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Connections
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I found a philosophy that I have not yet researched- Reggio Emilia.
So, please tell me what you know about this approach.
Is it just for early childhood learning?
Is anyone here implementing it at home?
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Blessings,
Tracey
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Sarah M
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Tracey,
Back when I was in college, one of my early childhood ed teachers was Deb Curtis- she teaches in a Reggio-inspired school, and has written several college textbooks on using Reggio. That's where I was first introduced to the method. There are a lot of books out there on the Reggio method, but the most helpful one I've found is Working in the Reggio Way.
Here's a little bit of what I've gathered about Reggio:
1.Reggio methodology is typically only used for early childhood (up to and possibly through kindergarten), although the respect for the child and the concept of emergent curriculum could easily be adopted for older children in a homeschool, I think.
2. The basis of Reggio stems from a respect that the child will learn what she needs to learn when she needs to learn it without any prodding/pushing from adults. The adult's role is to observe (in fact, observation is a central part of Reggio teacher training & practice) the child, and based on what she notices about how the child is interacting with her peers and environment, to provide opportunities for creative exploration.
3. Reggio is very project-oriented. Reggio classrooms may work on one or two really big projects over the course of several months or even a year. Children are involved (if not directing) every stage of the project.
4. Emergent curriculum is embraced. Emergent curriculum is (in my opinion) a fancy way of saying that you watch a child's interests and provide opportunities that interest the child. A good book for this concept is Emergent Curriculum. Emergent Curriculum is not just another unit study approach. It can not be planned in advance, as it all stems from watching where the child's interests lead. A Reggio school does not have a "curriculum plan" or "lesson plan" at the beginning of each year. Ideas and projects must be instigated and directed by the child- virtually nothing in the Reggio classroom is dictated by the adult.
5. There is an emphasis on beauty. Surrounding children with natural plants, mirrors, water, wood, shells, and other natural materials in handwoven baskets is common practice. In this way, the philosophy is very similar to Montessori or Waldorf (in the respect and appreciation for all things beautiful).
I really haven't stumbled across any good homeschool-reggio stuff. Let me know if you find some!
Hope that all helps. I think the Reggio Emilia philosophy is lovely and inspiring!
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LisaR
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stefoodie on this board is a wealth of information about this methodology- did you do a search? I seem to recall it coming up more than once, just not sure if it was at CCM yahoo group or here.
A new school just opened here in my area- and their ads have said they are a Reggio Emilia model. I really wished I could have popped in for the open house!
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Angel
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This is funny... I've just become interested in this method, too.  I don't have too much time this morning, but I'm glad you started this discussion!
Probably the best source about Reggio homeschooling that I've found is the Camp Creek Blog. Lori also has forums at her site, and is running an Open Thread Saturday where you can ask questions in her comment section.
Kerry is also using the approach. She's had some good posts lately about what her kids are doing, including this one. She's also adapting the approach for older kids.
I've posted a little bit about it, but I'm still at the investigative stage. (I'm also adapting for both younger and older kids, and of course being the eclectic family that we are, we're still using the bits and pieces of Montessori and classical homeschooling that we've picked up along the way.) I did set up a category for it, though, so you can find most of my related posts here:
Reggio Emilia
Reggio Emilia and the Emergent Curriculum
I've got a list of books in my sidebar that I'm working through, too.
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Angela
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Mackfam
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I'm all ears and I'd love to hear your discussions about how this method translates in your homes!
I'd particularly love to hear about how this blends/works with/complements Montessori, Charlotte Mason, and unschooling components of your day!
That's not too much, is it? 
