So What?

My teachers often ask, "How do I know if an experience or interest or theory is worth exploring?"

Naturally, I'd like to say follow them all but the truth is it is impossible.

Here are a few of my guidelines.

To begin you should consider,

The What
What did you see, hear and observe?

What is the child's interest, thinking and theory. Is it just a passing thought or moment or is it an opportunity to dig deeper?

The next step is the 

So What

It is here, in the ability to identify the So What, that decisions are made to move forward or not.

What is it about a particular interest that stands out above others?

Is there an opportunity to scaffold learning, support development, explore the 100 languages, to assist the children in bridging their thinking to a new level of understanding, to provide real life experiences, involve families, community.....

If the answer to all or a few of these questions is yes then we proceed. 

Once this is done we look at the 

Now What

We gather the protagonist(s) and have a discourse to discover what he, she or they may already know and think. Here is where the art of asking good questions kicks in.

Once this is done we consider the potential path of our shared journey of learning and discovery; where do we hope to go? What do we seek to accomplish? Although we may have a plan it does not always come to fruition as each day brings new twists and turns and we end up in many unexpected places. It is here on this meandering road that magic happens!

A living web always comes in handy to keep everyone focused and returning to the questions and formulating new ones.

The Final What

What we do to bring the project or experience to a close.
We review the work with the children; to ensure we have covered all the questions initially posed and those that evolved as they engaged in the 100 languages; to revisit thinking and theories, old and newly formed.

When it is all said and done and we have exhausted all possibilities, we look to the finale, a culminating event,

an opportunity to showcase our journey of learning. 

Let us not forget that along the way we use the powerful tool of documentation, to not only share our work, but to fuel the next steps.

That is a discussion for another day!

The What

Bianca found many fallen tree branches and twigs during a morning walk through the forest. She gathered a few for the classroom.

Her comment delivered a powerful message.

~You shouldn't hurt nature or the world will be sick. 

The Journey began....

~We are grateful that we have been blessed with the opportunity to own the schools that are Reggio Kids. Every day is a new adventure! 

We have found our joy!