New Mexico Wonder of Learning
Collaborative
Wonder of Learning Exhibit
Project Annual Report, 2016
Prepared by: Gigi Yu
with support from Baji Rankin and Olivia Natale
1 Introduction: New Mexico was the host for the Wonder of Learning exhibit June –
November, 2014. Since the exhibit’s presence, many individuals and organizations
have continued to be inspired in many different ways. This report reflects the
contributions of several different teachers, schools, and organizations in response to the
NAREA Wonder of Learning reflective questions.
Contributors:
Baji Rankin, NM Association for the Education of Young Children
Betty Lansdowne, University of NM, Family Development Program
Chris Sims, American Indian Language Policy Research and Teacher Training Center
Colleen Langan-McRoberts, Bernallillo County Open Space Program
Dorothy Kerwin, University of NM, Family Development Program
Gigi Yu, Albuquerque Public Schools, Office of Early Childhood
Helen McDonald, La Casita Cooperative Preschool
Judith Lavender, Early Childhood Consultant
Sally Anderson, Assistant Principal New Mexico School for the Deaf Albuquerque
Sonja Brown, Junior League of Albuquerque
Juliet Staveley, Santa Fe Public Schools
Kate Dixon, University of NM, Family Development Program
Katie Dry, Santa Fe Baby Fund
Lynette Perlikiewicz, Albuquerque Public Schools, Barcelona Elementary
Marlene McKitrick, University of NM Early Childhood Services Center
Nia Sena, A Child’s Garden
Olivia Natale, NM Association for the Education of Young Children
Pam Remstein, United Way of SF County Early Childhood Program
Paula Steele, University of NM, Family Development Program
Penny Bird, American Indian Language Policy Research and Teacher Training Center
Sarah Lucero, A Child’s Garden
Taylor Etchemendy, ¡INSPIRE! Billingual Preschool
Tracy Jaramillo, University of NM-Taos, Kid’s Campus
2 NAREA Questions: How do you believe “The Wonder of Learning –
The Hundred Languages of Children” exhibit and the NAREA
Professional Development Series continues to provoke dialogues
around quality in early childhood education in your community?
In what ways has the collaborative participation of educators, families,
administrators, community members, and government leaders evolved
over the past year?
What opportunities for teachers, parents, administrators, community
members, and/or government leaders to meet and discuss the values
and goals of education and childhood were generated in your
community over the last year? How did these opportunities contribute
to a better understanding of the various perspectives that exist within
your community on this subject?
Introduction: The following section is in response to the three above questions. This
section includes Reggio Emilia inspired study groups that have been formed since the Wonder
of Learning exhibit’s presence in New Mexico. Also included are events that were organized to
support the study of the Reggio Emilia approach.
One way that New Mexico has continued to promote and deepen the study of the Reggio Emilia
approach is the creation of “study groups.” Several Study Groups were formed following the
Wonder of Learning’s presence in New Mexico. These study groups were organized with both
educators and parents that are interested in continuing to study, learn, and promote the
principles of the Reggio Emilia approach. These study groups are interested in promoting
quality in early childhood education in New Mexico, as well as deepening our understanding of
the Reggio Emilia approach. Included in the following are descriptions and testimonies
describing the work of these study groups.
3 New Mexico Reggio Emilia Exchange (NMREX)
After the conclusion of the Wonder of Learning Exhibit in NM, self-selected members of the NM
Wonder of Learning Collaborative Executive Committee began to think and plan for sustaining
and building on the interest in the Reggio approach to early childhood education in New Mexico
and for supporting Reggio-inspired teaching and learning in the state. The group knew that it
was time for the NM Wonder of Learning Collaborative to re-structure in order to continue the
inspiration, work, and study of the Reggio Emilia approach -- beyond the presence of the
Wonder of Learning exhibit in New Mexico. The group intended to form an Advisory
Committee of interested individuals who had participated in and volunteered with the initiatives
of the NM WOL Collaborative in the past.
There was one meeting of this group on February 2, 2015. This led quickly to another meeting,
three weeks later on February 21, where about a dozen people came together to name and
create the mission and vision of a new group that would continue this work. Thus, on that day,
February 21, 2015 the New Mexico Reggio Emilia Exchange (NMREX) was formed. Attached
are two pieces of literature produced by the group – a two-page flier and a color brochure – that
describe the NMREX mission and vision and its workgroups. For the past year there have been
quarterly meetings and for the last five months there have been monthly meetings of the Core
Group. In addition there have been ongoing meetings and events of other workgroups for the
last year. NMREX also has a Facebook page for promoting events:
New Mexico Reggio Emilia Exchange –NMREX.
We have a contact list of several hundred people, collected from the WOL exhibit in NM and the
various professional development initiatives. This is a rich resource, as we know there are
many people throughout the state who are interested in staying in contact with and getting
support from an educational approach. Also included in this report are working groups, events
and learning opportunities that were organized by NMREX in 2015-2016.
New Mexico Reggio Emilia Exchange Meeting, November 2016 4 PreK and Focus Consultants, TTAP:
Studying and Reflecting on the WOL Exhibit
Toward the end of the WOL exhibit’s stay in NM, there was a professional development event at
the WOL for many of the consultants and leadership for NM’s Quality Rating Improvement
System (QRIS). About 90 people gathered at the WOL – NM PreK consultants, NM consultants
for FOCUS, the revitalized and tiered QRIS system, and professional development specialists
from nearby Training and Technical Assistance Programs (TTAP’s). These NM educators of
educators working all over the state visited the exhibit, debriefed their experience, heard a panel
of Reggio inspired teachers and consultants, and debriefed again, always in their comments
reflecting on the high quality of children’s exploration and family engagement. This was a great
opportunity to bring the principles of the Reggio approach to the heart of NM’s QRIS system.
There was interest and curiosity about how to bring more of this into the state-agency work of
improving child care and NM PreK programs.
After the exhibit, a group of consultants, including Leroy Goats, the lead administrator of these
programs, began to meet monthly, with Olivia Natale and Baji Rankin, for reflecting on their
work and wondering how to bring the principles of the Reggio approach more into their work
with teachers all around the state. At the end of each meeting, the focus of the next meeting
was decided upon. In fall 2015, a few months before the NMAEYC state wide conference, an
idea was enthusiastically embraced by this group: to organize an exhibit of children’s work,
words, and creative expression. With consultants for early childhood programs around the state,
this group had with a ready network of connecting to programs and encouraging teachers and
directors to collect samples of children’s work from 25 early learning programs around the state.
