Events Archive

London ReFocus Open Meeting

Guest speaker : Penny Lawrence

We are fortunate in having Penny Lawrence presenting at this open meeting.
Penny ran the video centre and worked in the documentation team at the municipal pre-schools and infant–toddler centres of Reggio Emilia for three years. She is currently Senior Lecturer in Early Childhood Studies at the University of Roehampton.

Penny will draw on her experience working in Reggio to consider how the 100 Languages of Children are involved in dialogues between children and the world around them.

A one-week study visit to learn about and be inspired by the world-renowned educational approach of the preschools and infant-toddler centres of Reggio Emilia. This course will explore the key principles underpinning the Reggio approach to early childhood education. It will involve lectures, presentations, discussion groups, exhibitions, visits to preschools and infant-toddler centres.

This day is designed for those wanting to explore the possible ways of practicing the principles of an environment of enquiry, and have a dialogue with a committed staff group who are making keen endeavours to explore and develop their own practice.

“Trimdon Grange Infant and Nursery School is outstanding in every respect.
Its reputation is justifiably high both within the local authority and further afield because of its inspirational curriculum and amazing levels of creativity. Pupils excel in their learning and make outstanding progress ... Standards are consistently well above national averages. All pupils, including more able pupils and pupils achieve exceptionally well. This is a direct result of the stimulating and innovative approach to teaching and learning in which pupils' interests in innovative, practical topics form the basis for learning.” OFSTED 2009

This is a school with which we have had great pleasure in working with over many years, and with whom we've developed several learning projects and publications, including 'The Sounds of Leaping' and 'The Drama of Sound'. On this day we will explore how the principles of Sightlines Initiative can be developed in your daily practice; the influences and inspirations from Reggio, the evolution of the school's pedagogy and the inevitable challenges.

I can see you and you can see meSightlines Initiative Network members present experiences of early years centres and educators being inspired, finding new enthusiasms and abilities in supporting children’s deep learning; illustrations of children's sociable, imaginative and deep learning

The London & West Midlands Network groups, and others in the Sightlines Initiative Community Network will present and discuss recent and current experiences in their developing of creative pedagogy.

An introduction to the network, for educators interested in change and listening to children

As part of our focus on making children's thinking visible, today we will be particularly exploring together how we can value the participation of individual children in group exchanges.

• What does ‘group’ mean to the children?
• How do children see each other?
• What is the physicality of a group?
• Is enough consideration given by educators into ‘the grouping’ of children?
• What are the respect and values of a group?
• What are the possible responsibilities in a group? How do the children connect with each other in a group? (leader/observer/follower).
• What is the role of the educator?
• Considering how we gather the contribution of the parents voice.

We are a new group, beginning to work together, and we welcome new participants. Participation is free to Network Subscribers (please sign in on the form when you register - the form will give you the 100% discount). The cost to those who are not yet members is £10.

encountering, enquiring, exchanging, expressing, learning

in a hundred languages

A weekend for early childhood educators to encounter the work of Reggio Emilia and develop their own competences in working across the range of expressive languages in supporting their children’s learning and meaning-making.

How can educators:

• Actually create places for learning in many expressive languages?
• Learn when and how a new expressive language can be brought into children’s enquiries?
• Explore expressive languages themselves, to better build their own competence and familiarity?
• Show the outside world how this interwoven learning practice works, tor the deep enjoyment, benefit and learning of the children?

Both days will feature educators from Reggio Emilia & their work.

The first day will be a presentation style conference, with lots of time given to the detailed exploration of enquiry projects. It's possible to attend this day only and we welcome students to this day.

The second day is for those who wish to focus, seminar-style, on exploring participants’ issues in the development of their educational practice, with the opportunity for detailed exchange with our Reggio Emilian colleague.

POST-EVENT

Click More Details for further details including 2015 conference reviews, and Participants' Comments from the Saturday. 

Strategies for Reflection and Analysis

4.30 - 6pm

The London ReFocus group will have an open discussion - for guests and members, focussed on 'hearing and observing children's ideas.' Attendance is free for Sightlines Subscribers, £5 for guests. Everyone needs to register in any case, to give us the correct numbers (the Subscribers' discount is applied automatically.)

Using video observations, we will explore some of the ways of getting into meaningful dialogue which we have described in the diary item: 'Hearing Children's Theories'.

Today, through two meetings in different parts of the county, Dudley and Coventry, we will explore the principles of enquiry based practice and meaning-making developed through expressive languages. We will begin to work together on a small shared project. Through mutual support and participation we will challenge the dominant approaches in the field of early years education and care, making visible our optimistic and joyful view of learning and teaching.

Participation is free to Network Subscribers (please sign in on the form when you register - the form will give you the 100% discount). The cost to those who are not yet members is £10.