This book explores the contribution of and art and creativity to early education, and examines the role of the atelier (an arts workshop in a school) and atelierista (an educator with an arts background) in the pioneering pre-schools of Reggio Emilia. It does so through the unique experience of Vea Vecchi, one of the first atelieristas to be appointed in Reggio Emilia in 1970. Part memoir, part conversation and part reflection, the book provides a unique insider perspective on the pedagogical work of this extraordinary local project, which continues to be a source of inspiration to early childhood practitioners and policy makers worldwide. Vea’s writing, full of beautiful examples, draws the reader in as she explains the history of the atelier and the evolving role of the atelierista. Key themes of the book include: • processes of learning and knowledge construction • the theory of the hundred languages of childhood and the role of poetic languages • the importance of organisation, ways of working and tools, in particular pedagogical documentation • the vital contribution of the physical environment • the relationship between the atelier, the atelierista, the school and its teachers This enlightening book is essential reading for students, practitioners, policy makers and researchers in early childhood education, and also for all those in other fields of education interested in the relationship between the arts and learning.

This critically acclaimed, lavishly illustrated book will help educators create the highest quality learning opportunties for a new generation of children. The Second Edition features substantial and important changes, including the addition of new chapters by pioneers of the work that happens in the atelier who draw on several decades of experience. The atelier of studio is a key element of the renowned preschools and infant-toddler centres of Reggio Emeilia, Italy. This beautiful, full-colour resource explores how the experiences of children interacting with rich materials in the atelier affect an entire school's approach to the construction and expression of thought and learning. The authors provide examples of projects and address practical aspects of the atelier, including organizing the environment and using materials. No other book presents a more thorough examination of the philosophy, practice, and essential influence of the Reggio-inspired studio.

This catalogue is designed to offer a "guided tour" of the exhibit entitled "The Expressive Languages of Children, the Artistic Languages of Alberto Burri". As a tribute to the possible encounters between children and the poetic languages, the exhibit comprises various projects carried out in infant-toddler centers, preschools, and elementary schools following the retrospective exhibit of works by Italian artist Alberto Burri, which has held in Reggio Emilia from November 2001 through January 2002.

Suggests methods of teaching young children about the visual arts.

Offering practical guidance on encouraging creativity in early childhood settings, this much-needed book highlights the importance of the arts and creativity for children's learning, critical thinking, social interaction and self-regulation. The book considers the impact of creativity on early brain development and discusses how to choose the right arts or creative approach for your children. Principles for creative curriculums, teaching, assessments and environments are provided and each chapter includes a 'practitioner toolkit' element, with reflective questions and practical strategies for implementing the learning from the chapter into daily practice.

Teaching Art Creatively is packed with ideas and inspiration to enrich teachers' knowledge and understanding of art and design in the primary classroom. It synthesises the philosophical and practical elements of teaching, encouraging a move away from traditional didactic approaches to contemporary classroom pedagogies to develop children’s creative potential. With an emphasis on recognising the value of children’s art and how to support children’s creative and artistic processes, key topics explored include improving your own creativity, competence and confidence helping children become independent artists starting points and imaginative contexts for art and design individual, group and whole class work art inside and outside the classroom how to develop visual literacy the value of working alongside artists the contribution of art and design to children’s overall creative development Teaching Art Creatively offers a new model of visual arts education in the primary years. Illustrated throughout with examples of exciting projects, children’s work and case studies of good practice, it will be essential reading for every professional who wishes to embed creative approaches to teaching in their classroom.

The Reggio Emilia Pedagogy is an innovative and inspiring approach that sees the child as strong, capable, and resilient; full of wonder and knowledge. It maintains that each child brings with them a deep curiosity and potential, and this innate curiosity drives their interest in understanding their world and their place in it. This book aims to serve as inspiration for parents, caregivers, and teachers of young children and preschoolers, so they can sow the seeds of creativity and confidence necessary to support the children in their lives.

Recently, a new understanding of creative thought and creative performance has surfaced. It has also attracted the attention of early childhood professional organizations and researchers. Professional organizations have included it in their publications and conferences. While current creativity researchers have initiated a far more sophisticated understanding of young children’s creative thinking, ways to assess creativity, strategies to promote creativity, and research methodologies. The purpose of this volume is to present a wide range of different theories and areas in the study of creativity to help researchers and theorists work toward the development of different perspectives on creativity with young children. It focuses on critical analyses and reviews of the literature on topics related to creativity research, development, theories, and practices. It will serve as a reference for early childhood education researchers, scholars, academics, general educators, teacher educators, teachers, graduate students, and scientists to stimulate further “dialogue” on ways to enhance creativity. The chapters are of high quality and provide scholarly analyses of research studies that capture the full range of approaches to the study of creativity --- behavioral, clinical, cognitive, cross-cultural, developmental, educational, genetic, organizational, psychoanalytic, psychometric, and social. Interdisciplinary research is also included, as is research within specific domains such as art and science, as well as on critical issues (e.g., aesthetics, genius, imagery, imagination, insight, intuition, metaphor, play, problem finding and solving). Thus, it offers critical analyses on reviews of research in a form that are useful to early childhood researchers, scholars, educators, and graduate students. It also places the current research in its historical context. The volume is also of interest to the general readers who are interested in the young children’s creativity. The chapters are authored by established scholars in the field of young children’s creativity.

Making and Relational Creativity explores the developing relationships that arise between art teachers and students through creative practices outside of the secondary school arts curriculum. The author offers a powerful account of both her own and student experiences, exposing the complexities and problematic nature of creative practices emerging outside of the curriculum framework. The book specifically explores relationships that develop in informal making spaces and argues for the significance of democratic creativity within art education. Examining the processes of making and the narratives arising within the A/R/Tography Collective, the lived experiences of both students and educator are revealed, providing a unique insight into their lives. The book explores the impact such spaces have on teachers’ professional relationships with students together with the impact on student relationships and urges educators to inhabit a more holistic role and tailor their pedagogy to meet the needs of students. In addition, the research also aims to address the implications of informal making spaces for the school curriculum in England. This book will be of great interest for postgraduate students, researchers, and academics in the field of arts education, democratic learning, teacher education, cultural and organisational studies.