafael Perez-Segura
And for this episode, we're also going to talk about the beginning of the school year. And in a way it's a follow up to our last episode, we talked about setting up the classroom.
00:00:42
Rafael Perez-Segura
And so I've been with my teachers this past week, really focusing on routines and seeing the impact of a well-developed, well-organized classroom. So we kind of delve into that.
00:00:55
Pat Watkins
sounds good.
00:00:56
Rafael Perez-Segura
Yeah, so so looking forward to that. And then, Pat, you what's on your mind, if you want to say anything?
00:01:02
Pat Watkins
Yeah, you know, talking about the news, and we know that you may be listening to this after the fact, maybe months after the fact, but and we hope that the news would have changed. But in regards to Head Start, there was some really bad things that happened this week as far as the federal government pulling a grant from New York City.
00:01:23
Pat Watkins
to the tune of $70 million. dollars That just happened this week. So this week being the week of the 7th.
00:01:34
Pat Watkins
And so of September 7th. Yes, we just got past September 11th and it happened on Friday the 12th. So just some context, In this political time that we're living in it has been challenging for Head Start um Head Start um because there has been talk about a lot of cuts.
00:01:56
Pat Watkins
talk about DEI being erased within their curriculum and within their training materials and they're having to scrub a lot of things.
00:02:05
Pat Watkins
So that had already started, but then this grant was not renewed. It was a five-year grant, and I can't speak with total authority, but there is a great New York Times article for any of you who are interested in doing your own research.
00:02:19
Pat Watkins
good news is they have a year where all children who are currently receiving the wonderful services of Head Start will not be negatively impacted.
00:02:31
Pat Watkins
But past this year, we don't know. So i think ah ah that to me was kind of a a little bit of an earthquake in early childhood. And i'm really ah ah hopeful that within that year, there will be a lot of rallying and a lot of things done to make sure that this doesn't, you know, happen, that Head Start can continue to flourish because it is a program that to me, and later we're going to have, in this episode, but another episode, we're going to have someone speaking about her experience with Head Start as an immigrant and how much it helped her.
00:03:09
Pat Watkins
So we're pretty passionate, I think, both Rafa and I about, the Head Start framework and the program and organization and all the good that it does. And so anyway, we'll we'll hope that things improve as this year continues. But just wanted to to kind of give note to that.
00:03:28
Rafael Perez-Segura
Yeah, thank you. When we were talking about whether to even talk about the news, I was thinking that it's such an important point and and to really connect education with the wider community and society and in politics,
Political Influence on Education Frameworks
00:03:43
Rafael Perez-Segura
frankly.
00:03:43
Rafael Perez-Segura
So it's inseparable in that way.
00:03:43
Pat Watkins
Yeah.
00:03:46
Rafael Perez-Segura
So it's something I didn't know when you mentioned, it just happened yesterday as of the as of the recording of this episode. And that's very upsetting to hear. And at the same time, I find hope, for example, in New Mexico, where you had mentioned, reminded me that now that we do have more universal childcare and with the mayoral race in New York City and Zohran Mamdani I'm really hopeful and curious there'll be an expansion of universal pre-K in New York City as well.
00:04:18
Pat Watkins
Yeah, me too. Fingers crossed that things will get better. You know, that's what we're hoping. But there's a lot, a lot going on, I think, as far as conversations.
00:04:29
Pat Watkins
And I think that the new deputy chancellor is really on it, too, and seems to be really vocal about standing up for a lot of these programs. So I Yeah, hopefully everything's going to continue to be discussed and the outcomes will be positive. But we should all be very aware.
00:04:50
Pat Watkins
It is a very political time in education and education frameworks are changing, both in the higher ed institutions all the way down. There's a lot of shockwaves happening to us all.
00:05:05
Pat Watkins
And I think in some ways, Rafa, that was kind of an impetus that got us to really start this, is that we felt educators really needed a place to come and and discuss what's happening and how it's impacting them.
00:05:18
Pat Watkins
Because it is political. Public school has always been, hasn't it? um um And while we represent in our conversations both private and public, certainly we are big advocates for healthy public school systems. Yeah.
00:05:33
Rafael Perez-Segura
Absolutely. Absolutely.
00:05:37
Pat Watkins
been happening with you, though?
Back-to-School Strategies and Family Engagement
00:05:43
Rafael Perez-Segura
the first week, the first week, proper week.
