When we look back over the last year, we recognize the emotional weight of isolation that made us long for each other, you and ‘the old days’. Your gift of two days spent in conference with Tiziana Filippini and Loretta Bertani had us reaching for ‘new days’ full of joy when we came back together on Tuesday, March 9th. Tiziana loosened some of our cognitive knots when she talked about the “boundaries we needed to overcome, to re-discover, to respond to the construction of today, to recognize boundaries within us in our mental frameworks, boundaries as the horizons of our thinking, individual and collective.” As Tiziana said, we need to “step outside of our mental framework and challenge ourselves to look at the world as children do, as multiple, interdisciplinary and interconnected.” – Susan
We are well versed in applying theoretical concepts and reflected together on Monday, the 8th, that we were mostly enamored with the ideas of enriching the smaller moments and deepening our expressions of knowing your children so well. We are setting aside old notions and embracing renewed strategies that have us, as teachers, providing opportunities for the children to repeat experiences (that they understand, that are rich) in order to support them in making new discoveries and build upon their previous knowledge. As Tiziana reflected on 5 yr old Giulia’s revisiting work with her seven drawings of the daisies, “How could she get bored? She was challenged…every time.” And, importantly, those repeated encounters with objects and materials can bring “new questions and new pleasures.” – Dana. Repetition allows for variations through the use of languages – Cynthia.
In all contexts and transitions we encounter as a teachers, we must keep our high image of the child present and it must be reflected in the context we provide for children and families daily. Giving children the opportunity to re-organize their previous knowledge. As a teacher, our role is to bring variations and different entry points that illuminate the children’s knowledge. –Adriana. Therefore, here is what we take away from our incredible professional development: Crossing Boundaries begins with us and our disposition to work together during these challenging times. Flora
We are putting this into practice by reorganizing our work and shifting our roles to extend the day with children while maintaining the time to enrich their experiences daily. For me, I am energized and ready to reclaim my role as Pedagogista and to break out of the confines of the office and organize planned times to spend in the classrooms connecting the teachers’ intentional work with the children and to each other across pods and wings so as to strengthen our interconnections. By keeping a shortened day on Fridays, we will have the much needed time to meet and pour over notes and photos in order to offer you documentation that brings you into the children’s and teacher’s learning and our shared goals for education.
We are forever grateful to be working in this learning environment with caring Protagonists (parents, children, and teachers) and for a community of colleagues who continue to hold our hands on this learning journey. There’s still lots to do and I am ready and energized. More to come. Thank you- Kristin