This exhibit is described in others parts of this NAREA report.
Collaborative Teachers Institute
Santa Fe, New Mexico
The Collaborative Teachers Institute (CTI) is organized by Katie Dry, of the Baby Fund, and Gigi
Yu, the pedagogical director of the CTI. The CTI is a group of early childhood teachers in Santa
Fe interested in pursuing advanced, collaborative professional development. Following the
WOL’s presence in New Mexico, several educators began to gather at the Santa Fe Community
Foundation to discuss the possibility of creating a Shared Service model in Santa Fe. One of
the main topics that was discussed was the interest in creating shared professional
development among early childhood educators. Many of these educators were interested in
deepening their study of the Reggio Emilia approach and also learning about the role of
pedagogical leadership in order to support their programs. The Thornburg Foundation is funding
an evaluation of the CTI. Our hope is that the CTI will serve as a model and we will be able to
create more opportunities for early childhood programs to deepen their pedagogical practices.
How does it work?
Participating programs and teachers study children's interests through a reflective practice
approach. The CTI holds monthly structured meetings where teachers come together to reflect
on their work with children, sharing their experiences and their documentation of children’s
work. The meetings follow a structured protocol to help support learning and move from
reflection to action and back to reflection again.
5 The CTI helps teachers begin to think and act differently as a result of participation in
collaborative meetings. The work is relevant, immediately applicable and easily integrated into a
teacher’s daily work. Teachers who work with the CTI change their teaching practices to better
reflect the interests of the children they teach.
The CTI also offers a unique opportunity for advanced educators who want to take their
professional development to the next level and develop into pedagogical leaders within their
own institutions. Fostering these "master" teachers enables the CTI to extend its impact beyond
its own meetings and workshops and into the institutions and communities in which these
master teachers work. These engaged and dedicated early childhood master teachers go on to
mentor newer teachers, further broadening the reach of the Institute and its child-centered
approach. The Collaborative Teachers Institute helps teachers achieve their potential so that
the youngest children in Santa Fe can achieve theirs.
The following are testimonies given by CTI members:
Juliet Staveley – Santa Fe Public School PreK Specialist/Consultant, Santa Fe Public
School PreK
In 2014 New Mexico hosted the WOL Exhibit in ABQ impacting our Early Childhood
communities, educators and many members of the public. It has created a frame of reference
of an educational approach that values respect, honesty and wonder.
A group of early childhood educators became part of the Collaborative Teachers Institute in
Santa Fe, NM at the beginning of the 2015, after the Wonder of Learning exhibit closed. Our
mission has been to support professional dialogue, sharing of our work as early childhood
educators, discuss articles and deepen our understanding of how children co-construct their our
knowledge social learning environments. We have been practicing a respectful protocol of
listening to each other and giving feedback from a pedagogical perspective. My contributions
have been showing documentation of children working independently and together using
different materials and mediums. This has been during children’s independent explorations and
teacher facilitated explorations. Through our work together we have reached out to and
involved teachers, administrators and policy makers.
6 My name is Helen McDonald, and I am the Director and co-teacher at La Casita Parent
Cooperative Preschool in Santa Fe, NM. Even before the WOL Exhibit arrived in New Mexico, it
began to affect early childhood education in our area. Several of us got together to study and
prepare for the exhibit. We toured each others' schools, shared documentation, watched videos
from Reggio, and worked together to get the word out about the exhibit-sharing our children'
work with the legislature, posting classroom documentation publicly, speaking on public radio,
and brainstorming together on how to invite people-from young children and their families to the
NM secretary of education- to go to the exhibit.
I remember sitting in a room with several educators from across the state at the end of the
conference, and being asked (probably by Gigi) what we would walk away with. I was very
moved when one woman shared that she would walk away with courage. She shared that she
often felt so discouraged working in public education with young children, in an assessmentoriented environment, that she often didn't feel able to teach the children in the way she felt
most inspired to. She said that after seeing the exhibit and going to the conference, she felt
courage to go back to her job, and that she felt a sense of unity with the many educators doing
good work and finding a way to really be Reggio-inspired even within the constraints they were
facing.
Since the exhibit, we have been very fortunate in Santa Fe to be given the opportunity to be part
of the Collaborative Teachers Institute. Guided by Gigi, we have come together to deepen our
study and practice in working with children. This has been a unique opportunity for ReggioInspired advanced professional development. I have found this work and the collaboration
involved very nourishing and informing to both my work in the classroom, and to my vision for
our school as its director. I have enjoyed hearing stories from other educators, and felt inspired
by the stories of beautifully articulated projects, as well as the frustrations-knowing that we all
encounter both sides of the experience, and are not alone in that. I have been encouraged by
the forming of the substitute teacher pool, and look forward to utilizing this offering to help
provide more time for professional development at our program. I am also excited about the
collaborative exhibit on making sense of play that we are now organizing, and hope that this
powerful collaborative model continues to grow in Santa Fe. I am thankful for Gigi Yu and Katie
Dry's work in really making this happen.
7 Reflections on the Reggio Emilia Inspired Webinar and Workshop Series:
University of New Mexico Family Development Program and
The Center for Development and Disabilities
Kate Dixon, Dorothy Kerwin, Betty Lansdowne, Paula Steele
A Little Background
The Principles of Reggio Emilia were the catalyst for both the Webinar and Workshop series
developed in support of the Wonder of Learning Exhibit. Keeping in mind the challenge of
raising the quality of early childhood education in NM, the webinar series incorporated essential
life skills, best practices, key theorists and their research, and addressed the RE approach with
infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. Each webinar was interactive, including a chat capability for
participants to reflect, ask questions, and interact with one another as well as with the webinar
hosts and guests. We invited NM RE inspired teachers to share their knowledge, process,
challenges and
successes. It was our
intent
to honor the culture of
NM
and to introduce RE
across the state as an
approach that is
accessible to anyone.
A few innovative ideas
went along with the
webinars and workshops:
that
Planning for the
Wonder of Learning
Webinar
·
a Facebook
page
for interaction
following webinars, to remind folks to tune in for the next one, and as a forum for posting
relevant information.
·
Phone chats post webinar for continued discussion. Not too many took advantage
of this, and we discontinued it, but it was a worthy effort as part of our comprehensive
approach
·
A special 2-part session on exploring and messing around with paper and other
open-ended materials that that targeted observation and documentation.