00:05:43
Pat Watkins
it.
00:05:43
Pat Watkins
What's going on?
00:05:45
Rafael Perez-Segura
Yeah.
00:05:46
Pat Watkins
First proper week.
00:05:46
Rafael Perez-Segura
Let's get into the beginning of the school year. Last time we talked about the importance of setting up the environment, some thoughts and tips on that. And i think I had mentioned how was preparing my teachers in that moment to set up very warm environments.
00:06:02
Rafael Perez-Segura
environments that were organized that allowed for children's autonomy. And this week, the, children well, the more context about the school, several of our children come back.
00:06:13
Rafael Perez-Segura
our teachers often loop at this point with our kids, which is a big deal really makes things smoother.
00:06:17
Pat Watkins
Excellent.
00:06:20
Pat Watkins
Yeah.
00:06:22
Rafael Perez-Segura
There's been a big focus on yes open play and observing and just establishing rhythms of communications with families that are sustainable for us the educators, and also provides enough of a glimpse for the families as well.
00:06:39
Rafael Perez-Segura
So that's, I think we've hit the best balance we've ever had this year. We basically send a note through our and like in this case, we use an application called Brightwheel. There's no sponsorship or anything but
00:06:51
Pat Watkins
Yeah. Okay. Not yet. Not yet.
00:06:54
Rafael Perez-Segura
but yeah But we use Brightwheel and we send daily brief, brief updates and and terms of sustainability, been really working with the team on valuing.
00:07:08
Rafael Perez-Segura
small and
00:07:13
Rafael Perez-Segura
short and sweet and consistent and descriptive updates rather than trying to save everything for the end of the week, for example, or for the end of the month.
00:07:24
Rafael Perez-Segura
And so the ey art the team is really feeling the benefit of that already. And families have come up to me and said that they're really happy with communication this year. And it's more than they're used to.
00:07:35
Pat Watkins
That's great.
00:07:36
Rafael Perez-Segura
Several new several families new to Mi Casita this year have said that to me. so Doesn't mean I won't hear other opinions next week, but so far that's the feedback I'm getting.
00:07:47
Rafael Perez-Segura
And just working with the team on the layering of that cake, I think we mentioned last time that in terms the very, very basic.
00:07:52
Pat Watkins
Yeah.
00:07:54
Rafael Perez-Segura
So with our two-year-olds, the first time they made a line, we just talked about grabbing a certain colored piece. circle so we have circles on our line we used to go outside they're different colors and we um again we're a spanish immersion school so what circle time for one day was simply agarra grab agarra el aro grab the ring agarra el aro verde grab the green ring and it became like a very simple game that the little ones are really into and so had another educator in the classroom model for me and then we invited them and
00:08:26
Pat Watkins
Nice.
00:08:32
Rafael Perez-Segura
At first they looked at me like I had a, like with a deer in headlights. And then and after they they maybe processed more after a little more modeling with me and my, the other educators in the classroom, they started really getting into it and we were able to grab the ring and it was a very,
00:08:45
Pat Watkins
Mm.
00:08:51
Rafael Perez-Segura
Powerful example for me of the importance of breaking things down and taking our time and slowing down in that way. It took us a good 15 minutes between modeling, playing the game, and actually starting to make the line.
00:09:07
Rafael Perez-Segura
Because the next step was remembering to hold on to the line because they were used to the game until that point where they let go afterwards. So a lot of nuance. A lot of nuance forgot it.
00:09:18
Pat Watkins
I love that though, because basically what you're saying is you weren't looking for the end gold. Gold, that you were gold, I'm saying, because it really is gold when little two-year-olds know how to hold on to that safely so they can go outside.
00:09:32
Pat Watkins
But. You weren't thinking of that long-term goal. You were thinking of all the little pieces to get to it so that there could feel like a lot of success along the way as opposed to, but we didn't even get to go outside with them holding on today.
00:09:47
Pat Watkins
But instead being like, no, no, no, it's going to take a long time. And making a game out of it so that the children have that sense of playfulness and and yet have the time to really understand the importance of those instructions.
00:10:01
Pat Watkins
I think that's brilliant.
00:10:03
Rafael Perez-Segura
Thank you. was really wonderful. And i remember, so the context again is that the educator in that classroom is newer to two-year-olds. worked more with three and four-year-olds. And I offered, you know what, why don't I show you how you might teach this routine?