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Jen Mackintosh
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KerryK
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I'm not sure how I missed this conversation about one of my favorite topics ! I feel like Reggio, being more of a philosophy than a methodology, is really flexible and can work for anyone. It works so beautifully with preschoolers, as I have seen in my previous life as a preschool teacher. It has been harder for me, as a new homeschooler, to apply the ideas to older kids, one of whom is still (after almost 2 years) feeling the effects of school. It's still hard for him sometimes to feel confident enough to follow his own lead with his learning. My daughter, though, who only went to school for K, is taking to it like a duck to water. Her "project" (astronomy) is integrated into her whole day. She's collecting pictures, seeing things on tv, getting outside to see the night sky - and I don't have to schedule or suggest these things. I can guide her, by saying, "What do you want to learn?" (we made a list of questions), and "What how do you want to learn?" She has come up with so many ideas, some of which she has had to change or discard, but she feels real ownership over this and is learning so much. Every day she adds a little to her journal and I add a little to mine (where I try to capture all of the little things she has done). But she does much more than could ever be written in there, because she is living it.
Having said all of that, this is just one aspect of what we do, we have other things we do almost every day (like math and read alouds). We have some structured time and some unstructured time each day.
The Reggio books will describe for you how the attitude of the teacher, how the teacher views the child as a learner is a vital part of the method (I find it similar to Montessori in that way), and how the environment itself can be set up to support and teach the child....very interesting stuff!
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I'm really grateful for your post, Kerry. I visited your blog a little yesterday and it was helpful to see how you work this philosophy. I appreciated this:
KerryK wrote:
| I feel like Reggio, being more of a philosophy than a methodology, is really flexible and can work for anyone. |
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I haven't read a book on Reggio yet, but that's what I was *getting* as I stormed the internet yesterday, so I felt reassured when you said it. I think what seems so positive to me about it is that it acts like a bridge between a few philosophies that I love and embrace in my home - the link so to speak. It seems to affirm all of the things I love about Montessori, Charlotte Mason, Unit Studies, Unschooling and blends them in a seamless way.
I spent some time online looking into these ideas - and it really is just an echo of what I was already thinking...does that seem presumptuous? I don't mean that I'm enlightened or anything, I think I just mean that it gave voice to something I was already starting to think/do that didn't have a "name". And, it was sort of reassuring in a way in how it was pulling all of the things I find beautiful and noble out of a variety of other philosophies and blending them.
So...I see a lot of potential for using this with all my children - youngers and olders. What do you think about using this with an older child. My S. is jr. high age (12 in a month), and she would thrive with this approach - so would my 8yo for that matter. I think I'm just gonna stretch it for my entire family. Do any of you do that?
And...are you ever at a loss for a project, or (as I suspect would happen) do you find that one project leads to another quite seamlessly - in the way that a bit of information generally brings you down a rabbit trail quite naturally?
I'd like to learn more about this, especially because it does not negate any of the philosophies I love and embrace, but affirms them and builds on them in a way - I'm so grateful that I have it in my vocabulary now at least! I feel like the slowest kid on the block! 
Any more book recommendations? I took a look at Sarah M's recommendation, and there are several more on Amazon on emerging curriculum...if you could recommend just two that summed it up in simplicity and practicality what would they be?
So grateful to you enlightened ladies...and loving this conversation and the ideas it has sparked! Thanks.
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Jen Mackintosh
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Angel
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Mackfam wrote:
I haven't read a book on Reggio yet, but that's what I was *getting* as I stormed the internet yesterday, so I felt reassured when you said it. I think what seems so positive to me about it is that it acts like a bridge between a few philosophies that I love and embrace in my home - the link so to speak. It seems to affirm all of the things I love about Montessori, Charlotte Mason, Unit Studies, Unschooling and blends them in a seamless way.
I spent some time online looking into these ideas - and it really is just an echo of what I was already thinking...does that seem presumptuous? I don't mean that I'm enlightened or anything, I think I just mean that it gave voice to something I was already starting to think/do that didn't have a "name". And, it was sort of reassuring in a way in how it was pulling all of the things I find beautiful and noble out of a variety of other philosophies and blending them.
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Yes, that's what I thought, too, when I started looking into it. It was like a weight dropped off my shoulders. I thought, "Well, I already *know* how to do this; I've been doing it for years!" I was too busy trying to (and failing to) create a Montessori-school-type environment at home and being very frustrated when it didn't work. At a certain point I thought to myself that I needed to change tactics and went searching for different approaches. I didn't want to totally give up on Montessori materials, because I find them very useful in the main, but the most useful part of Montessori I have taken is the *spirit* of Montessori -- the freedom within limits.
