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Peter Reynolds, Reggio Emilia, and Me

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I’m still on Cloud 9 after Peter Reynolds, author of Ish and The Dot, let me know that he tweeted my Reggio Emilia post.  He even commented on my blog post.  It said, “Fantastic! This is such a great intro to the Reggio approach… everyone who interacts with children should read your blog. It will inspire people to dig deeper into this inspired approach to nurturing children’s gift, thinking, talents. Thank you again for sharing!”

How awesome is that?  Well, I had a few people let me know that they had no idea what the Reggio Approach is and don’t have kids at home, so they don’t know children’s book authors either.  Even though I usually stick to gardening, cooking, decorating, cleaning, and sewing posts on this blog, I thought I’d share a little about Reggio Emilia and some books by Peter Reynolds.  I have written about both of these on my other blogs.

Here is the original Reggio Emilia post that Peter Reynolds tweeted yesterday:

Reggio Inspired

Have you heard of Reggio Emilia, Italy?  I remember hearing a bit about this place when I was doing my undergraduate work, at Seattle Pacific University, in the 90’s.  I was introduced to Reggio Emilia again in about 2000, when I was working on my Master’s in Reading and Literacy.  The introductions were brief, maybe just a paragraph or two in a book.  About 8 years ago, I was chatting with a friend about typical teacher stuff and she was telling me about someone she knew who was going on a Reggio Emilia study tour.  That little conversation sparked my curiosity again. I remembered hearing something about schools in Reggio Emilia, but didn’t remember what made them significant.  My reading about the Reggio Emilia approach started at that moment.

I started by reading Authentic Childhood, Exploring Reggio Emilia in the Classroom.

I discovered a favorite book about teaching art in a Reggio inspired manner.

Then, I discovered Playful Learning. It was like lights shining down from Heaven and angels singing.

I signed up for an online class in Creating Playful Spaces and started organizing my home and classroom differently.  I told families about the book and classes and showed them specific examples of how to incorporate Playful Learning into their homes.  It was right about that time, that I decided to create Love, Laughter, and Literacy. An early childhood literacy blog was just the thing I needed to help me really dive into issues and trends as well as support families.

So what does it mean to be Reggio Inspired?  And what’s the story behind this type of learning?

The town of Reggio Emilia was virtually destroyed after WWII.  The people living in the town didn’t want to wait for their government to figure out how and when to rebuild their schools, so they decided to do it themselves.  Brick by brick, and book by book, they built their schools.  They did it the way they knew schools and education should be built… with kids at the forefront.  This would be an approach to education that challenged and accepted the gifts that all kids brought with them each day.  We often talk, in education, about meeting the needs of the children.  In Reggio Emilia, kids are viewed as people who bring their own unique gifts and talents to the classroom, not just empty vessels ready to be filled. Teachers in Reggio Emilia don’t “meet the needs” of their kids, they create experiences that enhance the gifts that each child brings.

Reggio Emilia schools help children learn in different ways from traditional American schools, but have inspired many to try their methods.  Reggio Inspired schools were born and study tours were developed to help educators learn more about the schools.  A Reggio inspired school is one where the teacher understands learning to be grounded in experience.  The environment is considered the third teacher and teachers set up a space that encourages inquiry. (Two teachers reside in each classroom.)  Every space is created in a manner that engages students and parents.  There are many more elements that make Reggio schools special, such as integration of transparency, the Hundred Languages of the Child, making learning visible through documentation of learning, and the amazing Ateliers and focus on the arts.

I’m taking baby steps toward my own Reggio Inspired classroom and home life.  Our homelife is grounded in experiences.

 My classroom, in my old school, had a designated Atelier, although there is not enough space in my new building.

Even without this dedicated space, there is still a focus on the arts in my kindergarten class.

 I am introducing more inquiry based learning into my classroom too.

You can see more photos of these projects by searching Instagram for #CTInquiry and #allaboutinquiry.

 I’ve been specifically focusing on my documentation of student learning through photography this year and it’s been an amazing process.

I’m certainly not “there” yet, but I’m inching closer. (The schools in Reggio Emilia weren’t built over night and my Reggio Inspired classroom can’t be built that quickly either.)  High on my list of priorities is a study tour to Reggio Emilia.  I would LOVE to go in the next year or two… we’ll have to see about that.  Meanwhile, I will keep reading and getting more inspiration.  I’m excited about a new documentation process that is coming to our school, called WAKIDS, and the possibilities for transforming my environment and structure to fit the needs of center based/inquiry based learning.  In my vision, it all blends together perfectly.  Only time will tell if I can actually make that happen!

