This photo shows the corner I have just created in my new grade 5/6 classroom. The room is a work in progress, as the painted walls are chipped and there are remnants of glue and tape that are visible from all the previous teachers and students that inhabited the space. The ceilings are high and there are large areas of empty space that are too high to display children’s work. I envision these areas as a possible display of some collaborative artworks. For now, I have hung fabric above the library corner, only to soften the space and cover the peeling paint. A natural branch frames the fabric and a neutral rug provides an area to sit in front of the shelves. I will be adding a bean chair and some cushions for comfort.
My goal is to bring my Reggio Emilia approach of teaching Early Years to a Junior level classroom. I believe that the principles of collaboration, environment as third teacher, relationships, respect and reciprocity are fitting to the older children and will support them to become more engaged with their own learning.
So, I have started with the environment. Unlike setting up a classroom for Kindergarten or even grade 1, there are limited options and materials. I would have loved to use round tables for the students to work at. Instead, I have made 5 groupings with 6 desks each. The desks seem to take over the classroom when there are 30 students in a class. I had hoped to use tables to create “centres” around the classroom but the space is limited. By removing my teacher desk, I was able to make room for a round table that I can be multifunctional as a planning space or for small group lessons. In the opposite corner of the room there is a sink and counter. I am using some adjacent shelves to make an art studio or at least provide a space dedicated to art materials for student use. In many junior classrooms the art supplies are locked away and only brought out at scheduled art periods.
I am looking forward to sharing this new space with the children. Discussions regarding the use and maintenance of the space will be needed as we work on building our community in the first weeks of September. Plans for our four inquiry questions will be presented and discussed, along with ideas about extended and integrated periods used for independent work and collaborating in small groups. Culminating assignments will allow the students to show their understanding in many ways, similarly to the one hundred languages of children.
Join us on our journey of experiencing a Reggio Emilia approach in a junior classroom!
I would absolutely love to hear more about how you plan on balancing curriculum with interest-led learning in a Reggio environment and, in particular, where do your 4 inquiry questions come from and what are they? As another Ontario Junior teacher (with a big class in a smallish space!) trying to incorporate more Reggio philiosophies into my teaching, I sometimes feel like the black swan. I absolutely believe that the Reggio philosophy applies to Junior students but not all co-workers and/or parents do.
Thanks for your comment Katrina. The questions that I selected are from discussions with other teachers and suggestions from a previous literacy coach that provided questions to guide our Teaching and Learning Critical Pathways for Language. I just used the same questions to tie in the Social Studies and Science curriculum. For example, What is Hope? is a question I used in a previous grade 1/2 class that could be used for any grade.
Even though I am a Kindergarten Teacher I look forward to following your journey in incorporating the Reggio philosophy into the upper grades! I keep telling the upper grade teachers here that it is possible! We even teach in a district where our leader is encouraging this philosophy! But they just don’t see how it can be done. I will have to direct them to your blog to show them it is possible! Thank you for your inspiration!
Darla Myers
Hi Darla,
Not sure yet how it will go. I am having challenges with the limited materials and the 30 desks rather than tables and centres for learning. Not ideal, but working with what I have!
~Alison
I am very excited to hear of a junior level teacher bringing Reggio inspiration into the classroom. I definitely agree that older children deserve the beauty and collaboration found in Reggio just as much as young ones. I’d love to see more photos of how you set up the room and hear how the children and parents are responding to your inspired vision!
Thank you for your comment. The collaboration piece is most important right now, as the students are used to working more independently. We have spent all of September just building our learning community!
If you have a chance – check out a wonderful small private school in Richmond Hill – Richland Academy. They are Reggio Inspired from PreK to Grade 6.
Hi Kate,
Thanks. Yes, I will.
~Alison