Our workshop series introduced the Reggio Emilia Approach and the Wonder of Learning
Exhibit to practitioners throughout the state as part of our work for the TTAPS, as well as to the
20+ City of Albuquerque Child Development Centers.
Since the exhibit, we continue to hear from teachers as we work throughout the state who
remember the webinars. They talk about them as something that provided a starting point to
their own inquiry. They were excited to share the ideas and information garnered with others in
their communities. The webinars gave them a sense of what is entailed in project work – how to
begin and how to unfold. They say that hearing from other teachers, working in similar
situations, under similar constraints, helped them see the REA as accessible, useful, and
8 worthwhile. The need for flexibility of thought, to let go of ideas when a plan doesn’t go as
expected, and what it means to follow a child’s lead are all expressions that we have heard
about from teachers since our deep work related to the exhibit.
Stocker Foundation Literacy Event: Story Workshop
The Stocker Foundation gave the NMWOLC a generous grant to support the Wonder of
Learning exhibit and professional development events. In May, 2015 the stocker foundation
also supported a literacy workshop titled Story Workshop: Promoting Emergent Literacy for
Young Children following the exhibit’s presence. A diverse group of educators including
homecare providers, family liaisons, students, and preschool teachers working in the South
Valley of Albuquerque were invited to participate in a FREE Professional Development
workshop. The workshop provided a more in depth look at how Story Workshop can be
implemented in our New Mexico contexts. The presenters were able to engage with
participants in an intimate setting with the elements of Story Workshop and ways to implement it
within their own work with children and families. Participants were given hands-on materials to
take back and use in their classrooms. Professional Development and training books and videos
from the Opal School were also given out. Presenters: Kris Eaton, NM School for the Deaf and
Gigi Yu, PhD, Albuquerque Public Schools. The group enjoyed the day immensely and plans to
reconvene to discuss how Story Workshop has enhanced their practices.
Below are comments from the participants surveys:
“[I learned] that through a story there are many things that one can learn, also from literacy.”
“I believe all forms of painting and expressing oneself, this is literacy.”
“I love these types of classes because they give us ideas.”
9 Gunilla Dahlburg in Las Cruces, Deming, and Albuquerque – Engaging
Educators, Parents, Stakeholders in Early Education
One of the workgroups of NMREX is the Professional Development Events workgroup, chaired
by Baji Rankin. This workgroup and the state of New Mexico were blessed when Baji received a
call from Pauline Baker from Tucson, Arizona, in May 2015, with the good news that Gunilla
Dahlberg would be coming to Tucson, AZ, in November 2015 and with the possibility that
Gunilla could spend some tine in New Mexico during that visit. Baji was thrilled and brought this
idea to an upcoming meeting of NMREX, where the PD Events Work Group was formed and
then provided leadership for Gunilla’s event in Albuquerque. The NM REX PD Events work
group met to plan and support an exciting and well-received event in Albuquerque with Gunilla:
“The Magic of Language.” By reaching out to the people who had interacted with the WOL
exhibit and it’s professional development initiative as well as the Reggio-inspired network from
before the exhibit, the event attracted about 100 enthusiastic and satisfied people, eager for
more Reggio-inspired events. This event was co sponsored by the Junior League of
Albuquerque.
At the same time, two other events were being formed and were supported by Gunilla’s visit: an
Early Childhood Public Policy Institute in Deming and a reception for Gunilla in Las Cruces.
Gunilla’s strong leadership, vision, and passion contributed in major ways to these two events.
Another approximate 100 people gathered in Deming, a small rural community in southern NM,
on a Friday in November. Gunilla’s visit brought purpose and clarity to this early childhood
policy institute. Her talk about “Multiculturalism and Communication: How different cultures are
changed and transformed as they interact with each other” was engaging and well-received by
this community group, focusing on issues of high importance all over the state, and, in
particular, that area of the state: language, culture, and community participation. Parents,
grandparents, and educators from that area were excited to hear of Gunilla’s work in Stockholm.
Workshops in the afternoon gave participants the opportunity to focus on local issues:
challenges and solutions. The community leaders in that area want to do another public policy
event this year.
Also, connected with Gunilla’s visit, a group connected with NM State University, held a
reception for Gunilla the Thursday before the Deming event in nearby Las Cruces, the home of
NMSU. This was a reception with an informal talk and conversation with the group in Las
Cruces. Gunilla’s writing and research was of high interest to this group.
10 (Images from Gunilla’s Dahlburg event with educators from New Mexico and Arizona.)
Pre-Conference Institute at the November 2015 La Cosecha Conference in
Albuquerque, New Mexico
Carlotta Bird, EdD, Senior Program Manager, Santo Domingo Pueblo;
Christine Sims, PhD, Principal Investigator
and UNM COE faculty, Acoma Pueblo
American Indian Language Policy Research and
Teacher Training Center
Christine Sims, Ph.D. and Penny Bird, Ed.D., representing the American Indian Language
Policy Research and Teacher Training Center, organized a special Pre-Conference Institute at
the November 2015 La Cosecha Conference in Albuquerque. (La Cosecha Conference is
organized by Dual Language Education of New Mexico, bringing together educators, parents,
researchers and practitioners to support dual language enrichment programs in New Mexico
and across the United States.).
11 The Institute introduced language teachers, language program directors and school
administrators to an exciting new project, the New Mexico Tribal Language Resource Project
(NMTLRP). This is a new initiative supported by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation and specifically
focuses on the development of instructional resource materials in support of Native language
initiatives for children 0-8 years of age and their families. The day included break out activities
for materials development and a presentation by Gigi Yu that helped set the focus on the
importance of engaging young children in active learning experiences that promote Native
language development, inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach. Chris Sims shared reflections
from her participation in the Study Tour to Reggio Emilia, Italy, Spring 2015. Chris and Penny,
both Native Americans from NM Pueblo communities, see that the Reggio approach -- with its
emphasis on the competence of all children, and a deep respect for their communities and
cultures, as well as children’s active engagement in experiential learning provides a firm
foundation for supporting the development and maintenance of their tribal languages and
cultures.
This project presently offers training for individuals from several different languages and
tribeswho are mentored and receive training in developing resources that support the language
learning needs of children and that can be used by tribal language program staff, families and
language instructors. By mentoring tribal members in language teaching and resource
development, the Center intends to contribute to building and expanding the internal capacity of
tribal language communities to teach their native language.
