Beginners

New beginnings are always exciting. I consider myself lucky to live and work by a school schedule because every year I am able to experience a new beginning with my colleagues and students. This September, as we embarked on a new school year I felt the usual excitement as I welcomed families, new and familiar, back to school. But there was an additional layer of excitement in the air this year because we were also welcoming our new class of three year olds, or as we are calling them Beginners.

In considering the addition of a three's program at Elmwood Franklin, there were many things to think about. As we worked through the process, we found ourselves wondering what to call our group, just calling them the three's didn't seem to cover it. Then we arrived at Beginners, which I feel for many reasons is the perfect name for our new program. My teaching career began in kindergarten at The Buckley School in New York City. That particular kindergarten was called Beginners. I have always thought Beginners the perfect name for kindergarten in that it marks a child's beginning in their school career. To me, that milestone celebrates all of the learning, exploration, discovery and fun that lies ahead for students in their scholastic careers. My students and I were truly Beginners together during my time at Buckley. I am sentimental about the name Beginners because my five years spent in those Beginners classrooms continue to influence and inspire the type of educator I am today.

To me, our Elmwood Franklin Beginners are a symbol of many exciting, new beginnings here at school. One of the most exciting to be sure is the beginning of our work with the Reggio Emilia approach to early childhood education. Reggio Emilia is a progressive philosophy that centers around the child. It is a play and project based approach to learning that allows for exploration and problem solving initiated in large part by the child. The philosophy was founded by a gentleman named Loris Malaguzzi in the town of Reggio Emilia, Italy in the 1960's. The schools established by Malaguzzi strive to create an environment for children that allows for their innate desire to inquire, experiment and discover. The classroom environment and materials are instrumental in setting the stage for learning to take place and the teacher acts as a guide for the exciting adventure.

I feel the Reggio philosophy establishes a perfect foundation for with skills that we work to build with our students throughout their years at Elmwood Franklin. In each and every grade, we have students exploring, problem solving, and creating. To begin a child's school career with Reggio, seems the perfect start to the learning they will experience while progressing through the grades. As Malaguzzi puts it, children have a Hundred Languages. In so many schools, the languages are squelched by over direction from teachers and standards from government. Reggio is a reminder to all of us that the Hundred Languages within each child create a momentum of learning that has wonderful potential.

When you begin you are new and fresh, sometimes a little nervous, definitely a bit excited and by definition poised to learn more. Our students may be beginners on some days and experts on others, so the transition goes as they build their skills. The same is true for our teachers, especially those of us at school this year embarking on the journey of Reggio. I am thrilled to begin this journey with  our Beginners and Prep teachers this year. The philosophy of Reggio is relevant not only to the learning experience of the young child but also the learning experience of the older child and adult. As we study Reggio together we will embark on a journey that will in many ways celebrate the Beginner in all of us.