Advanced Reflections to Reggio Inspired Practice

When

17 Oct 2016 - 18 Oct 2016
9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Asia/Singapore

Where

Melbourne - ether Conference Centre
265 - 281 Little Bourke Street, Melbourne, VIC

Event Tag

The workshop provides an invitation for participants to continue their journey toward a deeper knowledge and understanding of the Reggio Emilia approach to Early Childhood Education and teaching in the Early Years. The foundational principles of teacher as researcher, progettazione and the learning environment as the third teacher will be explored. Learning environments will be examined in terms of the atelier, a place of creative possibilities, research and the expression of symbolic languages. Plans for classroom change will be considered within the Reggio inspired framework of the Mosaic Approach to environmental design. Participants will engage in a variety of provocations and collegial dialogue aimed to encourage reflection on teaching practices, environmental revitalization and a Reggio Inspired image of the child, the teacher, the family and the school.

Objectives

At the end of the workshop, participants will be able to:

  • Reflect on one’s own pedagogical stance and teaching practice with the lens of a teacher researcher
  • Analyze and evaluate the implications of approaching curriculum and school life from frameworks inspired by a progettazione ideal and the school as atelier
  • Consider the role of the atelier as a place of creativity, research and expressive languages
  • Conceptualize the idea of the environment as third teacher with respect to a child’s sense of place, use of space and relationship to the built environment
  • Begin to plan for environmental design in Reggio inspired educational environments utilizing the Mosaic Approach
  • Actively engage with a community of learners through collaboration, active investigations, critical reflection and dialogue

Outline

Day 1:  Teacher as Researcher, the Progettazione and the Atelier

  • Introduction and sharing of experience with Reggio inspired practice
  • Explore the role of the teacher through a research lens, utilizing dialogue, metaphor and “pedagogical innovation”
  • Consider progettazione as educational action, weaving connections both metaphorically and physically as connections are created between planning and design, teaching and learning, the environment and professional learning
  • Tour several virtual ateliers to visually consider the importance of aesthetics to creativity
  • Explore intelligent materials, found in ateliers and construct plans to enhance opportunities for expressive languages to emerge

Day 2: Environment, Spaces, Relations and the Mosaic Approach

  • Reflect on the previous days dialogue with reference to the importance of aesthetics, progettazione and “the school as atelier” in environments for children
  • Utilize brainstorming mind maps to develop the “ideal” Reggio inspired environment
  • Explore the importance of relational forms in Reggio Inspired spaces
  • Engage in several research methods of the Reggio Inspired Mosaic Approach to environmental design
  • Create and share visual metaphors of reflections on the connections between Reggio inspired learning environments and pedagogy

Trainer’s Profile

Louise J. is a professor in the Bachelor of Child development degree program at Seneca College. Louise has a Masters of Education in Teaching and Learning with a research focus on teacher reflection and educational technologies and a Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Education. Louise has been inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach to education for young children and was privileged to travel to Reggio Emilia on a study tour where this inspiration grew. In addition to her teaching, Louise has facilitated workshops and conferences with early childhood practitioners and elementary school teachers. Most recently, she has focused on professional learning centred on pedagogical documentation, emergent curriculum, Forest Schools, professional learning through social media, making learning visible and Reggio inspired practice.

Methodology

This workshop is composed of opportunities for experiential and collaborative hands-on learning opportunities. Participants will have the opportunity to be fully engaged, interact with colleagues, reflect on, and document their learning in an environment that is supportive and meets an educator’s need to gain practical knowledge that can be applied to teaching practices.

Target Audience

Teachers, early childhood educators and administrators of children aged 2 to 8 years.

Investment
AUD750.00/pax
  
Other Details
Duration: 2 days, 12 hours
Closing Date: 1 Aug 16 30 Sep 16



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