There are a few things in this week’s reading that popped out to me. The first one is where documentation in Reggio schools is viewed as “assessments” and for American schools documentation is viewed as an evaluation. I’m an American and went to American schools all my life and I can identify with this. American schools are focused on the individual and not the group. When being graded it is all about the individual, even when doing group projects you are still being graded on what you contributed to the group. There have been those rare occasions where I was graded within a group and hated it. I felt that way because I felt I did more and deserved a better grade. I feel that we are taught to do our own work and if anyone would help it would be considered cheating. We do get graded for the work we do and it gets recorded in our individual records. It makes me wonder how Reggio based schools grade their students, if not as individuals but in groups, how? This sounds weird to me.
Another thing that popped out to me is the fascination that Americans have with Reggio based schools. Why is that? I’m one of them. I’m surprised with myself with how I’ve taken to Reggio based schools. No other school has affected me the way that Reggio has. I love everything that we have been learning about. My co-worker and I have also been able to verbalize what we are learning and try to implement it into our school. The only problem is that our director adds it to what the children are already doing which has now become a problem. But I try to look at it as a way of learning and things just need to be ironed out more (however I am also frustrated too). Are you also fascinated with Reggio schools and what we are learning about them? Why? I like the way Reggio schools document learning from a whole group, how the portfolios look, the way the children pick what they want to learn, how the environment is set up, and how the teachers teach the children. We even tried to put it in our assessments but it doesn’t fit with the objectives in our curriculum, just more things to iron out.
The other thing that popped out to me was the way the book outlined the differences of American schools and Reggio based schools. One difference is where American teachers notice, document, and report only on the work of the individual, where Reggio teachers focus on the group and the ways in which individuals move, interact, contribute, and learn from “the ways of learning of others”; and the second is where American’s focus on outcomes, achievement, and measurement of improvement over time, as to where Reggio’s focus on the actions of teaching, learning, playing, thinking, and other epistemological considerations. (p. 311). It’s amazing don’t you think? What’s amazing is this is the American way. Is this the American way you want for our children’s future? When it’s written out this way and placed side by side it makes me wonder why? How did we get to this point? Why didn’t we question it? Why are we continuing to teach this way? But even now knowing the difference and wanting a change, do you really think we would be able to change? A small change? Or a big change? If we were able to learn to teach the Reggio way what would it mean for the children and their future? I would love to see studies done with adults who were raised in Reggio based schools and see how they turned out.
Hey Susan,
ReplyDeleteVery interesting point that you brought up. It made me wonder also about the way America and Reggio school runs. America is base on individual whereas Reggio is base on group. I feel the same way where we are working in a group and we should deserve a better grade because of the work we do. However how are teachers to grade in groups? Is is required to grade base off individual or group. What is a grade? Its just a letter saying how well you do or not. Our society is based on being individual and we teach our young ones to do things by themselves. It is just the way we are all brought up that is pass down from generation to generation and no one changed it. Do you think that if we start them young and have them learn as a group and being in a group more, do you think we can be like Reggio schools? We read and hear about the ways that Reggio school runs, it does seem like a nice and wonderful place to be at, however how would Reggio school feel about America? Lets look at it from their point of view. Do you think that they are thinking how America is about individual and they want to be individual rather than doing group works? It is amazing to read about another school and try to adapt to their views, yet it is some what impossible to change everything within a snap of a finger. However if we start now we can be just like Reggio.
Hi Susan,
ReplyDeleteI wonder if your setting of a dichotomy between American schools and the schools of Reggio Emilia limits the possibility of being inspired. Does it have to be one or the other? Or is there another means to understand all of what we have been reading?
On p. 312 in the text, the last line in the first paragaph discusses ideas of children and childhood can be quite revealing. I wonder if a reflection on these simple parts of the early childhood classroom could begin a reflection on your practices and the practices of your colleagues. How do you view children? What do you think children are capable of? What is the purpose of childhood? Do your answers to these questions reflect on your daily practice? If there is not alignment, what needs to be rethought?
Jeanne
Hi Susan,
ReplyDeleteI do want to see how the children that attended a Reggio school how they turned out in their adulthood. But even with "The Diary of Laura" she turned out wonderful and was successful in life.
But why doesn't the United States change our teaching styles and implement the styles of Reggio? Why don't we incorporate how children are taught in Reggio? Why is the United States relying so much on tests if it hasn't shown differences in children's academic and social/emotional behavior? We need to start picking up on what works...
Ashley