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Charles Sturt is located at 860 Harrington Court in Burlington. Harrington Court intersects with Harvester Road, between Guelph Line and Walkers Line. There is a traffic light at the intersection. The entrance to the university is on the right, just where the “bulb” of the court begins. When you have turned into the driveway, turn left and immediately right, and continue to the end of the parking lot. Please come with a research question / area of inquiry in mind, and if possible with related documentation from your practice. Our intention is to form smaller groups that share an area of interest. Please confirm your attendance.
In the spring of 2011, one hundred educators from coast to coast participated in the Canadian Study Group in Reggio Emilia, organized by the Ontario Reggio Association (www.ontarioreggioassociation.ca). We were accompanied by nine from the United States and three from Switzerland. The participants included early childhood educators, elementary teachers, program supervisors, principals, pedagogical leaders, school district superintendents, artists, authors, students, and post-secondary faculty, along with a child psychiatrist and two consultants with the Ministry of Education. It was an interesting, curious, engaged group of professionals. The impact of this experience will be felt across the country for a long time. The beautiful spring weather in Reggio gifted us with the opportunity to gain a sense of the city, and to see how interconnected the schools are with this vibrant community. Amelia Gambetti indicated in her opening remarks that what she recalls when she thinks back over the almost 50 year history of the infant-toddler centres and preschools in Reggio are the challenges. “Nothing was given as a gift.” It is important for us to know this, or we could easily misunderstand the schools we see there today. To recognize that reality is constructed and can be challenged and improved is a significant lesson, particularly right now in Ontario where we are seeing serious interest in emergent curriculum and the Reggio philosophy in our Ministry of Education. We were offered many provocations to continue to consider in our own work. “How can we build a more democratic coexistence and a more global idea of citizenship?” “Epistemology and aesthetics are synonymous.” “How do we become a group, day by day?” “How do we learn how, and help children learn how, to listen to a place?” “We believe in a multitude of languages, however intelligent dialogue between materials is a stronger belief.” So many images linger, but perhaps the strongest is the joy that was evident in both children and educators – the joy that comes from deep engagement with important ideas in a context of belief in the intelligence of all involved. We saw challenging, creative work, schools full of researchers, the delight that comes from surprises, and the astonishing combination of pride and humility. We saw beauty and meaningfulness in every aspect of life. There were more than a few tears. I know that participants in this extraordinary experience have been sharing their understandings in their own communities. As we heard in Reggio, “every choice is a responsibility”. We heard one atelierista say that they have a firm belief that daily life is not banal - the everyday activities are the bones of the day, so are carefully thought through. We have returned to the bones of our everyday activities, more thoughtful, more inspired. We look forward to continuing this dialogue both within our communities and between us and the educators in Reggio. Karyn Callaghan
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One
community's exploration of the Reggio Emilia approach to early childhood
education.