I find this echoed in Reggio, but in a less prescribed way. Projects grow organically from the interests of the child -- stated interests and observed interests. Unlike in unschooling, these projects are often collaborative and directed a bit more by the adult... which I think makes it easier on those of us with large families, actually. Instead of 6 people going in 6 different directions, we can come together on some projects, regardless of age. If I get out the paints, for instance, everybody usually wants to paint -- from the 3 yos to the 12 yo. I'm not *requiring* them to paint, but if the paint is on the table, they will probably want to do it. My 5 yo will probably be totally absorbed in color mixing; one of my 3 yos will be totally absorbed in just manipulating the brush; my 9 yo dd will want to paint realistic pictures; my 12 yo will probably be messing around with ideas about what modern art looks like. So they're all doing the same thing... but they're not doing the same thing at all, if you know what I mean.
I looked into Reggio first based on its emphasis on art. I found that envisioning art as communication -- as making up some of the "hundred languages of children" -- resonated with me. My oldest isn't a big writer but he draws constantly. I've always tried to support his drawing, but being able to articulate the concept of art forms as communication has encouraged me to expand and deepen our emphasis on art... not in a scripted way, but in an organic way, growing out of our particular needs.
You know, I *am* excited about this approach, but I have had to ask myself: "Am I getting excited just because this is something new? Is it just the "next new thing" which will be dumped by the wayside like buying a new kitchen appliance that I didn't really need?"
After some examination of my thoughts, our needs, and our family culture... I don't think so. I think what researching the Reggio approach is helping me to do is simply to articulate what I have been doing by instinct since -- well, since my oldest was born.
If any of my dc seem to be interested in something, I find or help them find books, kits, classes, videos, etc. I help them find ways to pursue their interests. What I am getting out of Reggio is to reaffirm the importance of observation and documentation of their learning, and to find new and better ways to help them express what they're learning.
If one of my children is really interested in something, their enthusiasm often pulls the other kids in and we're all studying something together. (Rabbit trails, right?) Reggio emphasizes the benefits of collaboration -- children working together on a project.
Reggio also stresses the environment; in the literature you often read about "provocations", which I understand as "strewing". Again, something I've often done, something which works very well. It as nice to discover again how the ideas mesh with our life.
Gee, this post has gone on and on, and I don't know that I've really said anything very helpful. Jen, I think that a project approach is completely doable with middle school kids (and older). We're certainly not giving up our read aloud time, and my 9 and 12 yos still have to do math, etc., but projects are a great way for middle schoolers to dig deeper into knowledge, IMO, and to use the skills that they may be directly taught -- grammar and math, say. (Actually, I think that Montessori schools for this age emphasize independent research like this as well.) Right now my 12 yo is deeply involved in prehistoric mammals. He's reading --cover to cover-- an academic book on the subject, drawing prehistoric mammals in a notebook, writing about orders he finds interesting, and from studying them, making up and drawing his own invented animals.
Ok, I think I had better end here! 
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KerryK
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I agree with Angela, and think that many people on this board are already using a lot of these ideas. That's why I think it's not a bad thing to look into , because it can give you a new way to think about what is already natural to you. Reggio allows kids to dig deeper into an area (instead of getting done with the books and then moving onto something else) If you go on Theresa's blog, you often see her kids really engaged in something, and it may go on for days. This is what the project approach is like, and why it is usable for any age. It teaches kids how to follow their interests and find out more, but I would distinguish between Reggio and unschooling because, as Angela said, the parent does provide a little more support and guidance. Provocations are important (like when Angela talked about just putting out the paint), and then you can observe what each child does, and see what you can do to help extend their learning.
