Early Years Institutes
1 - Literacy in a Reggio Inspired Classroom
This institute is dedicated to providing an in-depth understanding of our Reggio inspired approach to learning, in the Early Years at ACS. In the two days we will be together, participants will attain a deeper understanding of the journey we experienced as we worked towards finding the melting point between the Reggio Emilia Approach to learning and the AERO Standards.
This institute will specifically showcase the learning in 3 different projects that took place in 3 different academic years. It will represent the implementation of developmentally appropriate pedagogy that encourages exploration and play, while tackling the AERO Standards in Literacy.
2 - Math in a Reggio Inspired Program
Children learn best when they construct their own learning in authentic and meaningful contexts. As young children play and interact with their environment, they have many opportunities to explore and investigate mathematical concepts. As educators, our role is to foster the children’s conceptual understanding of numerical relationships and mathematical reasoning, rather than focus on merely teaching skills, rules and procedures.
Through this institute, participants will explore how to promote numeracy development within a Reggio-inspired program.
3 - Projects in a Reggio Inspired Program
A project is an in-depth study of a specific area of inquiry that deepens the children’s understanding of themselves and expands their knowledge and experiences. A project is a platform for children to be owners of their learning.
What is a project in a Reggio Emilia inspired environment? How is it born? How does it evolve? What learning is promoted? How is the teacher’s role as a researcher, documenter, and facilitator manifested throughout the different stages? This institute provides a comprehensive overview of project work. Two projects from two different classes will be presented; both tackle the Concept of Change, but evolve in different directions.
4 - The Pedagogy of Listening: a way of “being and becoming”
This Institute will present an exploration into how learning happens in an environment founded upon listening. Listening means more than paying attention to what we hear; it is the nurturing of a receptive attitude to all forms of expression and communication. Young children come into a school environment as whole beings, with their own innate desire to construct meaning and find their place in the world. We will look at how the pedagogy of listening supports children in all aspects of playful inquiry. We will discuss the role of the teacher in creating and supporting an evolving community where children develop as capable and competent beings. Participants will engage in hands-on explorations, reflection, and processing real-life classroom scenarios. Topics to be discussed include: social and physical environment, ‘the 100 languages’, relationships, schema play, and documentation (assessment).
