The Influence of Reggio Emila On How I Teach

As I devote a huge part of my summer to learning how to transform the BGE Art Zone into a center of choice-based learning, I have spent considerable time going through the massive library of photo documents that I have accumulated over the years. I will share those in a minute, but first I want to tell a little bit about why I want my students to learn in a choice-based classroom.

Most of my art instruction around the DBAE approach in which I was trained during the 1990's, but have always felt that impact of my brief experience with the Reggio Emilia  approach in 1998-99 made me the teacher that I want to be. That was the year that I went to graduate school to get a degree in early childhood education. To make ends meet I took a job at a childcare center in Atlanta, Georgia, making $5.25 an hour. I know now that the impact on my student loan debt (and the ancient Volvo that I ran into the ground) was well worth my time there. 

Some Polaroid images taken when the "atelerista" at a childcare center in Atlanta, Georgia.

 The children were pretending that the playscape was a ship amidst shark-infested waters. Two of the boys were stranded on "an island."

DBAE focuses on the production of art, art history, art criticism, and aesthetics. These are definitely valuable to our students, yet the approach is very teacher-centered. Reggio Emilia's approach to art education was designed in post-World War Two Italy for young children, so children and the way that they learn are at the heart of the approach. I always thought that it would be great to find a Reggio Emilia school to work in when I "retire" someday.

A huge part of Reggio Emila is documenting the learning of children through copious anecdotal notes and photographs. I might not be great at keeping anecdotal records for 600+ children, I do take photos as frequently as possible. This works best when I set up centers for my students to explore the visual arts through. 

In 2013 I attended a seminar on choice-based art education at the GAEA conference for art educators in Savannah, GA. While impressed with its connections to Reggio Emilia, I was not convinced that I could make it work in my classroom. Over time I have incorporated more and more center time into my students time in the art room. 

The photos below were taken in April 2015 during a Kindergarten class.

Biggie" straws, yarn, clips, & pipe cleaners!

A tower made by a Kindergarten student.

Even when lessons have not been centers-based, I have striven to document the learning process whenever possible. The photos below were taken in December 2015 during a lesson on value and hatching techniques with my fifth graders. Seizing upon anything that shows the how "to make something 3D" the students were truly engaged in this lesson. 

This last photo shows a value scale that I shared with my students, as well as the clear folder and Art Project Record that my students use to as portfolios and documentation of their learning. All will have a place in the art centers that will be used more often than not in the coming year.