The Wonder of Learning Exhibition at the National Steinbeck Center
Save the Date: June 15 - November 15, 2011 "The Wonder of Learning - The Hundred Languages of Children" Exhibition will be at the National Steinbeck Center in Salinas, California.
- Salinas, CA (1888PressRelease) May 26, 2011 - "The Wonder of Learning - The Hundred Languages of Children" Exhibition will be at the National Steinbeck Center in Salinas, California from June 15 - November 15, 2011. This is the North American version of the Exhibition of the Infant Toddler Centers and Preschools of the Istituzione - Municipality of Reggio Emilia, Italy. Salinas will be the exhibition's only Northern California venue during a six-year tour (from 2008 through 2014).
This international exhibition shares the world-renowned Reggio Emilia Approach to education with California. The exhibit will be free and open to the public during the National Steinbeck Center's regular hours of operation; seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Details:
The exhibition aims to inspire parents, educators, service providers, community leaders, policy makers, business, and other advocates for children to better understand the powerful learning that occurs in early childhood.
Attendees will learn about the amazing journey of the internationally-renowned infant-toddler centers and preschools in Reggio Emilia, Italy. The story begins with a small village building a school for young children after the devastation of the Second World War. At a time of extremely scarce resources community members and parents prioritized the education of children. Now, people from all over the world recognize the educational work of the city of Reggio Emilia for quality early learning.
Visitors to the exhibit will immerse themselves in stories from the everyday experiences of the schools showing children, from birth, using many "languages" to learn about and make meaning of the world. Through a variety of media, this exhibition offers opportunities to delight in the wonder of childhood. You are invited to join in community and international dialogue about the quality of education and the celebration of childhood. Some of the languages children use include painting, drawing, sculpting, graphic representations, music, numeracy, drama, and literacy.
Reggio Children developed this exhibition in collaboration with the North American Reggio Emilia Alliance. The exhibit is being hosted locally by First 5 Monterey County with funding from other major donors including: The Lucile and David Packard Foundation, The Monterey Peninsula Foundation, The Community Foundation for Monterey County, and First 5 California. Spanish audio interpretation of the exhibit panels will be available.
Press Event:
Tuesday June 14, 2011
11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
The National Steinbeck Center
Agenda:
• Brief Presentation - Overview of Exhibit (11:00 - 11:10)
• Opportunity to Tour Exhibit (available between 11:10 - 12:00)
• Interviews (available between 11:10 - 12:00)
Media Interviews Available
Interview Topics Possibilities:
1. Amelia Gambetti, educator, Reggio Children/International Center Loris Malaguzzi Co-Chair International Network Coordination & International Liaison for Consultancy to Schools, Reggio Emilia, Italy - Is available to discuss the Reggio Emilia approach to education and "The Wonder of Learning - The Hundred Languages of Children" exhibit.
Amelia Gambetti was an educator in the Reggio Emilia municipal preschools for 25 years. She has worked on the creation and consequent updates of "The Hundred Languages of Children" traveling exhibition. Amelia is part of the research group for Reggio Children coordinating the new version of the exhibition being shown at NSC and in other locations throughout North America. Ms. Gambetti is an educational consultant to many schools, universities and colleges in North America. Many articles, books and periodicals in the United States have published her writing related to her experiences in early childhood education. Amelia Gambetti is also part of the editorial board of Innovations in Early Education: The International Reggio Exchange. She is also a board member of the Istituzione Scuole e Nidi d'Infanzia of the Municipality of Reggio Emilia, a member of the Managing Board of Reggio Children and a board member of North American Reggio Emilia Alliance (NAREA).
2. Margie Cooper, President, Inspired Practices in Early Education, Inc. & Co-Chair, North American Reggio Emilia Alliance (NAREA) - Is available to discuss NAREA's mission and goals, its collaboration with Reggio Children in the coordination of "The Wonder of Learning - The Hundred Languages of Children" exhibit project and the NAREA Professional Development Series, in partnership with Reggio Children and exhibit host communities Margie Cooper is the President of Inspired Practices in Early Education, Inc., a non-profit organization that was formed to support the presence of "The Hundred Languages of Children" exhibit in Atlanta, Georgia in 2000. Through Inspired Practices, she consults with schools in Georgia and South Carolina in a long-term Reggio-inspired professional development project. Margie is a North American Reggio Emilia Alliance (NAREA) board co-chair, founding board member and exhibit committee member. She is also a member of the Innovations in Early Education: The International Reggio Exchange editorial board.
3. Elliott Robinson, First 5 Monterey County Chairperson and Director of the Monterey County Department of Social and Employment Services - Is available to speak about the critical importance of the first 5 years of a child's life. A child's early experiences help form the foundation that shapes children's future health, happiness, growth, development, and learning achievement at school, in the family and community, and in life in general.
Recent research confirms that the first five years are particularly important for the development of the child's brain, and the first three years are the most critical in shaping the child's brain architecture. Early experiences provide the base for the brain's organizational development and functioning throughout life. Those experiences have a direct impact on how children develop learning skills as well as social and emotional abilities.
4. Francine Rodd, Executive Director, First 5 Monterey County - Is available to talk about the image of the child as resourceful and creative. Additionally, Francine can speak about the alignment between the values and aims of the exhibition and those of First 5 Monterey County including the importance of focusing resources on young children especially at a time when funding is scarce.
5. Colleen Bailey, Executive Director, National Steinbeck Center - Is available to talk about the National Steinbeck Center 's interest in bringing the exhibition to Salinas and its connection to the National Steinbeck Center 's new mission to build community, celebrate creativity inspired by the words of John Steinbeck.
Background on Reggio Emilia:
Reggio Emilia, a city in northern Italy, has become a point of reference for excellence, study, research and exchange for teachers and policy-makers from all over the world. The city supports a cohesive system of schools for infants and preschoolers that combine the concept of social services with education, offering both education and care as necessary to provide a high-quality, full-day program.
Based on a respectful image of every child as capable and competent and a constructor of their own knowledge, the Reggio Emilia Approach is aligned with current research and recommendations for best practices. With over 40 years of continuous research and analysis of practice, the approach sees children as competent, resourceful, curious, imaginative, inventive, and possessing a desire to interact and communicate with others. The approach has a strong belief that children learn through interaction with others, including parents, staff, and peers in a friendly learning environment. The use of a wide variety of creative media is an integral part of the process of learning.
About The Wonder of Learning Exhibition
"The Wonder of Learning - The Hundred Languages" of Children is a 7,000 square foot traveling exhibition. Stories and projects from the schools are offered through different media, including three-dimensional objects, videos, books, audio recordings, etc. Two "ateliers" will offer hands-on experiences. The "Ray of Light" Atelier will offer exploration of light and materials through the use of light tables, overhead projectors, white surfaces and different sources of light. In the Atelier "Painting: Between Material and Nature," participants will be able to create compositions and transform a variety of natural materials through crumbling, crushing, sifting, and powdering. A 50-seat theater will offer videos related to the experience and philosophy of the Reggio Emilia municipal infant-toddler centers and preschools. Computers with Internet access in addition to several books and resources from Reggio Emilia will allow visitors to engage in research related to the Reggio Emilia approach.
In order to enhance accessibility to Spanish language participants, Spanish audio interpretation is being created by First 5 Monterey County and the National Steinbeck Center. "The Wonder of Learning" is currently touring without the option of Spanish translation.
For more information about the exhibit visit the websites: www.thewonderoflearning.com, www.reggioalliance.org/exhibit_project/current_version.php or www.reggioexhibitmonterey.com
Press Contact: Marci Bracco (831) 747-7455
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