How to "teach" a preschool program / theme based programs...?

[Inspired by Reggio]

I love everything you have said "Inspired by Reggio". I do not have a program. I think daily activities are a learning experience. I often have parents ask about programs...even for babies. What about just being a kid!

Ya - I get that pressure to for the 'product orientated' crafts even with babies ... I remember once as a new grad in a centre we had to do 'crafts' in the infant room and at the time the mat leave was SIX WEEKS so here were these parents of six week old babies expecting 'crafts' coming home and a Boss in the office expecting them to be hung on the wall and so forth ... it seemed well so WRONG to force little babies hand over hand to be gluing and coloring and so forth

We often got into the habit of just 'doing' the little arts with the oldest infants who were ready for toddler room and they would do 2 or 3 but we would write the other babies names on them so that every 'infant' in the program be they 6 weeks old or 6 months or 16 months had one to go home .... well this one new mom was SO EXCITED to find this little airplane with cottonballs glued on it for 'clouds' as part of our transportation theme ... her sons first ART she went to Michaels and paid $100 to get it custom framed in one of those shadow boxes .... and he was SLEEPING when we did art so he did not even do it

Seriously how embarrasing to have to stand there as this poor mother proud as punch about her child's 'master piece' at 6 weeks of age ... it just feel so WRONG to me that the early childhood education field was toting this as normal practice to expect INFANTS to do theme based crafts .... thankfully 20 years later and MOST programs have learned that infants are more sensory learners and so tray of cotton balls or pom poms to explore with is more appropriate and meaningful than making them glue them on an airplane....they do not NEED a product cause they are all about the process

I do have a 'program' it is just play based and emergent learning program ... it is rich in math, literacy, science, social skills, physical mastery and so forth offered through the environment and 'invitations' I might set out in the environment ... for parents who need help 'seeing' the learning in that I do documentation with photos and quotes and so forth to show how their child is master new skills and learning through their play!

For anyone looking for LOTS of awesome ideas on play based learning in a HOME setting MULTIPLE age groups this blog ROCKS with ideas ...


http://playathomemom3.blogspot.ca/