00:10:19
Rafael Perez-Segura
And she was very happy to accept.
00:10:19
Pat Watkins
Oh, yeah. Right.
00:10:22
Rafael Perez-Segura
And I remember thinking in the moment, I hadn't planned, if you will, but I remember what are the three steps I really want them or two or three steps I really want them to at least know to make, so eventually we can get outside. And
00:10:33
Rafael Perez-Segura
And then I told myself, well, if they're grabbing and they get really into it, then let's see, we can stretch a bit and then we'll try to make a line now and hold onto to it.
00:10:43
Pat Watkins
right
00:10:43
Rafael Perez-Segura
And then, and I wasn't, like but I wasn't expecting that necessarily, but then they were, they did it with some guidance, And then was like, okay, now let's walk through the school, just the school and see if they can stay in the line.
00:10:57
Rafael Perez-Segura
And we walked through the school and yeah, they started leaving the line and coming back to the line. And that was so great because that and they were able to, we were able to be playful in a safe and environment and like, oh, we stay in the line.
00:11:07
Pat Watkins
Yeah. Right.
00:11:09
Rafael Perez-Segura
This is what it looks like again. and And then the next day they were able to go out and the educators reported back that they it was very successful.
00:11:11
Pat Watkins
right
00:11:19
Pat Watkins
That's wonderful. That did not take long at all. But that, again, goes back to our strong image of the child, right?
00:11:22
Rafael Perez-Segura
Yeah.
00:11:25
Pat Watkins
They get it. They just need the time, right, and the right invitation. But they're totally open, ready to learn those types of things. And it's just us trusting them.
00:11:36
Pat Watkins
And I have to say, that does require a lot of trust. I never took my twos outside because I had a shorter play group where parents were actually in a waiting room or they, if they chose, they could visit with a psychologist, a child psychologist in the program that I was working in.
00:11:54
Pat Watkins
But, so I only had them for a short amount of time and we didn't get to go to, you know, the routine of going outside, but I know I would have been nervous in Manhattan doing something like that. So
00:12:06
Rafael Perez-Segura
Yeah.
00:12:06
Pat Watkins
I'm thinking that's so important because going outside is so important. And this is another news thing that I just want to throw in. And I can't, again, speak with total expert authority.
00:12:15
Rafael Perez-Segura
Bring it. Bring.
00:12:17
Pat Watkins
But my ophthalmologist told me that young children's eyes are currently not forming correctly because they're not getting enough sunlight.
00:12:27
Rafael Perez-Segura
Oh yeah.
Creative Use of Space and Materials
00:12:28
Rafael Perez-Segura
I've, I've,
00:12:29
Pat Watkins
And there, if you Google that, you'll find that this is true.
00:12:31
Pat Watkins
who
00:12:32
Rafael Perez-Segura
no, yeah.
00:12:32
Pat Watkins
and so I was like, oh my gosh, we have to get the kids more and more outside. And so one of the schools I'm working with in Massachusetts that's now becoming a Reggio Emilia inspired school, that is what they are doing. They're getting rid of their inside gym room.
00:12:49
Pat Watkins
They're turning it into the art studio. The Atelierista will be working within this big, much bigger room. And they are going to have their kids outside in all kinds of weather.
00:13:02
Pat Watkins
And they're investing in having some outside equipment for storage and and other things like that. So, i you know, it's just interesting that hopefully we're going to be called back to remember how important the playground and the third environment of nature as the third teacher, the and you know, how important that environment is to learning.
00:13:26
Rafael Perez-Segura
Oh, I love what you were saying, how they repurposed an existing room into the atelier and how they're aiming to go outside regardless of weather.
00:13:35
Pat Watkins
Yep. yep
00:13:35
Rafael Perez-Segura
It reminds me this week, so it was very lightly raining. it was very lightly raining. and But it was stopping and going. And we talked about, okay, well, if the kids are dressed up enough, we can try it can go out.
00:13:51
Rafael Perez-Segura
And if the children are not that uncomfortable, like visible and comfortable, like Let's try it. And so all classrooms ended up going outside. We noticed that we needed to remind families that, you know, make sure your child is properly dressed for the weather.
00:14:05
Rafael Perez-Segura
but sometimes understandably families bring them, let's say covered in a stroller so they don't think they need like a raincoat, right?
00:14:10
Pat Watkins
Yes.
00:14:11
Pat Watkins
of course.