There are a lot of great books to read on the topic, but I think one of the best ways to get inspired is to pick a book that has pictures of projects or learning environments. I have the book Beautiful Stuff, and also Designs for lIving and Learning (both on my sidebar. There's another one, In the Spirit of the Studio that I don't have, but I'm dying to look at. Any of these will give you a visual sense. The Camp Creek blog is great to look at everyday, it helps you think about your role as a teacher.
Better stop blabbing and starting baking pie!
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Kerry
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Connections
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You ladies have me very excited about this!
My boys have naturally seemed to implement a projects based approach. Perhaps all children do.
I really need to work more on the observation aspects. Sometimes I am content to move onto "my" projects (chores, looking online, etc.) when the boys are engaged- seems I may need to better observe them in their play and free time to take better advantage of their natural desires and interests.
From time to time, I find myself guilty of "checking things off" and focusing on quantity over quality. I really like the emphasis on taking your time, developing ideas and digging deeper. I do believe that this is where the real learning takes place- through the connections.
Since reverting to the Catholic Church I have been focusing on how best to help my children understand, develop and celebrate what God has written on their hearts and minds.
I look forward to researching this method further, learning from you (please continue to share) and praying about what is best for our family.
Thanks!
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Blessings,
Tracey
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Sarah M
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Wow. This thread is so wonderful! Angela, you're comment about how with project work (your example, painting), how they are all doing the same thing, but not the same thing at all reminds me so much of Charlotte Mason's idea to "spread the feast." The child will take what she is ready for- what meets her needs and helps her grow. I just love how this concept looks in a family situation. I think it seems like an excellent approach to family-centered learning while respecting the developmental needs of various ages. Brilliant! A while back, I posted this Reggio-inspired poem on my fridge, because it speaks to me so well- I found it in the introduction of Working in the Reggio Way: A Beginner's Guide for American Teachers:
The Hundred Languages
by Loris Malaguzzi
The child is made of one hundred.
The child has a hundred languages, a hundred hands, a hundred thoughts,
a hundred ways of thinking, of playing, of speaking.
A hundred, always a hundred ways of listening, of marveling, of loving.
A hundred joys for singing and understanding.
A hundred worlds to discover, a hundred worlds to invent, a hundred worlds to dream.
The child has a hundred languages (and a hundred hundred hundred more)
but they steal ninety-nine.
The school and the culture separate the head from the body.
They tell the child: to think without hands, to do without head,
to listen and not to speak, to understand without joy,
to love and to marvel only at Easter and Christmas.
They tell the child: to discover the world already there.
And of the hundred they steal ninety-nine.
They tell the child: that work and play, reality and fantasy, science and imagination,
sky and earth, reason and dream are things that do not belong together.
And thus they tell the child that the hundred is not there.
The child says: No way.
The hundred is there.
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stefoodie
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Coming late to the party, and right now no time to really dig into things with all of you -- but it seems you're doing fine (I *love* Reggio!!)... so I'll just re-post some of my thoughts from the CCM list back in '04:
Quote:
| hi paola, 13-yo dd attended a Reggio-Emilia preschool for 2 years. it's one of the main things that led us to homeschool; that experience was one of the best we had and it thoroughly spoiled us to the point that none of the traditional schools we looked at could satisfy. (There are Reggio-Emilia schools now all over the country but usually for younger kids, and some can get unbelievably expensive.) R-E was our family's first exposure to "real learning", although back then i didn't know about unit studies, rabbit trails, etc. they let our child explore her interests to the full -- in almost every possible way she can think of -- books, LOTS of art projects, stories (dictated by the child to the teacher who handwrites it in a book which the child illustrates), field trips. R-E is BIG on documentation, which to me is just another word for narration. i tried to get into a R-E tour when we went to Italy but i was a month too late expressing interest. there are Reggio archives and a Reggio e-list (some homeschoolers are on it) if you want to explore R-E further; however, i should say that this list, Elizabeth's book, MacBeth's website, all the advice on lapbooking, FIAR, literature, etc. covers pretty much everything R-E does, and more. |