If you know me from the educational setting, you’ve probably heard me talk about the Reggio Approach many times.  In fact, I think I see eye rolls once in a while when I bring up a new Reggio book I’ve been reading.  I’m inspired to make changes to my own class, but I also see a need for change in our entire system of education.  I was chatting with my principal yesterday and we were talking about the big push to get kids “college and career ready” but I think the entire system of education needs to define what that really means.  Careers are different than they were 20 years ago and they will be MUCH different when my kindergartners graduate from high school or college.  Are we really doing our kids a favor by forcing them to conform to the “standards” that we expect and testing them based on those standards.  (Yes, I believe that having common standards to teach toward is a good thing, but that getting to those standards needs to look different for every child. In addition, I DO NOT think that standardized tests are the way for YOUNG children to demonstrate their learning. Don’t get me started on that!)

Kate, at An Everyday Story has a great description of the Reggio Approach on her blog.  Click on the picture below (photo from her blog post) to take you there.

I hope you are as inspired as I am to look more closely at the Reggio Approach.  It has changed my image of the child and deepened my understanding of how kids learn.

Happy exploring!

And here is my original post on Peter Reynolds’ books.  It was so awesome to see that he read my blog post and appreciates my work!  It’s a teacher/blogger’s dream come true!

Art-Ish

Oh, how I love art!  I am, by no means, an artist.  As a mater of fact, I FEARED art as a child.  I could not draw to save my life and it seemed that it was always part of every subject.  We had to draw models in math (pictures to represent our thinking) and it went hand in hand with the subject of writing.  That doesn’t even begin to touch the traditional – Friday Art Project.  I was no good at it, and it really frustrated me, but I wished I could do art because I loved the idea of it.
When I became a teacher, I decided to take the fear out of art for my kids.  I started taking art classes for teachers in college and have spent many years practicing art with my own kids.  I can honestly say that I am no better at art than when I started, but I’ve learned to overcome my fear. I strive to find the art in every day life and make things beautiful around me. My big learning is that it just doesn’t have to be perfect… that’s all.
When I was at the NAEYC conference in Dallas, a few weeks ago, I was able to hear Peter Reynolds speak.  I could have listened to him all day.  He just GETS kids.  He knows their thoughts and fears when it comes to art and creativity and helps them think outside the box.  The books, pictured above, are a trio which really inspire kids to be the artist THEY are and not try to be perfect.  Sky Color, Ish, and The Dot are absolutely beautiful stories about the fact that it might not look exactly like a house, but it’s house-ish.  Today, we did some Peter Reynolds inspired art.  It didn’t have to be perfect, but it was our way of practicing small motor, trying to draw something new, and then adding labels later.  
It was good day, and we were ALL artist-ish.
Enjoy creating art!!


Wire Crafting With Kids

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A few days ago, I wrote a post about some fun activities to do with your kids over Spring Break.  A couple of people told me they took my suggestions and bought an item or two!  Yay!  I hope you are all enjoying a little at-home-creativity.
Well, my daughter and I decided to take on a bit of wire crafting yesterday.  It’s pretty fun, friends!  I’ve never done anything with wire, except using it to trellis my fruits and veggies in the garden.  I’ve been interested because it’s something that is introduced quite frequently in Reggio Emilia, Italy.  (You can read more about my Reggio Emilia obsession on my literacy blog).  I brought out the materials for wire crafting and my daughter was a bit intrigued, but didn’t know what to do with them.  I do want to grab a few books from the library, to get some more ideas.  We pulled out the iPad and looked up some tutorials on You Tube.
One of the first tutorials to pop up was a ring.  This was my daughter’s first attempt.
I love it!  She loved it so much she hasn’t taken it off since she made it.  
Here are a few product suggestions to get you started, if you are new to wire crafting.

I have a Pinterest board set up for wire crafting now.

I certainly don’t have the patience for some of the amazing tutorials I have seen online, but there were several things that might be fun to try.  I’m most excited to introduce this as a medium for demonstrating learning in our nature provocations in the classroom.  (Ok, that just confirmed that my teacher-brain is always running!)
Happy wire crafting!

How To Keep Your Kids Busy Over Spring Break

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Spring break is almost here!  We are sticking pretty close to home this year and it made me think about what we are going to do to keep ourselves busy.  This blog is all about home and family.  I love to share cooking, sewing, gardening, and art projects that we are doing around here so I thought I’d let you in on my secret weapon.  I must confess that I don’t always come up with amazing ideas on my own to keep my daughter busy.  I love books and I’m always on the lookout for fun How-To books for her.  Over the past few years, these have provided hours of entertainment.
*In full disclosure, I’m part of the Amazon Affiliate program, so if you choose to buy a product by clicking on it, I get a little kick-back.  I promise, I wouldn’t tell you to buy these books unless I really and truly loved them.*
First up is the Mom and Me Cookbook.  I have a pretty big children’s cookbook collection and this one is my absolute favorite.  
If you’re up for a little sewing, this book has some great projects for beginners.  My daughter and niece made both of the projects on the front of the book, had a great time, and learned a new skill.
 