Testimony from Penny Bird:
For us, the American Indian Language Policy Research and Teacher Training Center (AILPRTTC), “The
Wonder of Learning—the Hundred Languages of Children” was a culmination of spring and fall
workshops that we sponsored in 2014. These workshops focused on teachers of Native American
languages who worked with the youngest members of tribal communities. Learning about the Reggio
Emilia approach helped these teachers and language advocates remember the importance of language,
culture and community values that support the education and growth of their children in a manner that
honors and respects the children as competent beings and contributors to their ways of life. This
realization had to be experienced by them as the nature of schooling, more often than not, required
setting these aside as children were “fit” into curricula developed by outside agencies. The fall 2014
workshop was conducted at the site of the WOL exhibit, which provided participants from homes outside
of ABQ the opportunity to visit the exhibit, and then share their understandings and new thoughts about
how children could be actively engaged in creating the curriculum in their natural exploration of their
own environments. This also expanded the teachers’ understanding of “school” beyond the walls of the
school and classroom. Our current grant from WKKF allows us to continue these discussions and
approach as we assist the EC programs to develop instructional materials and resources to teach their
native language more appropriately. Mentoring participants in this new project seeks to enrich and
expand the resources for the benefit of not only the children, but also their parents, family and community
in a way that their own expertise and rich knowledge can be sustained for future generations. The
creativity that is tapped into is wonderful to see in adults as well as the children when all are brought into
the conversation to provide richer environments and materials for language learning.
12 Peaceful Parenting Albuquerque
New Mexico Association for the Education of Young Children Conference,
March 2016
Emily Holzknecht, teacher and parent
Rosalie Cooperative School of Young Children
The Wonder of Learning Exhibit created a climate in which families believed that a better future
could be achieved through guidance of young children based on listening, respect and through
facilitating children’s learning through a cycle of exploration and representation. These families
started a new grassroots organization of families in Albuquerque called Peaceful Parenting
Albuquerque which has grown to 120 members. The families of Peaceful Parenting
Albuquerque have found the work of clinical psychologist Dr. Laura Markham to be a means of
accessing some of the principals of Reggio Emilia that are relevant to them in the home as
parents. Recognizing the value of this growing grassroots organization of families and hearing
the voice of the parents asking for Dr Laura Markham to be brought to New Mexico as a
speaker for both parents and educators, the New Mexico Association for the Education of
Young Children (NMAEYC) and the New Mexico Reggio Emilia Exchange partnered with
Peaceful Parenting Albuquerque to host Dr Laura Markham for an all day workshop for parents
and teachers at the annual NMAYEC conference and to offer scholarships for parents to this
event.
The event included a panel where local Reggio-inspired teachers along with Dr Laura Markham
facilitated the audience in seeing the parallels between the Reggio Approach and Dr Markham’s
work with Peaceful Parenting. These parallels included a powerful grassroots movement of
parents seeking a peaceful future through the education of very young children, work with
children based on a culture of listening, respect for the child as a complete human being,
coaching not controlling children, facilitating children in following their passions through an
emergent cycle of inquiry, and joy as a foundational value. This event marked the first time that
NMAEYC has opened one of its conference speakers up to parents as well as educators and
the first time that parents and educators have had the opportunity to learn and discuss side by
side on this scale. It also was one of the most successful preconference workshops NMAEYC
has hosted with 183 participants including a significant number of men for an early childhood
event. Table discussions involving parents and teachers were particularly rich and ways of
continuing these discussions and the collaboration of parents and teachers are now being
explored.
13 Discussion Questions from Dr. Markham’s Presentations.
These questions were reflected upon in small groups.
• What routines for adult self-care and rituals for emotional self-regulation do you utilize in
your work with children? How could you improve? Do other people at your table use
methods that might work for you?
• How do you foster connection with children in your setting? Is it mostly a beginning of
the year thing or is it really integrated into your work with children throughout the year?
Do you think of connection as a means of preventing behavior? What do you see as
getting in the way of further connection with children? Talk with your group about how to
overcome these obstacles.
• How could you further transition from obedience to response-ability in our setting? From
controlling to coaching? From children being governed by the adult to partial selfgovernment? What potential problems do you foresee in the transition? Brainstorm with
your group about how to prevent, prepare for, or otherwise ad- dress these problems?
• How can response-ability be woven into the physical environment allowing children to
take charge of some of their own needs throughout the day?
14 Santa Fe Opera (SFO): Early Childhood Arts Initiative
The Wonder of Learning exhibit’s presence inspired the Santa Fe Opera’s education
department to reflect on the aesthetic and creative needs of children and teachers in our
communities. In response to this need, the SFO is supporting a series of early childhood
professional development workshops as part of its new Early Childhood Arts Integration
Initiative (ECAII). Inspired by the Reggio approach, these workshops -- organized by the ECAII
Leadership Committee and Santa Fe’s Collaborative Teachers Institute build on understanding
connections between early brain development and innovative practices supporting creative
thinking, and recognizing use of diverse materials, expressive arts practices, and innovative
classroom methods to support creative thinking practices in schools. The first professional
development workshop is planned for April 30, 2016. This workshop will highlight the
expressive language of watercolor paint and will be held at the Albuquerque Art Museum.
(Workshop Flyer is attached)
Sally Ann Anderson, Assistant Principal
New Mexico School for the Deaf, Albuquerque PreSchool
We have continued our exploration of the Reggio Emilia approach following the departure of the
Wonder of Learning exhibit in a variety of ways. Gigi Yu, PH. D. continues to work with us
several times per year both as a full staff and on an individual educator-to-educator basis. We
have maintained contacts with other Reggio-inspired programs and sent our new teachers to
observe and learn at local Reggio programs. We continue with our weekly Teacher
Collaboration meetings which truly provides the time for reflection and provocation, moving us
forward in this philosophy. Several staff members are currently involved in the NMREX
Aesthetics committee. This group meets monthly at different locations and this year these
meetings have taken on the feel of a “book club”; in fact we are exploring the book entitled The
Language of Art both in our individual programs and as a larger educator’s group. And finally,
this year the NMSD Albuquerque Preschool has formed a collaboration with Pinnacle
Presbyterian Preschool in Arizona. This is a preschool that has been studying the Reggio
philosophy for a number of years and they are part of a grant group that was recently
challenged to learn about a “population different than your own”. As a result of that provocation
they made contact with us, have visited us once, and our teachers are working in pairs each
week exploring queries regarding the use of materials in our programs. These are all initiatives
that may have not come into fruition had we not had the experience of learning through the
Wonder of Learning exhibit. We are grateful!