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Vannette wrote:
| Could someone please list and books that they have read? Are there any books that reference both CM an RE? Are there any RE Catholic lists? |
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hi vannette, to answer your questions: i have a list of RE books but they're mostly geared for early childhood education teachers, not homeschoolers. no i haven't seen a CM/RE book -- i don't think CM people are that aware of RE and vice-versa. and no i haven't seen any RE Catholic lists. there is a Reggio list mostly for early childhood educators + a bunch of material you can peruse (see here, here, here and here). |
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Quote:
my dd attended a reggio-emilia preschool for 3 years. we didn't know there was such a thing as homeschooling at the time. the reggio experience raised the bar so high that none of the schools we looked at could satisfy (except the semi-reggio schools which were prohibitively expensive). i put her in Catholic kindergarten and pulled her out after a month. (there were other reasons i won't go into here but suffice it to say it was not the place for a child who was already in love with learning.) by that time we knew about homeschooling and homeschooled her 'til grade 2, after which we put her in public school (we didn't know any better) -- we had moved and heard that it was the "best school district".... we went back to homeschooling after 2 more moves and 2 more "wonderful school districts" and are now sticking to it:-). anyway, what's great about RE that i believe goes so well with CM philosophy is great respect for the child and his/her thought processes and ideas. what usually happens is the teacher pays very close attention to what the children are interested in, and with a few simple questions or suggestions draws out elaboration from the child, which then translates into art, books, projects, plays, etc. often the children supply the questions and the teacher helps them find the answers (either through books or further observation/experimentation). a child can either work on a project by himself/herself or in a group. RE has been called "unschooling in school" by some, and i wholeheartedly agree. my child's RE classroom, which i've been trying to replicate at home, was set up thus:
wall 1: easels, paints, a little sink, water play materials (they have a water play table but we just use our sink/bathtub)
wall 2: a big shelf of art materials, a big shelf of wooden blocks, a sitting area with books and a listening center
wall 3: sliding door leading to the playground outside
wall 4: pretend play materials (costumes, mini stoves, cooking toys, etc.)
there was also a mini indoor gym which i would have loved to have for my youngers.... they did a lot of "real-life" stuff, much like we do in our homes, i.e., not just pretend to cook, but actually cook and eat the results (the school was equipped with a kitchen so the kids could prepare ice cream, bread, etc.)
reggio-emilia is BIG on documentation and journaling (both students and teacher). on a RE list recently the question was brought up as to whether the original RE people (in italy) began documentation as a way of satisfying the authorities that the children were, in fact, learning. (kinda like our states, esp. where i am (PA) require portfolios, etc.) what i love about RE documentation is that although it shows parents what their kids are doing in school, it serves the more important purpose of giving the child a permanent record of how his/her learning took place. it's like a lapbook but taken one step further. i.e., the learning process is documented either in pictures, or a video, or written down. (the teacher does a journal on the children's learning as well.) later on the project may be revisited either by the child or the teacher and built upon, e.g., a story may have been written but not explored in terms of artwork, so the second go-round artwork may be added. the teacher hardly ever sets limit on a project so you'll see giant sculptures or panels that the children have made. a project is never really finished until the child says he/she is done with it. for more about RE, see if you can attend a "hundred languages" exhibit in your area, or read The Hundred Languages of Children (not a light read though).
i am hoping to get to visit some reggio-emilia schools when we go to italy in oct; i'll share more when we get back. here's a poem written by RE founder Loris Malaguzzi that expresses what RE is about: The Hundred Languages. i like to think that Loris Malaguzzi and Charlotte Mason are having tea (and perhaps cappuccino?) somewhere in heaven these days:-).... |
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Key Concepts of Reggio
and a nice link that i just found here. enjoy!
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stef
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Erin
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I'm also interested in learning more. I'm in the midst of Christmas shopping, which book would your recommend as THE BEST?
Would you agree with Sarah's rec: 'Working in the Reggio Way?
