Network Event

Dear colleague,
this is a warm invitation to join with us to participate in a West Midlands network of people inspired by the values and principles of inquiry based learning promoted by Sightlines Initiative. We are a national organisation promoting creative and reflective practice in early childhood education, referencing the work of the preschools and infant /toddler centres in Reggio Emilia in northern Italy.

ReFocus London, as part of the Sightlines-Initiative Network, invites early educators, artists and others in developing a creative and reflective approach to early years’ education and inspired in their practice by the pre-schools of Reggio Emilia, Italy. N.B: we have now reached room capacity - do please register though, and we will place you on  a waiting list and keep in touch with you.

ReFocus London: Open Meeting

5 pm start   6.30 pm  end

‘Keeping hold of our roots as we move forward’

Dear colleague,
this is a warm invitation to join with us to participate in a West Midlands network of people inspired by the values and principles of inquiry based learning promoted by Sightlines Initiative. We are a national organisation promoting creative and reflective practice in early childhood education, referencing the work of the preschools and infant /toddler centres in Reggio Emilia in northern Italy.

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.

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'.

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.

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

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.