Every material, space, and invitation tells a child: You are capable. You are curious. Your ideas matter.
For many years now I have been greatly inspired by the Reggio Emilia
approach to early childhood education and have sought any source of
information that I could get my hands on! When FDK was first introduced
in Ontario many years ago I was thrilled to see that many of Reggio's beliefs were
interwoven in the document and honouring children's interests through
play, inquiry and documentation were highlighted. As educators who
follow a standardized curriculum we have great flexibility in our
interpretation and implementation of the expectations and this makes our
role exciting and dynamic.
I believe in having a fluid, evolved space that continues to change to
better reflect the needs of the children and support heightened
understandings of explorations and inquiries as well as enhanced
abilities in the various domains of learning. We want to support the
whole child in developmentally appropriate experiences and integrate
learning materials from centres in diverse and unconventional ways.
Some of the Reggio principles that have guided our work include:
- children are capable of constructing their own learning
- children form an understanding of themselves and their place in the world through their interactions with others
- children are communicators
- the environment is the third teacher
- the adults in the room are mentors and guides
- there is an emphasis and importance on documenting children's thoughts and experiences
- there are hundreds of languages of children and these are used to explore and communicate ideas and experiences
Our classroom door welcomes every learner and celebrates the diversity of our student population. Our classroom is a safe space for all.
A sensory wall welcomes children to the space along with a photo of staff and books to inspire those who visit.
A light up sensory table is also near the door and offers children an opportunity to explore different materials in a fun way. The trellis behind holds photos and vocabulary cards related to the materials being explored to encourage literacy behaviours.
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Above each child's cubby is a recent photo and painted self-portrait.
These change a few times each year (usually a new photo and
self-portrait per term) to help show their growth. We like including a
real photo to celebrate each child and love how the children use the language of art
to represent their perception of self. Our families are also represented on a photo wall located on one of our bulletin boards. We request family photos
at the beginning of the year and these are displayed together to help us recognize and celebrate the diversity that exists in our student population and help children feel represented in the space.Our quiet reading corner has a collection of books and trinkets and
treasures to explore. It's a comfortable area for children who want a
quiet space to read or rest. The shelf contains a collection of books that explore diversity and invite children to explore new and familiar families and traditions. This helps children feel reflected in the learning space and also helps them learn about other ways of being. Comfortable seating, cozy pillows and a whimsical light invite children
to stay for a while and read a book or chat with a friend.
Our math shelf has many things available for children. We include mentor texts, learning props, and documentation to showcase and support our program. Math organizers including number lines and ten frames are also available. Children are encouraged to explore these materials during play time, and having them housed together makes it easier when we need activities to support small group learning. Our drama centre changes based on the interests and requests of the
children. Currently it is set up as a little 'house'. We include many
real objects and antiques for the children to use in their imaginative play; real
objects communicate the message to children that they are capable of
using these tools and make the context for the imaginary play very real
and meaningful. Antiques make the space interesting while children learn to care for delicate objects.
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This is our writing area. We like to have a beautiful, inspiring space for the children to use when they want to draw pictures or write with their friends. Books are available to browse for writing inspiration. A variety of writing tools including markers, pencils, crayons and coloured pencils are arranged by colour in jars. Baskets of different kinds of paper including index cards, mini books, stationary and colouring pages are arranged on the shelves for easy student access. Alphabet charts and vocabulary cards are also provided to support student writing.
A survey is posted for children to practice reading and writing their names. At the beginning of the year it is educator created and as the year progresses children take over this responsibility.
We are fortunate to have a very large wall of windows on one side of the space and this is where we house our science and art areas. The view outdoors often inspires children as they observe nature and enjoy watching the wildlife outdoors.
An aquarium and plants provide opportunities for children to care for living things.
A mini table offers a chance for children to explore objects or a concept in depth. Here it is presenting colours using a puzzle, matching cards, vocabulary and a read aloud. Later in the year it will change to reflect different seasons and interests the children have.
Two sensory tables invite children to explore objects. The first is a large collection of natural shells collected over time. The round table changes with children's interests and usually holds sensory materials that can be manipulated including beans, pasta, sand and water.
This shelf houses baskets of different materials to encourage play, building and exploration including mini animals, rocks, sticks, wooden frame corners and dinosaurs. Children can use these materials in the red imaginary play table to create habitats for small world play.
A light panel encourages a different kind of play and exploration as different materials are rotated throughout the year (e.g., alphabet, shapes, leaves, flowers).
Natural objects are housed on this shelf for further exploration including shells, nests, feathers, fossils, jars with different natural loose parts, and animal cards. These are available for student observation and exploration.
Baskets of science tools are stored here for use as needed including shovels, rakes, magnifying glasses and tweezers.
The art studio is located in a sunny window of the classroom. The materials are aesthetically arranged to be accessible for children and also decorate the space. Materials are usually sorted and arranged by colour or type to help make the space aesthetic and functional.
A table in the middle provided a space for children to work. Sometimes an educator provided invitation is prepared to help children practice using tools or specific artistic skills. Other times it is left open for student inspired work. Thank you for visiting us! We love feedback and to learn about your classroom and program. Please share in the comment section below or connect with us on Twitter @McLennan1977.
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