EDUCATION


“Little kids have this marvelous habit of thought and action. It is the perfect time


to learn to trust their own method and creative process.”


—Laura Foster-Flynn, studio art teacher


“A beautiful thing


about this type of work is making children’s


learning visible through the arts, what the


Italians call a hundred languages.”


—Chris O’Toole, assistant head of Lower School


workshop. The children learn the words they need to tell the story of the slug or the hive or the house. They may begin by dictating their story to the teacher, and their first experiences of reading may be reading their own writing to a classmate or to the teacher. The teacher documents


“What is so beautiful


about the Reggio Emilia approach is that it respects children so


much. It feels spiritual because they see


children coming into the world with so much to give and so much to share.”


—Claire Kucera, first grade teacher


student work by keeping samples of their writing, by photographing things they create, and by taking notes during conversations with the students about their work. The documentation gives students a jumping off point for further exploration, and it helps the teacher identify interests and recurring themes. It also allows for sharing work with parents, keeping them abreast of their child’s learning and engaging them in their child’s education. “The relationship between


home and school is important and so is illuminating the important work the children are doing,” Kirstin said. “When the children see photos and see their conversations written down, it


6 OES MAGAZINE WINTER 2013 6


approach works best in small classes with teachers who pursue their profession as an art, two features that OES provides. The teachers learn along with the students, asking questions that stimulate the students to further exploration, and evolving their teaching practice based on what works with their students. Because the teacher’s creative role is central, people speak of the Reggio philosophy as an “approach” rather


than a “method.” As interest in the Reggio


gives validity to their ideas and the thoughts they are sharing.” Documenting student work


requires a lot of effort on the part of teachers. So does developing curriculum that follows the interests of the students. The Reggio Emilia


approach has grown among OES teachers, a dynamic relationship has developed with the Opal School, which pioneered the approach in Portland. Opal principal Judy Graves, who is a nationally


recognized expert in Reggio- inspired education, has come to OES as a consultant, and several newly hired OES teachers have come with knowledge of the Reggio approach. Kirstin got involved with it while


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