Implementing the Reggio Emilia Approach in the Toddler Classroom: Meeting Standards with Project Work

Kelly Lenihan is a lead teacher at the University of Michigan’s Dearborn campus Early Childhood Education Center (ECEC). Mrs. Lenihan’s session focused on a Growing Project that was inspired when she realized that eight of her families were expecting babies and that this was on the minds of many of her students and their families. Through a project-based approach a variety of preschool standards were met.

Mrs. Lenihan described to attendees the ECEC environment:
-Reggio inspired program
-6 Classrooms – each classroom was in a cottage and children could visit rooms/centers as they wished
-A strong child-directed curriculum model
-Collaborative Program – Oakwood Hospital
-Inclusive program
-Therapists as support
-Playgroups
-Host family events together
-Inclusive summer programs – grad students, etc.

She then continued by describing the Growing Project:
-Toddlers understanding growth and development through pregnancy
-Finding an interest is 1st step
-During 3 semesters of school in 2008, there were 8 families expecting babies. The children were excited with the changes and talked about them frequently.
-Documentation – pictures (camera in hand at all times), video in classrooms, paper & pencils, tape recorder, observation, children’s representations with materials.
-Children’s observations (mother’s physical appearance, changes in family routines, changes at home, getting ready for baby, etc.)
-Finding similarities between families

Wanted to show the children that they were once a baby, too. They created a book that would help teach this. Asked parents to bring in a baby picture of their child and notes about a few things they did when they were babies. Then, included notes about what they can do now. This allowed them to do comparisons. This book was special to preschool students since they were in it.
Initially, Mrs. Lenihan just laid the book out and let children explore it. Then, after about a week they explored the book together and talked about what they did and what they do now. Even after a 2 week semester break the conversation continued because that was their interest.

-Added to the classroom baby materials, pictures of preschoolers as babies, cleaned out food containers, etc.
-Started connecting real life experiences to pretend play – dramatic play as a doctor caring for a baby.
-Learning from a visitor – Baby Adam came to visit the class, the children just observed him, wanted to feel him, Adam’s mom answered their questions, big brother became possessive and shared about things he does to help. Baby started crying and that lead to talking about feelings.
-Other babies then came to visit.
-Gave pretend babies a bath in the water table.
-Extending the children’s thinking – similarities and differences, traced their bodies on plexi-glass. They did that themselves and were talking about differences in hair color, eyes, etc.
-Children would go to centers as they wish. They would often bring their babies with them. Made puppets with pictures of children and put on popsicle sticks.
-Puzzles were created of the children. They were separated into parts. Could use pieces of their friends to make a new face. Amazing how toddlers knew who’s eyes, etc. they were looking at.

A session attendee asked how other educators document conversations between students and teachers. She said that she struggles to write these interactions while trying to watch several students at one time. One educator stated that she uses Dragon Speak software. It allows you users to talk into a recorder and then prints out what is said.

At ECEC staff meet weekly for about 1 hour during lunch (interns, etc.).
-Collaborate/Reflect
-Talk about projects based on children’s interests. Talk about what they are going to gather together.
-Someone asked how they deal with lesson plan requirements. Lesson plan can have experiences that happen throughout the day. Several attendees offered suggestions from their experiences. Chicago has 2 different forms. In Kansas they use a web format. They document what their ideas are and document what they actually do. Then, compare the two. Several people stated that they use CORE curriculum/assessment. Chicago uses Creative Curriculum as assessment tool with Reggio inspired philosophy.
-How to match curriculum and philosophy (how you interact with the child).
-Need to allow time to wait & observe to see children are/n’t interested in a given item.
-It’s really a paradigm shift from the teacher planning to child interests driving.
-Sign in board at school for parents to write down ideas based on what their child shows interest in at home.
-Did a project on a child’s perspective of taking pictures and another on things that have holes.

Kelly Lenihan, University of Michigan – Dearborn
www.umd.umich.edu/ecec