For me, personally, the opportunity to plan for, interact with, and involve my staff in the Wonder
of Learning exhibit is an experience I now count as a significant highlight in a career nearly
spanning 25 years in education. I look forward to visiting the exhibit again in the future and to
seeing how it always has a profound impact on the communities it visits.
15 Art in Taos: A Collaborative Journey through the Reggio Approach
Taylor Etchemendy, Director, Inspire Bilingual!
UNM Kids Campus and ¡INSPIRE! have created a culture of collaboration in the Taos
community centered around the commitment to a journey through the inspiration of Reggio
Emilia inspired practice. Our journey to create a more unified vision and voice for the children
and families of Taos began after a trip to Reggio Emilia shared by Tracy Jaramillo, Alison
McPartlon, and Taylor Etchemendy in the fall of 2013. Shortly thereafter, our programs
collaborated to host a number of events in Taos with the goal of ‘making children’s learning
visible’ within our Taos community, as well as fortifying a commitment toward one another and
our collective journey and goals of exploring the many languages (materials of expression) of
children.
Sienna Sanderson, a local artist, child advocate, and family navigator, has taken on the role as,
atelierista, for a collaborative art program within our two programs as well as the S.M.A.R.T
house project, a free program for low-income families located in a housing project community in
the heart of Taos. Sienna works with teachers to understand the interests expressed within the
classroom communities and build project work based on long-term investigations and
explorations. She works with both teachers and children with diverse mediums that challenge
us to think critically and integrate ideas and strategies into artistic process and representation.
“Art is how we show what we are thinking.” (Sophie, age 4, ¡INSPIRE!) Children share material
investigations during family engagement events where families can collaborate with children
and staff to deepen their understanding of project work and integration of material’s expression
into the classrooms.
16 NAREA Question: How has the visibility of the learning and
relationships of children, teachers, and parents within your early
childhood education community increased over the past year?
Wonder of Learning in Nature
Colleen Langan-McRoberts,
Coordinator Bernalillo County Open Space Program
Bernalillo County Open Space has benefited in a variety of ways due to the NM Wonder of
Learning Collaborative. The County recently opened up Bachechi Open Space, a property in the
North Valley, and developed programs that are specific to getting families outdoors and
fostering a relationship with nature. The educators associated with the WOL collaborative have
been instrumental in guiding staff on incorporate Reggio Emilia principles in the program. This
program has continued to grow in popularity and now features monthly themes and different
hands-on activities each week with learning stations and tools for outdoor explorations and
investigation.
Additionally, we have hosted the annual Wonder of Learning in Nature event at Bachechi Open
Space that was inspired by the international exhibit. This event was co-sponsored by the Junior
League of Albuquerque. The event is geared towards early childhood educators and families
with young children. This engaging event brings together numerous people who get to
experience the Reggio Emilia approach to teaching modeled through activities lead by
experienced educators and panels exhibiting projects teachers implemented throughout the
year with their students. Bernalillo County benefits by exposing families to the Open Space
property and programs while supporting this event that meets the Open Space mission and has
far-reaching impacts throughout the community.
Junior League of Albuquerque: Funder
Sonja Brown
The partnership that the Junior League of Albuquerque (JLA) has had with the Wonder of Learning Collaborative and the Reggio Emilia approach to early childhood learning has been amazing and very educational for our members. From the Wonder of Learning Exhibit at the Albuquerque Museum to the 17 Teacher’s Seminar with Guinella Dahlburg, Reggio Emilia expert to the fun, learning activities at the Bachechi Open Space for families, all has proven beneficial for the educators, the children and families involved and the JLA. For many of the JLA members, attending Guinella Dahlburg from Sweden was the most rewarding. The educators were truly enthusiastic about this opportunity and kept the teachers engaged. It was very refreshing to know that the youth of Albuquerque are in such good hands. Choosing to work with the Wonder of Learning Collaborative was a sound decision and money well spent by the JLA!
NAREA Question: How have the early childhood educators in your
community continued to extend the visibility of classroom experiences
of learning and relationships to include connections with the values
and goals of parents and administrators over the past year? In which
way did the educators connect children’s experiences to
government/district mandated curriculum standards and outcomes?
Introduction: The presence of the Wonder of Learning exhibit
inspired state funded programs to think deeper about the connection
between documentation for assessment and pedagogical
documentation. This section highlights state initiatives and individual
programs that are studying ways that children’s experiences can by
connected to state mandated curriculum, standards, and assessments.
Peter Moss and Discussing Early Years Curriculum
New Mexico State University
New Mexico’s Children Youth and Families Department recently published a new curriculum
framework called the Developmental Interaction Approach (DIA). This approach, has many
similarities to the Reggio-approach: DIA is very open to diversity in children, families and
educational needs. New Mexico has such a broad diversity of cultures that one centralized,
specific curriculum would not suit the needs of every community. Having a relationship-based
curriculum framework provides the openness needed to work in the far spread diverse
communities New Mexico has to offer. At the Curriculum Conference in November where this
framework was officially launched New Mexican educators presented breakout sessions on
different approaches including the Reggio-approach and drew similarities between these ideas
and those written in the DIA curriculum framework. The dialogue in these sessions was very
reflective and provided a fantastic opportunity for the early childhood community to discuss the
varying classroom styles around the state.
18 United Way Learning Center of Santa Fe County
Pam Remstein, Program Director
In the past few years the teachers and I have learned to articulate the principles of the
Reggio Emilio approach and how it enhances learning while building a strong community
environment. We are a state funded Pre K for four year olds whose families attend our school
only for one year. Therefore, it has become essential we communicate with families about what
it means to be a part of a Reggio Emilio inspired school right from the beginning of the year. In
the beginning of the school year we have a ‘Welcome Night’ where we share a video called, A
New Mexico Journey: Educators Experience with the Reggio Emilio Approach. This video gives
us an opportunity to engage families in a discussion about our work. Also, on this night teachers
share panels from former projects so as to convey the principle of Reggio Emilio as well as tell
how we determine the Early Learning Outcomes in our project work to meet the New Mexico
Early Learning Guidelines. Then in October each classroom gives a PowerPoint presentation
about a research project occurring in their classroom. The teachers share their questions as
well as the children’s questions about their work, while engaging families in a reflective
curriculum practice.