 
If gardening is your thing, then this next book is great for getting a few little projects going.

 
 
The next item is something that I don’t actually own, but it is on my wish list.  I’ve been wanting to do some experimenting with wire art in the classroom and at home.  I thought this would be a good way to start and see how we like it.

 
 
I bought this pipe cleaner book when we were on vacation and needed an activity for our down-time.  It was a great way to keep kids busy.  Did you know the best way to cut pipe cleaners is with nail clippers?  The book comes with pipe cleaners and shows you how to make all sorts of different animals.

 
 
Ok, this one is awesome.  Have you ever heard of watercolor pencils?  You color with them, like normal pencils, but then you add water to the colored-on paper with a paintbrush.  It makes it look like a watercolor painting!  You might be thinking, “Ok, that’s great, but I can’t draw.”  Well, neither can I!  This book walks you through the drawing process, step by step, and you end up with a pretty cool product.  My daughter liked this one and even framed a few of her paintings.

 

My last suggestion is the Loopdedoo.  It’s a little “machine” that helps you make friendship bracelets out of embroidery floss.  Each bracelet takes just minutes and there are tons of different looks you can make.  This was a Christmas present one year and it kept my daughter busy for the entire break.

I can’t wait for Spring Break.  Sigh.  Arts and crafts, gardening, sewing, and baking are on my To Do list.  Doesn’t that sound lovely?

Happy shopping!

Organizing Art Supplies for The Kids

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I’ve been on an organizing kick since school let out for the summer.  The weather is terrible anyway, so I figured that I might as well get as much indoor work done as I can before the sun comes out.  So far, I’ve gone through my closet, my kids’ closets, my son’s entire room, the pantry, old games and electronics, and the bookshelves in the family room.  Whew.  I’m tired, just thinking about it. 

One of my first organizing projects was the kids’ art cubby.  We have one of those awkward cabinets on the back side of the kitchen cabinets.  A few years ago, we converted this to the kids’ art cubby.  It’s right by the kitchen table, so it’s the perfect place to store art supplies.  Well, it was absolutely overflowing with art supplies.  I couldn’t even close the cupboard doors, but with all of the craziness of the end of the school year, there was no way I could get my act together and reorganize this area.


My kids use this cupboard all the time.  My son only uses it when he has an assignment to complete, but my daughter pulls out art supplies almost daily.  An organized space makes it so much easier.  We have bins for watercolor paints, washable paint, stickers, light table and tracing supplies, markers, gel pens, drawing pencils, and card making supplies.

 

I also restocked the writing center with notepads, envelopes, paper, cards, and premade blank books. My daughter and her cousin started writing a book, within about 5 minutes of noticing the newly organized writing center.

I love having the time to get my home organized again.

Happy organizing!

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Mixed Media Art Project

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I have a confession to make.  I’m a wanna-be-artist.  I’m the first one to admit, I have zero artistic talent.  I took a drawing class in high school, because I truly wanted to learn to draw.  I learned how to shade an apple, but that was about it.  I work with two talented, artistic, teachers.  Jennifer and Angela are my mentors when it comes to art.  I strive to be more like them.

I really enjoy the artistic process and I’m constantly trying to find ways to instill a love for art in my classroom, school, and home.  Even though I’m not “good” at art, I still have a true appreciation for the beauty artists bring to their spaces.

When I think of “art” I automatically think of drawing, sculpting, and painting.  I am horrible at all of those things, which makes me say that I’m not a good artist.  I try to remind myself that their are many other ways to enjoy art.  I absolutely love to sew.  I make quilts, pillows, home accessories, drapes, valances, and recover furniture.  I could easily get lost in the kaleidoscope of colors and textures in a fabric store.

 I also have a passion for photography, another form of art in which I have to remind myself, “This really is art.”  It takes an artistic eye and talent to compose beautiful images the way professional photographers do.

 There you have it, two things that I love to do, that bring me a little closer to being artistic and a little further away from wanna-be.

Over the break, my kids and I tried a new mixed media quilting project.  I’m not sure I love the way the finished products turned out, but we all enjoyed the process and IT’S ART!

We started with a piece of felt.  Mine was 12×12.  The kids both wanted 12×18.

We used spray adhesive to hold down the strips of cut up fabric.

Next, we added pieces of scrapbook paper, with the same spray adhesive.  It’s important to be careful to only get the spray adhesive UNDER the pieces of fabric and paper.  My son got a little carried away with the spray and some got on top of the art work.  That made the sewing step very challenging.  Once the fabric and paper are secured to the felt with spray adhesive, you’re ready for the sewing step.

I was really excited for my daughter to try this step.  She’s been wanting to try out different stitches on her sewing machine, but isn’t so interested in just practicing on a piece of scrap fabric.