00:14:12
Rafael Perez-Segura
So just a reminder, ah like you were saying, there's so much benefit to being outside and feeling the rain on your skin, for example.
00:14:19
Rafael Perez-Segura
And it was really light and it ended up working out. So I'm so glad that the team were able to do that.
00:14:25
Pat Watkins
And you know what you just brought up to mind? We always had painting smocks. For children that were easily wipeable. And those are perfect to put over clothes.
00:14:35
Pat Watkins
If you ever, if a child doesn't have the proper rain gear, those smocks are great.
00:14:36
Rafael Perez-Segura
wow. level
00:14:40
Rafael Perez-Segura
Absolutely.
00:14:42
Pat Watkins
And they're fairly inexpensive. They're just plastic overlays, basically. Yeah.
00:14:46
Rafael Perez-Segura
We have some of those. I'll see i'll see next time.
00:14:47
Pat Watkins
Yeah.
00:14:49
Rafael Perez-Segura
Thank you.
00:14:50
Pat Watkins
That's way is always thinking about right creatively how how to use and reuse materials in different ways.
00:14:56
Pat Watkins
But those would be really good to just throw over a kid so that their clothes don't get wet.
00:15:01
Rafael Perez-Segura
And then with your note about the eyes and eating glasses, there is an excellent video I found on YouTube by Vox, I believe.
00:15:10
Pat Watkins
Okay.
00:15:10
Rafael Perez-Segura
it explains the, in this case, it talks about why in South Korea when there was rapid industrialization, i think in the 60s or around then, or all of a sudden the need for eyeglasses shot up. And then it talked about the importance of the sun to eye development.
00:15:30
Rafael Perez-Segura
So that always stayed with me. And i was always i was already convinced it was important to play outside, but even before, I was like, no, we need to be outside.
00:15:37
Pat Watkins
Right, right.
00:15:40
Pat Watkins
I didn't know anything about it, but when he told me that, when I was asking him, had he seen a change in young children's eyes because of all the technology and time that they're spending, is, in fact, both of those things that are now conspiring against young children.
00:15:55
Pat Watkins
And so, yeah, we should do a whole segment on technology. I have very strong feelings about technology and young children.
00:16:01
Rafael Perez-Segura
Yeah, we should. That's a whole topic. Woo-hoo!
00:16:04
Pat Watkins
Yes. Yes. But, I think i love that you wanted to talk about the beginning of the year and draw us back into, all of the considerations. And I know we had a student of ours, Rafa, that just reached out and I thought it was really interesting because she's just become ah her school's atelierista.
00:16:25
Pat Watkins
So congrats to her. But she was asking about the beginning of the year and documentation and the layering in of expectations with artistic materials for young children and how do you approach that? And,
00:16:38
Pat Watkins
I think that that is really important that way you started by saying how you break the steps down.
Integrating Art, Technology, and Documentation in Education
00:16:47
Pat Watkins
The same, and we spoke about it a little bit last time we spoke, I think about like not putting all of the art materials out, but that's a gradual release as they become very familiar.
00:16:50
Rafael Perez-Segura
Thank you.
00:16:58
Pat Watkins
then you have all a lot of materials that the children can decide when they want to take out and are able to take out with autonomy. So I thought that was interesting that, you know, she was asking about also how do you document that?
00:17:11
Pat Watkins
And it really brought up the fact that in the first six to eight weeks or more, It is simply about that, right? About building the relationships to materials, to one another, and creating community.
00:17:26
Pat Watkins
And so I just, not being in a hurry again, you know, there's no rush to put all this work up.
00:17:34
Pat Watkins
There shouldn't be anyway. Okay. it's more about the work is what's going on inside in the building of relationships, right, to both materials and each other. And how do you document that?
00:17:45
Pat Watkins
And that's that can be a very simple process. It doesn't have to get overcomplicated. Just what's happening, you know, how what's coming out in the group meetings? What are some of the ways that you're getting children to understand that your group meeting time is for asking questions.
00:18:02
Pat Watkins
Are you bringing artifacts from something you saw? Like maybe you saw two children playing together and you took a picture of that and you bring that back to circle time and you're like, or group meeting time.
00:18:13
Pat Watkins
And you say like, what was happening here? Look at this picture. Oh, I wonder, i wonder, I was listening. And whatever age child you're addressing, of course, through that lens.
00:18:26
Pat Watkins
but But really thinking about that, like building that connective tissue and how it's happening and documenting that. What do you think? What do you what are your thoughts?
