Two years of planning. 68 educators. One pilgrimage.
In October 2012, Matt Glover, Renee Dinnerstein, Kathy Collins and a diverse group of educators, ranging from administrators to preservice graduate students, set off to the town of Reggio Emilia in northern Italy. There, they immersed themselves in a journey toward understanding the Reggio Emilia School’s social constructivist philosophy of child-centered teaching, and brought home inspired reflections holding more than just new ideas for teaching, learning, and literacy.
From these reflections, a set of 13 belief statements were written, drawn from the themes that continuously emerged from participants’ experiences. The authors’ and editors’ hopes? That this book ignites thinking and discussions with school faculty, administrators, legislators and boards of education; that these essays inspire more than just a conversation about what kind of education we believe is right for our children; that they prompt action to truly create change.
With this call to action, our summer book study was born. Each of the essays and beliefs woven throughout the book hold important paths of thinking, yet it is Belief 9 that stands as the foundation for our purpose in this book study:
BELIEF 9: Teacher Professional Growth and Collaboration
“We believe that teachers develop professionally through meaningful inquiry and collaborative opportunities with colleagues, characterized by sharing observations of students, exploring instructional possibilities, and reflecting on their growth as learning teachers and teacher-leaders.
Our book study will be hosted in our Teaching & Learning Community Facebook Group. Not sure about using Facebook groups? Click here to read a post about using Facebook Groups for PD, including the Groups mobile app to keep your learning focused.
***Download the schedule here!***
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