Lastly, we hold three family conferences during the year. The first and last conference is
traditional, as family members and teachers meet to discuss children’s progress and share
information and stories. However, at our mid-year conference teachers put up new
documentation panels that pertain to the projects that have been engaging children. The panels
serve as a springboard for discussion with families and gives additional context into the
research and the learning from a RE perspective. We see the NM Pre K learning outcomes to
be transparent to families and community members. During the mid-year conference children
facilitate the meeting by telling their family about the projects they are working on, who their
friends are and areas of interest in the classroom. Since Reggio Emilio documentation is
pedagogical and therefore different from NM Pre K criterion based documentation, teachers
work to connect the research work of children to the learning outcomes set forth by the state in
their portfolio forms and checklist. Teachers make it a appoint to share stories of children’s
research, which presents an extensive view of children’s learning, that goes beyond the
outcomes.
Albuquerque Public Schools: Office of Early Childhood
Education
Pedagogy of Learning Cohort
Under the leadership of Heather Vaughn, the Albuquerque Public Schools Office of Early
Childhood Education, PreK program began studying the principles of the Reggio Emilia
Approach in 2012. Teachers were introduced to readings and experiences with materials and
the environment. A small cohort, the Pedagogy of Learning cohort, including 6 teachers from
six different schools began to deepen their study of the Reggio approach by participating in
collaborative planning meetings. In 2014, the cohort grew to include 7 teachers and in the
school year 2015-2016, the cohort grew to 10 teachers. The Pedagogy of Learning cohorts
meets bi-weekly to study documentation from their classrooms and collaboratively plan learning
experiences for children. The work is supported by an Art Resource teacher (Gigi Yu). The art
resource works in collaboration with teachers and children studying, reflecting, and using art
materials as a language for learning. Heather Vaughn and Gigi Yu presented at the November,
2015 NAEYC conference and shared APS’s study of the Reggio Emilia approach.
19 The following is a description of some of the activities of the cohort.
By Lynette Perlikiewicz, PreK Teacher, Barcelona Elementary School.
Our Pedagogy of Learning cohort meets twice a month to listen to what is happening with
learning in the different programs. Together we are able to look at what the children are
interested in, what is happening and how it connects with the New Mexico Essential Indicators
that we collect and record data on from the state. What has been most helpful as a participant
is that it is easy for me to be engaged with the learning, but it is not until I step back and look at
the same documentation with my fellow cohort members that the indicators become
visible. While I may be focused on the indicators for
hypothesizing and sensory exploration, through the
sharing of the story, others show the time on task, cultural
connections, the language and literacy which is taking
place that I have not looked at. If there are other
connections as to how they are problem solving, working
with others, mathematical components, it is easy to miss
them because I am too close to the learning. That is
where the other members ears, eyes, and questions open
up
all the documentation to see what really is occurring and
how it connects directly with the state expectations. It provides an opportunity to also plan for
indicators which could be there with a slightly different question to pose to the children. It is the
sharing and connecting that is making all of our children’s learning deeper and
richer. Additionally, having an art resource teacher who can come to the different programs to
help deepen the study and pose different questions is invaluable. The art resource teacher,
Gigi Yu, also connects us because she can say, this person is doing this and this is what they
are seeing. It seems similar to what is occurring in your room, the two of you should have a
discussion on this. That also connects us directly to the indicators.
NAREA Question: How have educators and parents continued to
learn about the role of the environment within the school community
through the documentation of the learning and relationships that
typically develop within that context?
“Reggio Inspired Reach Out” in McKinley County
University of New Mexico, Gallup
Judith Lavender, Consultant
The first “Reggio Inspired Reach Out” in McKinley County collaborated by Wonder of Learning
and Early Childhood and Family Center was held at University of New Mexico Gallup campus in
Gallup, New Mexico on July 29,2015. The one-day gathering delighted all who attended.
Organized by Judith Lavender, Marlene McKitrick, and Olivia Natale, with the theme Looking at
Best Practice in Classroom Environments and Materials, the event drew sixty-five registrants
20 from across this rural area of New Mexico. Culturally relevant workshops were offered on clay
and weaving.
Diné weaver, Virginia Snyder, demonstrated using her loom, Navajo weaving and its cultural
traditions. Clay workshop attendees viewed a film on how an Acoma potter prepares to create a
piece—from the gathering of clay from the earth to firing the piece to completion. Each attendee
worked with clay following the video.
Chris Sims, Phd also presented on her trip to Reggio Emilia, Italy.
The day wrapped up with all attendees reflecting on what they experienced. Quotes from
participants follow:
This conference has given me ideas for the set up of our space and also for working in a way
where we are more led by children’s creativity.
I thoroughly enjoyed this event. Not only did I learn new and wonderful Reggio inspired and
practical things I can do in my classroom, but also I felt I was surrounded by people who
genuinely car about children.
This conference was informative about helping children open their minds to creative thinking.
I was interested in attending this conference because of the infusion of “hands on” workshops
that are very relevant to New Mexico culture.
This conference was very interesting and authentic.
I will definitely incorporate Reggio-inspired ideas and processes into my classroom because of
how it supports and encourages freedom in creativity and learning, how it follows children’s
natural learning process.
This conference was very inspiring and a good step towards better implementation of Reggio
approach.
Reflections on the Environment from A Child’s Garden, Albuquerque, New Mexico
Nia Sena- Lead Teacher of Older Toddlers.
At A Child’s Garden Preschool (ACG)
Response:
A Child’s Garden Preschool attended training in 2014 at the Wonder of Learning exhibit
from the early learning programs from Reggio Emilia, Italy. We were reminded and inspired by
the projects and the Reggio Emilia approach. For some collogues this exhibit was their
introduction to the approach. In 2015, a collogue and I provided additional training on what we
had learned from traveling to Reggio Emilia.
After returning from the North America Study Group in Reggio Emilia, Sarah Lucero and
I presented our experiences with our collogues at A Child’s Garden Preschool. One topic that I
believe resonated with our school is the idea of the ‘Piatza’. The ‘Piatza’ as we shared with our
coworkers is an area for children of differing ages to interact. The layout of the schools in
Reggio Emilia mirrors the towns’ plazas and reflects the importance of community in the town
and school culture. In our school we have an open area between all the classrooms that we
refer to as the atrium. This space has started to transform into a more welcoming area where
21 children from each classroom are able to play and interact with one another. The items and
arrangement of this area has become more intentional.
My favorite additions in my classroom has been the light table and the projector. These
items hold the students interest and exploration for an extended duration of time. The Reggio
Emilia schools aspire to create stimulating environments, where students play with concrete
items to learn about abstract concepts. In using the overhead projector, one of my students
would refer to it as the “Sun”. During this same time we started exploring the concept of
shadows. My student made a keen observation of the comparable attributes between the sun
and the overhead projector.