00:18:37
Rafael Perez-Segura
Yeah, and the idea of documenting being lightweight, I think is very important here. Ami and Casita were experimenting this year with using Google Keep, which is a Google app.
00:18:47
Pat Watkins
Oh, I don't know about it.
00:18:48
Rafael Perez-Segura
I didn't know about it either. And again, nothing sponsored. I'm not saying Google Keep, but if you're looking for ideas, ah ah Google Keep is essentially like post electronic Post-its.
00:19:00
Pat Watkins
Okay.
00:19:01
Rafael Perez-Segura
but very lightweight. the reason that I started thinking about using it was because we pay for Google Workspace as an organization, and it just lets we have Google Keep as a result.
00:19:11
Rafael Perez-Segura
So i was like, OK, let's just try it.
00:19:11
Pat Watkins
Excellent.
00:19:15
Rafael Perez-Segura
And so I've been talking with the our the team at Mi Casita about just taking very brief reflections every day
00:19:24
Pat Watkins
Yeah.
00:19:24
Rafael Perez-Segura
answering the questions of what happened, what might what might this mean, and then what are you going to do next? right That's the modest sense of it.
00:19:29
Pat Watkins
Yes.
00:19:31
Rafael Perez-Segura
But more specifically, this week we really focused on like whatever caught their attention and also what happened with the routines today. What might that mean about what routine that we want to work on or add visuals to or practice again?
00:19:46
Rafael Perez-Segura
And so what are we gonna do tomorrow, right? Very bite-sized. And then using those questions to then write a very brief note to families that's more parent-facing and more parent-friendly language, if you will, that allows the documentation to be of two uses for yourself to then when we revisit in our weekly meetings on Fridays, and also to make it much easier to send that daily brief update to families as well.
00:20:05
Pat Watkins
Right.
00:20:13
Pat Watkins
I love that. I'm going to tell you about an old fashioned way that I've been working with these two schools. I love the, what did you call it now? Google keep.
00:20:22
Rafael Perez-Segura
Ape. Yeah, teak.
00:20:25
Pat Watkins
We decided that in the two schools that I'm working with that are just becoming Reggio, that it would be important to have a community board, a literal board, where there is a question of the week.
00:20:40
Pat Watkins
And the expectation is that everybody has some input on the board about answering that question of the week. Also that there could be other categories that remain like materials needed for upcoming projects, successes, sharing a success,
00:20:59
Pat Watkins
And just a question to the to the community. i have a question. So answering a question, asking questions, but there being a central place and then somebody in the community and in one of the schools that will be the art teacher or the atelierista is gonna be monitoring it.
00:21:17
Pat Watkins
But just so that there is that ongoing connection within in the community, but kind of more in real time throughout the day, and also not on devices, but instead just so everybody can walk past and see it. Because I do think most everybody are really spending a lot of time on devices. But for some people, we work with people who, some people don't have that same amount of technology available to them. So being mindful that there's still some value and worth of just having that documentation board for you as your journey is happening as a community.
00:21:56
Pat Watkins
I don't know. What do you think about that?
00:21:57
Rafael Perez-Segura
Oh, absolutely. Absolutely. I love that idea of the central board with a question. i think it helps cultivate a culture of question asking in general. I think that's brilliant.
00:22:08
Rafael Perez-Segura
And then with the the idea of like the use of technology, and it it is very I have learned to be very clear with the expectations around it. So the first couple of days I actually told the whole team to put away their phones, I would take the photos.
00:22:26
Pat Watkins
Yeah, I love it.
00:22:28
Rafael Perez-Segura
eating with everybody. And then we started talking about, okay, if you document the moment, that's fine. But then you put your phone away because later in the day is when you're really supposed to, when the children are sleeping or during a designated, they also have designated planning time, of reflection time after that as well, to then look at it more and then respond more, right?
00:22:51
Rafael Perez-Segura
think technology needs to have a lot of guardrails around it and lot of norming because the point of technology, it works well when it's not keeping us from the present, I think, but it's helping us remember.
00:22:55
Pat Watkins
Yeah.
00:23:04
Pat Watkins
It's funny that you're saying that because this came up at one of the schools that I'm working with where they have their iPad for the classroom and that iPad is all it can be used during the day.
