The photo and its caption clearly mark the beginning of a project inquiry in the preschool classroom focussing on shells. Visual documentation, which is mainly photographs, is a fundamental element in Reggio inspired documentation, especially when the principles of Making Learning Visible is considered, along with the essential process of reflection.
Photography is A Visual Language
The study of photographs of children’s learning and their learning environment is central to the work of Reggio inspired early learning practitioners and to the process of making learning visible through pedagogical documentation. “Photography is a visual language that shares some important characteristics with verbal language-both communicative and structural. Typically, teachers do not treat photography as a language. Rather, they often see a photograph as a truth, an obvious fact, and therefore a photograph does not require interpretation. Yet, we propose that teachers reconceptualise photographs as more than simply classroom records. Instead, photographs hold the same subjective, interpretive potential as words when teachers ‘read’ photographs from an interpretive view, where photographs are imbued with meaning” (Moran, M.J & Tegano, T.W. (2005).
To Explore Various Ways of Capturing Children’s Thinking.
Elements of Capturing Children's Thinking
The Power of Documentation Is In The Picture
A good picture brings power to documentation. Many people before look at the picture to tell me the story, to identify the learning, to make the connection, to show the child's emotions, interests and expressed theories, before looking at the piece of documentation that provides information on the learning experience. Capturing those perfect moments and the complexity of learning, requires an attentive teacher. One who is actively engaged in the process of constructing knowledge.
While documenting, keep in mind that the pictures are just as important as the comments. For the parents of the children, the pictures may be more meaningful because most often they observe the pictures rather than read lengthy explanations. Therefore, good pictures are crucial to effective documentation. It is the thinking that you are seeking, that powerful moment when the child makes a connection. Effective pictures tell what the child is learning, thinking or intending to do not just only what they are actually doing. Especially with younger children, when language is limited, your pictures are the most powerful documentation tool. Ensure good visibility to the child’s face. Facial expressions will tell their story.
Digital cameras allow you to take many photos. When you have a quiet moment you can select the ones that demonstrate the process best. Group pictures are equally as important in the constructing and deconstructing of theories. This is especially true with older children where much happens in group collaboration and work.
http://reggiokids.blogspot.com.au/2012/01/power-of-documentation-lies-in-picture.html
Ways to Capture Thinking
Our Ministry of Education recently released a monograph called Pedagogical Documentation that is based on the Reggio Emilia approach for early education. This philosophy is grounded in the idea that as educators become more precise in their observation of the work of children, they will be better when using tools to guide them into new learning experiences.
Core Principles
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A holistic approach to educating the whole child
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Learner-Centred
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A carefully organized environment engages children in a stimulating learning environment
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Children are encouraged to inquire, observe, record, reflect upon and share their experiences
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Community members are involved members of the learning community
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The delight in learning is a major goal of this project approach
In Pedagogical Documentation, our Ministry makes the following statement which is a reflection on the way that many are trying to transform our classrooms with technology tools:
As educators become more skilful in the use of documentation, they embrace it not so much as a technical process but as an attitude toward teaching and learning. They understand the value of knowing their students and how they think so that learning is maximized. This transformational change moves the focus away from product and becomes an approach of knowing, making it possible for the adult to be and know the child so that the students’ interests, thinking and understanding drives instruction.
http://bsherry.wordpress.com/2013/01/23/pedagogical-documentation/
DIGITAL LANDSCAPES
Video and digital languages interweave and interact with constructions of physical materials. Video becomes a simulation of landscape, tracing narratives which can be investigated in three-dimensional spaces. A various use of diverse materials such as, transparent, opaque, with differing tactile qualities, natural and recycled, offers the public opportunities for building and inhabiting a constantly transforming lightscape
CLICK ON THE IMAGE to view the blog Exploring Reggio: Expanding Block Play to view how they documented children at play, or click on the link below
http://www.two-daloo.com/exploring-reggio-expanding-block-play/
Capturing Learning When and Where It Happens
Researchers and classroom educators agree that to enhance the benefits of documentation; it needs to become a habit of classroom practice. They are finding that the devices they use for documenting such as, digital cameras, video recorders, audiotaping devices, notepads and other tools, need to be available at all times to capture learning when and where it happens.
As educators become more skillful in the use of documentation, they embrace it not so much as a technical process but as an attitude toward teaching and learning. They understand the value of knowing their students and how they think so that learning is maximized. This transformational change moves the focus away from product and becomes an approach of knowing, making it possible for the adult to be and learn together with the child so that the students’ interests, thinking and understanding drive instruction and learning.
Many types of evidence can be used to document student thinking and learning. Some have found value in using a web or other visual representation to display the variety of options that are available for documentation. Images, such as photographs, video, paintings or other visual objects, are powerful tools because they provide a much different view of a child’s thinking and learning than written materials. Other educators are exploring ways to capture voice in documentation. Both elements, voice and visual images, provide children and students with multi-modal representations to demonstrate what they know and how they think and expand our understanding of how students think and learn.
http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/literacynumeracy/inspire/research/CBS_Pedagogical.pdf
The 100 Languages of Children
The Hundred Languages of Children
The hundred languages of children refers to the many forms of expression children use to interact with their world. For example, reading, writing, painting, sculpting, playing, acting, verbal exchange, and even numbers are all considered legitimate languages of expression in Reggio Emilia. The use of all languages are experiences and explorations of life, of the senses, and of meanings. They are an expression of urgency, desires, reassurance, research, hypotheses, readjustments, constructions, and inventions. Reggio educators' believe that each language has its own communication system and a child learns how to express him/herself through numerous different languages.
All forms of art are fundamental languages in the Reggio Emilia approach. Every Reggio school in Italy has its own atelier and atelierista. The atelier, art studio, and atelierista, art teacher, are vital to what Reggio educators call The Hundred Languages of Children, which is fundamental as to how children become competent. Children first explore with different art materials in infant-toddler centres, and then as they move into preschools, children construct knowledge of the materials. As children mature academically, they learn the language of certain materials and explore how to express themselves through certain materials. Art is a highly symbolic activity. Children in Reggio schools are never asked to copy patterned activities because of the ideology that art is a language that must be used to express each student's individuality.
The Hundred Languages of Children is an interdisciplinary practice and so art projects may be used alongside a writing activity to help a child fully understand a concept. Children are encouraged to express themselves in more than one way. Through exploration students learn what types of mediums and materials they prefer to communicate their ideas, and then they are encouraged to use their preferred mediums in activities. To focus so much attention on just a few aspects of learning upsets the balance of a child's whole development and weakens the foundation for learning in later life. It can also seriously damage children's enthusiasm, motivation to learn, and confidence in themselves as learners. Just as the introductory poem "The Hundred Languages" highlights, children have one-hundred languages to express themselves, learn, develop, dream, and hope.
Expression of Languages
Children's Multiple Symbolic Languages
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Using the arts as a symbolic language through which to express their understandings in their project work
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Consistent with Dr. Howard Gardner's notion of schooling for multiple intelligences, the Reggio approach calls for the integration of the graphic arts as tools for cognitive, linguistic, and social development.
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Presentation of concepts and theories in multiple forms such as print, art, construction, drama, music, puppetry, and shadow play. These are viewed as essential to children's understanding of experience.
The Hundred Languages of Children:
Rye Presbyterian Nursery School presents the Hundred Languages of Children
Create a mind map of ways to capture thinking and learning of a child