The Reggio Approach reinforces that the environment reflects the image of the child as
capable individuals. Items are not made baby proof. Materials are introduced to students in
small groups. The teachers explain the potential dangers and the safe way to use materials and
tools. Through this manner students become familiar with how to use items that may
traditionally be considered dangerous for children to use. In October we carved a pumpkin
together using a carving kit that included the tiny saw. My students have started using pencils
more frequently, now in the second half of the school year. They see me taking notes with a
pencil and are eager to try writing alike. Pencils and definitely a little saw are not normally seen
being used by toddlers. But, with careful explanation, modeling correct usage and supervision
these are more authentic materials.
Sarah Lucero
Lead Older Two-Year-Old Teacher
A Child’s Garden Preschool
Response:
My journey with the Reggio Emilia Approach began in 2010 at Rosalie Cooperative School for
Young Children. I was part of the NMREX volunteer group who assisted in bringing the WOL
Exhibit to NM. After the exhibit arrived in June, of course I was a huge advocate for ACG staff to
attend the exhibit for professional development August when we returned to school for the new
year. After viewing the amazing projects I was determined to visit Reggio Emilia. I was a
participant in the Summer 2015 US Study Tour with Baji Rankin Chris Simms, and my colleague
and friend, Nia Sena. We went on to write a reflection piece for Innovations and provided an
additional training and presentation of our trip.
The Ray of Light projects were the most intriguing to me because my children were very
interested in light. They asked, “where does the sun go?”, when our classroom drastically
became dark and light during the course of the day. In the bathroom they constantly turning off
on and on the switch. During rest time they shined flashlights on the ceiling, on their hands, and
on each other.
The interactive atelier of light at the exhibit was beautiful. The colors and shapes reflected on
the wall were magical. The use of everyday materials in Reggio Emilia was most inspiring. They
did not have fancy/expensive window colored blocks or transparent toys for the children to
explore. They had ordinary materials such as colored recycled bottles, mirrors, and old CDs.
They used the natural light that flowed through the windows to explore and manipulated light
with old school overhead projectors.
After visiting the Wonder of Learning Exhibit, I
opened the curtains and pulled up the blinds in the
room. I decided to use the natural light as much as
possible. I asked for donations of old CDs and
searched for transparent materials around our
school. I visited the WeImagination Center and
collected donating materials from my community.
After my Summer Tour of Reggio Emilia I was
22 determined to find a projector for my classroom. My director tracked one down for me and we
continued to explore light.
Over the last three years in my current classroom, I have discovered light is a common theme of
interest for my two-year-old children. We have explored shadows, reflection, and transparency
through the use of everyday materials
New Mexico Reggio Emilia Exchange
Aesthetics and Learning Group
The NMREX Aesthetics and Learning is a group of early childhood educators and parents that
meet to study, explore, and discuss the role of beauty and learning environments. We meet in
classrooms and different learning environments to explore art materials and study
documentation strategies and the role they play in children and adult learning. The NMREX
Aesthetics group has been meeting almost every month since July, 2015. We currently have
approximately 27 participants. The group varies widely in terms of knowledge of the Reggio
approach, from those who know a little to those who have been studying for many years. We
have been meeting in different locations throughout Albuquerque to study art materials, the
environment, and documentation strategies. So far, we have met at The WEmagination, New
Mexico School for the Deaf Albuquerque Preschool, Elevations Children’s Center for Young
Children, The Learning Garden at the Natural History Museum, and Alameda School.
Our meetings consist of touring and discussing the learning environment where we are meeting,
exploring art materials, discussing an article on a particular topic, and sharing and studying
documentation that members bring from the classrooms. Our ultimate goal is to plan ways in
which we can make visible children and adult learning in our community.
Painting by candlelight at the New Mexico Museum of
Natural History’s Learning Garden
Albuquerque Public Schools
Office of Early Childhood Education
Study of Classroom Art Studios
The APS Early Childhood program has continually
focused on program quality with an emphasis on the
learning environment and rich materials. The Wonder
of Learning exhibit provided inspiration for us to think
deeper about our environmental design and how it is
linked directly to the learning that occurs in our
classrooms.
This school year APS Early Childhood engaged in a
year-long professional development emphasis on the
classroom learning environment using the Early Childhood Environmental Rating Scales
ECERS-R and ECERS-E. Teachers developed an in-depth study of their classroom art centers
using the ECERS-R as a tool for self-reflection. Teachers planned and implemented changes in
23 their art centers with a focus on implementing strategies for exploring early literacy skills with
expressive materials.
Together teachers studied, discussed, and developed a Plan, Do, Study, Act for studying the art
center in more depth. Teachers developed essential questions that allowed them to create a
focus for changes that they wanted to make in their environment. These questions also took
into consideration how the art center could be used to build on early literacy skills. Essential
questions included:
• How can I save children’s work “in process” so that they can go back to it?
• How can I support children to create 2 dimensional representations from 3 dimensional
artwork or vice versa?
• How can I add more of children’s verbal ideas to the displays of their work?
• How can I make art materials more accessible for children? How can I create invitations
for children to work in the art center?
• What new art material can I add to the art center? How can I learn about this material
alongside children?
• How can the study of lines be used to support children’s emergent literacy skills?
• How can I replace manufactured posters to include children’s thoughts and ideas
alongside their art work with authentic print?
Attention to Space and Materials:
Many of the teachers revisited the organization of their art center. Decisions were made to
move, enlarge, and rearrange the furniture and shelving to make materials more accessible and
the space more inviting.
Los Ranchos, classroom art studio
Teachers were able to include the feedback from the peers during professional development
meetings. Thinking and planning collaboratively gave teachers new insight into their classroom
design and experiences. Teachers were given an opportunity to make changes based on the
feedback of their peers. These changes were revisited during additional teacher professional
development meetings.
24 NAREA Question: Were the educators in your community able to
organize an exhibit that documents the learning and relationships of
children, teachers, and parents to be shared with community members
in a public context over the past year? If so, where was the exhibit and
how did your community respond? If not, what plans do you have for
such an annual exhibit?
Introduction: The following section describes how educators in our
community have organized an exhibit at the New Mexico Association
for the Education of Young Children’s Spring 2016 conference. The
exhibit was an opportunity to give visibility to the creativity potential
of the children within our communities.