Can't wait to see the 'surprise' in my stocking 
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Angel
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I like Louise Boyd Cadwell's books: Bringing Reggio Emilia Home and Bringing Learning to Life. They're both very personal accounts of how she discovered the Reggio approach, interned in Reggio Emilia (the actual schools), and then tried to translate that experience when she got back to the US.
I haven't read Working in the Reggio Way yet, so I can't compare them, but I found Cadwell's books very readable. I also liked the personal, concrete aspect.
Another book, which I have just finished, is a little textbooky but a good general introduction, too:
Authentic Childhood
(I bought it used; a lot of these books seem to be very expensive!)
Although the writing was a little dry, I liked this book for its descriptions of actual projects. And it's got an excellent bibliography, including some videos I'd like to run down.
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Angela
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KerryK
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"Bringing Learning to Life" is my favorite. I agree with Angela, Cadwell kind of makes it into a personal story, so it's very readable. The other, Working in the Reggio Way is also good, but I already knew a lot about the approach when I read it. I would start with Louise Cadwell to get a good understanding of it.
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Kerry
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Erin
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I'm going to see if I can get these on inter-library loan as they are pricey. Although my favourite booksite has many Reggio titles for a decent price, and you can't beat the free postage I noticed Kerry they have 'In the Spirit of the Studio' that you're after.
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Connections
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After reading about Reggio and project learning, I have a few personal reflections on the needs of my family:
Things I like about the project approach:
1- The appreciation and support of an individual's many ways of expressing his learning (the hundred languages). This helps me to value my children's creative expressions without always feeling the need to channel them into more traditional forms of expression (i.e. writing).
2- Delving deeply into a topic.
3- The importance of a free flowing nature of learning- following interests rather than planning everything ahead of time (rabbit trails?)
4- The role of a parent as a facilitator.
5- The parent's role of observation and documentation. It is not easy to keep up with, but I do see the value of observing a child's play and learning and documenting to enable me to facilitate learning.
6- The value placed on a child directing their own learning.
7- Lots of free time to find inspiration. Time to be bored and to think and to create.
My reservations about a purely project approach in our family (these may be personal to me and not necessarily drawbacks of this approach for others):
1- The focus on a product. When I started to think about learning in terms of projects, I found myself focused on product over process. My children often let things "brew." They spontaneously create, perform, or dictate to me. But some days they let information and ideas percolate, making connections between things they have learned. Often, they share these connections with me through discussion. The reality for us is that there may be stretches without a product.
2- My children seem to dip in and out of subjects, going back to them several times and digging deeper each time. What excites them one day, bores them the next, only to excite them again a week later. This does not seem to lend itself to a projects approach as there is really no "end." It seems completely overwhelming to have the number of projects going (and stopping and going again) to cover all of the areas that interest them.
3- Keeping us all together. While I greatly honor my children's individual interests and I want them to have lots of time to explore them, I also like for us to learn together as a family. For us, we need part of the day to involve pursuing topics together (even if those topics might not have been originally chosen by each one individually. Of course, once they are exposed to new ideas, they almost always find something of interest.)
There are a lot of wonderful things I have taken from this reading and researching. Some new, some found in other methods and packaged a little differently here.
Well worth the time.
________________
Blessings,
Tracey
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KerryK
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| Posted: Dec 15 2008 at 11:40am | IP Logged
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Erin, Thanks for pointing out that book. I'm thinking of treating myself to it after Christmas!
Tracey,
It sounds like you did a lot of thinking and learning about this. As far as keeping the kids together, Angela's blog is a good example of how kids of different ages can all enjoy a project together.
And sometimes, the finished "product" is just the documentation of the process, and a collection of all of the little things you did along the way. My kids don't do the finished product thing in any kind of big way, but documenting the learning shows them how important the learning process is.
Isn't it great that we can pick and choose and create what works for our particular kids? It's my very favorite thing about homeschooling (as opposed to working in a school where there were too many kids to "reach" everyone)!