00:23:17
Pat Watkins
And I thought that was kind of ah ah a good way to put a guardrail up. It's like you can use your iPad to take videos and to take pictures, but it's not really able to be used for any other communication.
00:23:29
Rafael Perez-Segura
Yeah, I think that's really smart. Yeah. Yeah. that really smart
00:23:33
Pat Watkins
It's a cost because you have to buy those iPads for your classrooms, right?
00:23:37
Rafael Perez-Segura
yeah
00:23:37
Pat Watkins
But overall, I think that just makes so much more sense. Yeah. Yeah. Technology. I mean, we need to embrace it. And I i want to say that I've been using AI even more to take pictures of classrooms and then let AI show what it would look like to be Reggio inspired.
AI's Role in Educational Design and Planning
00:23:59
Pat Watkins
and the environments that they come up with. I think I mentioned this. Did I mention this in the last podcast?
00:24:02
Rafael Perez-Segura
oh You did tell us to me, actually.
00:24:03
Pat Watkins
I think I mentioned it. Yeah, but I'm getting even more into it. And it's so fascinating to me as a visual person, like just how powerful that can be for people who are really struggling with, I don't even know what Reggio inspired means. When you keep talking about the environment as a third teacher, when you keep talking about the soft colors and, you know, these natural textures and materials and lighting. I don't get it.
00:24:28
Pat Watkins
And one of the pictures that I hope we can share at some point shows so clearly because one of the schools has already transformed their admin spaces. And it's amazing the difference between what it looked like a initially and now what it looks like and how they feel so differently when they come into their space. it's It's fascinating. So...
00:24:51
Pat Watkins
Yeah. I love, I love AI for that. I'm not a whiz at it, but it's fun to see all the things it can do.
00:24:59
Rafael Perez-Segura
Yeah, AI for me has been most helpful in one of my thought partners, like not replacing other people, just an additional thought partner or...
00:25:06
Pat Watkins
Yeah. Well, you better not, you better not replace me.
00:25:11
Rafael Perez-Segura
No.
00:25:11
Pat Watkins
You're my thinking partner. Yeah.
00:25:13
Rafael Perez-Segura
yeah yeah the key partner and And it's also been the most, most helpful as a way to... For example, i want all of the peer reviewed research and that's out there publicly available around potty training.
00:25:29
Rafael Perez-Segura
like
00:25:29
Pat Watkins
Smart.
00:25:30
Rafael Perez-Segura
or they like
00:25:30
Pat Watkins
Smart.
00:25:32
Rafael Perez-Segura
There's so much so many things out there in general that are kind of pseudoscience-y or like work for some people but not for others. And so I have found it very helpful to help me think through based on research that's out there.
00:25:42
Pat Watkins
Yeah.
00:25:50
Rafael Perez-Segura
possibilities.
00:25:51
Rafael Perez-Segura
So yeah, I think technology is really great when it's used to create more, not when it's used to passively consume, like using AI to lesson plan and just leave it at that and do what it tells you, I think is the completely incorrect way to use it.
00:26:06
Pat Watkins
Yes. Yeah. Yeah. i I think so too. And I think especially with Reggio, you really can't, I don't see how anybody could use AI for lesson planning.
00:26:19
Rafael Perez-Segura
I mean, I could.
00:26:19
Pat Watkins
But i mean, maybe like it'd be interesting for us to try, right? Like to say we have a thread of interest and then put that possible thread of interest in and see what, what they come back with. This is what you should do next.
00:26:32
Pat Watkins
But
00:26:32
Rafael Perez-Segura
Well, I think it could be helpful as a brainstorm partner, especially if you're not in a school where everyone is doing Reggio inspired work. Like if you're alone, I think that could be really useful.
00:26:41
Pat Watkins
That's true.
00:26:44
Rafael Perez-Segura
still i still think it's better to use it in conjunction with finding a community, like reach out to us.
00:26:49
Pat Watkins
Yes.
00:26:50
Rafael Perez-Segura
but but but But again, I can really help get through some, in my experience, some bottlenecks when you're thinking alone about something.
00:26:59
Pat Watkins
Yeah. Well, I want to try doing that, though. I want to try putting in, i have an idea for a project that the children seem to be interested in and just see what AI would say, like in the ball toss way. Like, you know, if they would ball toss back, well, you need to further investigate. You need to ask more questions.