In addition, the section describes an upcoming exhibit, “Making Sense
of Play” being organized by the Collaborative Teachers Institute in
Santa Fe, which is supported by the Santa Fe Baby Fund. This exhibit
will share the work of children and teachers from Santa Fe early
learning programs.
Children’s Creative Expression Exhibit
at the NMAEYC Conference, March 2016
Marlene McKitrick, Taylor Etchmedy, Tracy Jaramillo, Olivia Natale, and Baji
Rankin
A group of early childhood consultants who had been meeting since the Wonder of Learning
Exhibit left New Mexico decided to take on the project of putting together an exhibit of children’s
work to display at the annual NMAEYC Early Childhood Conference. The group did outreach to
programs all over the state and brought work from over 25 early childhood programs. In an
effort to honor the children of New Mexico and make their learning visible, children’s creative
WORDS, WORK, and EXPRESSION, were collected and displayed.
The exhibit highlighted works from those studying the Reggio Emilia approach but also
programs using the Developmental Interaction Approach (DIA), the NM Early Learning
Guidelines, and a variety of other learning approaches.
The display was setup like a gallery to respect and provide proper viewing of children’s work.
Some programs submitted documentation along with children’s work to showcase the creative
process. There was a lot of interest in the exhibit with more programs interested in participating
next year. This exhibit will definitely become an annual occurrence and the group is hoping to
grow it out from the conference and farther into the community. A comment that was made
about having the children’s work at this big early childhood conference is that it gave the
children a presence at the conference. This was one of the intentions of putting the exhibit
together. Children should have a presence across the community and beyond the classroom.
25 The children’s display was intended to encourage discussion, dialogue and reflection of
children’s creativity at the exhibit and conference, as well as honor the creative expressions,
incredible capabilities and diverse ‘languages’ of children across the state. Children are
capable in many different ways. The exhibit brought this to the attention of those attending.
Comments from teachers and the public included surprise ,"I never knew children could do this”
and awe at the beautiful work. Teachers also expressed interest in bringing similar experiences
for children to their classrooms.
Children’s Exhibit at the NMAEYC Conference, 2016
26 Collaborative Teachers Institute: Making Sense of Play Exhibit
Opening: June 2016
Katie Dry, Director
Santa Fe Baby Fund, Santa Fe Community Foundation
www.collaborativeteachersinstitute.com
Making Sense of Play is a city-wide exhibit in Santa Fe that documents how young children play
AND provides an opportunity for early childhood teachers to share why this play is important.
Panels will be displayed in different locations throughout the city with images and words that
document young children’s play, beginning June, 2016.
Early childhood programs that will participate in this project are part of the Collaborative
Teachers Institute (CTI). The CTI provides advanced, collaborative professional development
through the study of children’s interests and reflective practice. The CTI helps teachers achieve
their potential so that the youngest children in Santa Fe can achieve theirs.
NAREA Question: In what ways have educators’, parents’, and
community members’ abilities to advocate for the rights of children in
the community strengthened over the past year?
NMAEYC Public Policy Parent Advocacy Leaderships Institutes
NMAEYC as an early childhood advocacy organization has hosted Public Policy Parent
Advocacy Leaderships Institutes annually to engage the community in public policy. During this
past year several new institutes were added and conducted around the state at different times
of the year, which generated even more engagement in planning for our legislative session and
advocating for young children.
One event that was hosted in the small community of Deming NM featured Swedish speaker,
researcher and author Gunilla Dalhburg, in the talks that she gave to educators, parents and
professionals around the state she spoke about the art of walking on two legs when it comes to
advocacy in early childhood education. She said on the one leg you need to walk with the image
of the child in mind and their amazing capacities for learning especially when they have quality
support and nurturing and on the other leg you need to walk on the side of what is needed to
secure funding and resources to provide children with the quality they deserve. Her stories of
the work she has done advocating for children in Sweden were very inspiring and empowering
27 for participants who later in the day went onto discuss early childhood policy issues affecting
their communities.
NAREA Question: In what ways did their abilities develop? How did
educators and parents develop a better understanding of current
policies regarding early childhood education and issues being
addressed by school and government officials, the disposition to
communicate with school and government officials?
Annual Early Childhood Public Policy and Parents Advocacy Leadership Institute
Institute where parents and early childhood professionals attend to learn about the legislative
process and how to approach legislators a paper was presented that had been developed at the
previous Institutes around the state that included local and statewide early childhood issues as
voiced by the community. Those advocating with legislators on the opening day of the session,
also the Celebrating Children and Youth Day, were able to bring the issues developed by local
communities as well as statewide advocacy organizations, to legislators.
The kickoff for the day was a State of the New Mexico Children and Youth Address where
several youth spoke about the issues they were facing. Representing Early Childhood were two
leaders in New Mexico Head Start; the audience cheered as they read a very familiar poem
which could be heard resonating throughout the Roundhouse: No Way The Hundred is There.
It is clear that having hosted the Wonder of Learning exhibit has created a context in which
people are starting to approach all aspects of early childhood, including advocacy, with the
image of the child in mind. There will always be more work to do in this area but hearing that
poem read in the Roundhouse with a large group of advocates waiting to talk to their legislators
instilled a sense that we are making progress and not only in the classroom.
Public Policy
Forum,
Deming, New
Mexico
Photo from Celebrating New Mexico’s Children & Youth Day at the State Capitol Building 28 Attachments 29 30 From:
Subject:
Date:
To:
Dan Ritchey [email protected]
It's not too late! Register for Fall Early Childhood Public Policy Institute
October 23, 2015 at 12:01 PM
[email protected]
View Online
First Annual Fall Early Childhood Public Policy Institute
Friday, November 20, 2015
Deming, NM
The Depot and Mimbres Valley Learning Center
NMAEYC is pleased to launch the First Annual Fall Early Childhood Public Policy
Institute in New Mexico! For many years, we have hosted an annual public policy institute
in Santa Fe, NM at the start of the state's legislative session. We are excited to support
additional opportunities for community collaboration and engagement with early childhood
public policy initiatives throughout our state!
Featured Speaker - Gunilla Dahlberg
Gunilla Dahlberg, professor of pedagogy at the Department of Child and Youth Studies at
Stockholm University in Sweden and an internationally recognized researcher, will be
speaking at the Institute about Multiculturalism and Communication: How different
cultures are changed and transformed as they interact with each other.
Learn More about Gunilla Dahlberg
Register for FREE to the Fall Early Childhood Public Policy Institute by
Monday, November 9, 2015!
31 32 33 34