__________________
Kerry
Mom to
Matthew (10)
Mary (6)
New baby Samuel 2/26/07!
and 9 angels in heaven
The Eyes of My Heart
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Erin
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I've been reading files at Camp Creek blog, thinking how this would work in a large family and talking to dh about the philosophy. He totally understood it because his University Degree had big similarities. Dh's degree was Bachelor of Science Systems Agriculture. This degree was student directed, project and competencies orientated. He had to set the goal for his career aspirations, understand the competencies needed in that field and develop the projects to help him achieve those competencies. He had to document his learning throughout. He didn't have lectures but was assigned a facilitator. There were no exams, there were written and verbal assessments held by a panel, he had to present his case in whichever manner he chose to prove that he had achieved his competencies.
After 13 yrs of traditional schooling in the Catholic school system and achieveng very well in that style, this method of learning was very difficult for dh to adjust to. It wasn't unitl his final year that he finally understood it. I'm convinced that it was this degree that sold dh on homeschooling. He could see the bigger learning picture.
Dh's biggest problem with this learning was it lacked in core knowledge of the subject area. This was a large part of why he floundered for so long. Whilst problem solving is a wonderful skill to have he and I feel strongly that a base is imperative to have too. Young children aren't aware of what knowledge/skills they are lacking. How does this translate with Reggio? Those of you who are using this approach what do you do in your homes? Are you teaching a base knowledge and then projects?
One of his concerns however relating to Reggio is the sheer amount of work entailed in keeping journals for this amount of children. Any thoughts?
Also I'd like to understand more the process of the primary/highschool aged child in setting their goals. How does this work?
__________________
Erin
Faith Filled Days
Seven Little Australians
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Angel
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Erin,
I use texts for the "basics" with my older children - ages 12 and 9, and to some extent, the kindergartener, too. That means they work for about 1.5 to 2 hrs a day on math, language, spelling, handwriting, and Latin. (Well, my 5 yo doesn't, but I DO have a handwriting workbook for him and we have been going orally through a phonics workbook, too.) I've also introduced the "report a week for Daddy" idea this year: my 12 yo and 9 yo write a report every week about *something* they've learned or done or read that week, edit it, and rewrite it, and present it to my dh at the end of the week. We do our family read aloud every day, which is sort of negotiated... we usually agree on what sort of history we will be doing for the year, me putting in my $.02 and them putting in their $.02. (Usually we don't have terrible power struggles here. Not like, say, over math.) For every read aloud, I usually present a couple of choices which they have to AGREE on or I pick. We do our read alouds in the morning, which is also when we do catechism, etc. Faith and read aloud time lasts for about an hour. (I read picture books to the little boys before their nap in the afternoon and again at night.)
We have an hour or two in the morning which is always devoted to project-ish work, and since the kids must always have hands busy while I read, they often work on project-ish work during our read aloud, too. Sometimes they will work on this sort of work after lunch, too, but it depends on the weather.
I've sort of started thinking in terms of the "family project", which is what everyone is sort of gathered in for - in our case, cities, which I've drawn from the kids' play -- and independent projects, such as my dd's interest in birds, my oldest's interest in prehistoric mammals... that kind of thing. The little ones kind of fluidly move in and out, depending on interest; they might be dressing up or playing Playmobil guys or doing something Montessori-ish, or they might be working on something the other kids are doing, like clay, etc.
But I'm not trying to make project work account for EVERYTHING, if that makes sense. In Italy, the elementary schools are traditional. It's only the preschools which use the Reggio Emilia approach, and they're not concerned with any sort of formal academics. So I think the adaptation has to be specific to YOUR family and the needs of YOUR children, if you know what I mean. Some kids need more structure and some need less. Some might be able to accomplish everything in the context of a project, and others might not, just as some projects might last a week and others 6 months, depending on interest.
As far as documentation goes... I am finding my blog a handy thing. I don't keep separate journals for all the kids, but sort of use my camera to follow whatever seems most interesting at the moment. After all, we're outnumbered! We can only do what we can do.
__________________
Angela
Mom to 9, 7 boys and 2 girls
Three Plus Two
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4Real Forums : Philosophy of Education
Topic: Reggio Emilia