00:27:17
Pat Watkins
Are you wondering about this? Or are you just, you know what I mean? Like if it really will understand well enough the process
00:27:23
Rafael Perez-Segura
Yeah. Depends how you prompt it. I think you would need to tell it like, act like a pedagogical calling in a Reggie-inspired context while we discuss.
00:27:31
Pat Watkins
Oh, okay. i'm going to try it.
00:27:33
Rafael Perez-Segura
so you I'm sounding like I really know what I'm talking about. I don't. just play around with it a lot, and i've I've read things here and there.
00:27:40
Pat Watkins
Yeah, it's coming.
00:27:41
Rafael Perez-Segura
it that
00:27:42
Pat Watkins
It's going to be, it is going to be very, very important to understand and to know how, how best to use it. Right. And not be used by it. So.
00:27:51
Rafael Perez-Segura
Well, i am I am a little distraught by the environmental impact of it still. That's very much on my mind, and I'm at all... Yeah, it's one of those things where it's happening, and yet...
00:28:03
Rafael Perez-Segura
the the the world is literally burning up. So what are we going to do? i don't know. That's a much bigger question, but that's on my mind as well.
00:28:13
Pat Watkins
Yeah. I know today for me, I just did something that made me feel good. i Got all of my electronics and they're being recycled properly at a place and I'm taking them to a place to do that.
00:28:24
Pat Watkins
But yeah, that's a side note. But I think, yeah, I mean, our footprints are you know, what footprint are each of us leaving every day on the ecology, on our global consciousness and on those that we meet and that just come into our path.
00:28:39
Rafael Perez-Segura
Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
00:28:42
Pat Watkins
How are we showing up? And I think that's something that we all more today than ever need to be thinking about those moments and how you're showing up in those moments because it is a very contentious and divided time.
00:28:58
Pat Watkins
So yeah, I mean, let's be real. A lot has happened in the news that we won't even get into this week.
00:29:05
Rafael Perez-Segura
who
00:29:07
Pat Watkins
That was just mind blowing. So.
00:29:09
Rafael Perez-Segura
Yeah. woof
00:29:11
Pat Watkins
Woo. Woo.
00:29:11
Rafael Perez-Segura
Well, we're getting to the third year mark and I'm one, I think, you know what, let's maybe talk about, we've we've talked about a bunch of topics, but it's all been related to, it all stemmed from the news and the beginning of the school year and what emerged from that, which is very, it's a very, embracing the emergence of it all is a very Regan-inspired practice in my life.
00:29:12
Pat Watkins
Kind of. Yeah.
00:29:31
Pat Watkins
I would agree.
00:29:33
Rafael Perez-Segura
And so I'm thinking of some,
00:29:33
Pat Watkins
I would agree.
00:29:36
Rafael Perez-Segura
Any thoughts we may have about future topics or little ahas or just reminders that came up for us today?
00:29:45
Pat Watkins
I was thinking that it might be interesting to kind of work our way through the tenets, you know, let let the tenets kind of be a base for our conversations and really explore deeply each one that we have been kind of holding in our work that are most important to us that would like to share more about our thinking around.
00:30:08
Pat Watkins
But I also would really invite anybody who's listening to send in questions and ideas that you have that you would like to talk about. We are going to have a guest very soon, Marion, to speak about her Head Start experience, and we will continue to invite guests on. So, you know, this is a ball toss. We want to hear from you. So please do get back to us and let us know your thoughts.
00:30:35
Rafael Perez-Segura
Yeah, and we hope you enjoyed the conversation. Hope you feel like you're at the table with us. And yes, as ah Pat said, the please submit of your questions, thoughts through the Google form that should be linked in the show notes every time.
00:30:49
Pat Watkins
Yeah.
00:30:49
Rafael Perez-Segura
And we can't wait to be continue to be in conversation with you all.
00:30:54
Pat Watkins
Yeah. Thanks for listening. And and Rafa, thanks for just all of your wonderful ideas that you're so capable of sharing in such an eloquent way.
00:31:03
Pat Watkins
Always. It's such a pleasure.
00:31:04
Rafael Perez-Segura
I'm giving a lot of credit, but thanks. Yeah, as always awesome to chat with you, Pat. So until next.
00:31:11
Pat Watkins
All right. Until the next time.
00:31:13
Rafael Perez-Segura
Yeah.
00:31:14
Pat Watkins
All right.
00:31:15
Rafael Perez-Segura
Hasta luego. Ciao.
00:31:18
Pat Watkins
Adios. Bye.