I choose to do lots of straight lines all over my piece.  I made the lines a little crooked.  I didn’t want my piece to be as precise as I make my quilts.

When my kids were ready to sew, I showed them that mine wasn’t perfect.  The lines went every-which-way.  My kids loved trying different stitches all over their pieces.  This was a great way to try out the sewing machine without feeling the pressure to make things perfect with a 1/4 inch seam allowance.

Then, we were ready for the gel medium.  I bought a jar of glossy gel medium at the craft store.  We brushed the gel over the whole art project and let it dry overnight.

Finally, the last step was adding acrylic paint over the top.  I told the kids they could do anything they wanted.

My daughter added little dots and swirls, while my son added black lines and quick brush strokes.

We just used the plain-old acrylic paint, from Michael’s, that we had in the kids’ craft cupboard.

The kids’ project turned out great!

I like the way the paint brought out the stitches in my project.

As finished products go, the kids’ were great.  My project looked a little poopy, if you ask me. (It’s been a long time since I’ve used the word poopy in a sentence.) My project is the one on the left, with the brown paint on it.  I was going for a neutral look, but poopy brown paint didn’t work out the way I had envisioned.


Well, there you have it.  As I said before, I’m not artistic when it comes to painting.  I’d say the project idea was really fun, even though I didn’t like my finished product.  It gave the kids the chance to do some collage in a mixed media fashion and I was really excited about the practice they had with the sewing machine too.

Happy art time!  (I hope your project turns out less poopy than mine!) 

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My Kids’ Projects

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I’m so excited to share my kids’ latest projects with you!  Yesterday, I told you about how they made some delicious bread together.  Well, here are two of their summer projects.

My 7 year old decided she needed a change in her room.  She has been learning to sew, on her own machine, so I suggested that we make something new for her room.  After browsing through the fabric store, she decided on this fabric.  I helped her do the cutting and I sewed the ribbon-ties on the top for her.  She did everything else. They’re lined with white muslin and look absolutely beautiful in her room.  I was very impressed with the way they turned out!  Not too bad for a first grader and a sewing machine!

This was my son’s project for his room.  I have to admit, I doubted him.  I even tried to talk him out it.  I stood at the paint counter at Lowe’s, shaking my head. In the end, I think it’s pretty cool.  I was watching HGTV Design Star one day, when he walked in the room.  One of the designers had made a big wooden “RELAX” sign for the wall.  He asked if he could do something like that for his room.  I probably said something like, “Sure, Pumpkin, that would be really cool.”

Next thing I knew, he was setting up the saw horses in the garage and sketching out a plan.  He pulled out the large piece of plywood from the wood pile and was ready to go! His dad helped him with the jigsaw and he and one of his friends painted the sign with several coats of paint.


It looks really cool in his room!  I told him he should make more and sell them.  Momma needs a new pair of boots!!!

The moral to the story – Let them create!  You’ll be surprised at what your kids can pull off.

Happy creating!

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Home and Family Friday

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I’m loving the way our beautiful art area is taking shaping outside of my classroom.  It’s far from done and there is lots of organization needed, but the kids flock to this area every day.  It brings me such joy to see kids create, without adults hovering or leading.  They look around, find interesting materials, and just create.

The chairs came from Goodwill and garage sales.  I covered them with paint drop cloths that were painted with stripes or inspirational words. 

Here’s the before picture of the space.
In honor of kids and art, I’ve featured the paper beads from last week’s linky party.

The kids could totally make these!
We’re ready for our next linky party.  I’d love it if you’d grab my button and become a follower.

Quality Art Materials

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My son needed some new colored pencils for a project he was working on at school. At the same time, in my class on creating playful spaces, we were talking about creating spaces for art and using quality materials. I’ve always been a fan of buying quality art materials, but my idea of quality is Prang watercolor instead of Rose Art. (If you’re a teacher, you know what I’m talking about.) I started thinking that I really should replace a few of our art materials and anxiously awaited the Sunday adds for Michael’s. I was thrilled, when I saw that art supplies were 40% off this week.

My daughter and I hit the craft store, and instead of buying cheap crafts, we bought quality art supplies. I bought a nice set of Prismacolor colored pencils, a set of metalic colored pencils, sketching pencils with fun erasers, two sketch pads, and my favorite…. watercolor pencils. Oh my goodness!!! If you have never heard of, or used watercolor pencils, you are in for a treat. Clip your Michael’s 40% off coupon and rush to the store right now. We bought an inexpensive watercolor pencil set to see how we like it, but my kids were begging for more colors. They’ll just have to wait until the next coupon comes out!


My daughter loved all of the pretty colors in our new pencils. My son was more excited about the sketching pencils. He also looked up beginner drawing lessons on You-Tube and practiced shading.


 It’s so cool to see how something as simple as new pencils can inspire your kids and add joy to the afternoon!

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