By: Diane Kashin, Ed.D, RECE. I have often been asked where I get the topics for my blog posts. Usually it is what I am currently thinking about – something that I see as a trend in early childhood education pedagogy and curriculum. I have written about trends and buzz words before as I find … Continue reading
By: Diane Kashin, Ed.D, RECE. Children require environments that allow them to engage in play that is adventurous, challenging and even risky. Risky play helps children learn about their world; test out what is and is not possible; learn about making mistakes; and discover new things about themselves, their space, place, and environment. Risk taking … Continue reading
By: Diane Kashin, Ed.D, RECE. My good friend Debi Keyte Hartland who inspires me with her insight on pedagogical documentation recently wrote a blog post that spoke to the challenging times and the potential of documentation to make visible the values of a humane society. Perhaps it is a sign of the times that I too … Continue reading
By: Diane Kashin, Ed.D, RECE. Pedagogical documentation can be viewed as a “process to explore all of our questions about children” (Ministry of Education, 2014, p. 21). It is a slow process that requires time but above all it needs to become a mindset – a habit of practice. Documentation becomes pedagogical when it is interpreted … Continue reading
By: Diane Kashin, Ed.D, RECE. To begin with I would like to wish all the followers and readers of this blog a very HAPPY NEW YEAR! A new year is the time for reflection and resolutions. For me, 2017 will be the year that I continue my quest to make meaning from the theory and practice … Continue reading
By: Diane Kashin, Ed.D, RECE. As 2016 comes to a close I am reflecting back on the many workshops that I facilitated and the keynotes that I presented. It has been an incredibly busy but reassuring year to realize that early childhood educators are serious about professional learning and committed to changing practices. Moving away … Continue reading
By: Diane Kashin, Ed.D, RECE. Ontario’s pedagogy for the early years: How Does Learning Happen (2014) is considered a pedagogical document. It suggests a number of pedagogical approaches to “nurture learning and development in the early years” that includes “using pedagogical documentation as a means to value, discuss and make learning visible” (p. 16). In my … Continue reading
By: Diane Kashin, Ed.D, RECE. I love loose parts. I love playing with loose parts and sharing loose parts with other educators. My hope is when adults mess about with loose parts that there will be recognition of the possibilities and importance of loose parts provision for children. I have presented many loose parts workshops indoors. … Continue reading
By: Diane Kashin, Ed.D, RECE. I have been reflecting on the principles and philosophy of the Reggio Emilia Educational Project but I am going to make a concerted effort not to label my reflections as Reggio inspired. Yes, it is true, for many years, I have found the work of educators from Reggio inspiring but I … Continue reading
By: Diane Kashin, Ed.D, RECE. On August 11th, 2016, I helped organize a workshop attended by 100 educators: Global Perspectives on Reggio-inspired Practice in Context: Global Perspectives. There were four presentations, two of which represented a United Kingdom context, Debi-Keyte–Hartland and Hayley Peacock from Little Barn Owls Day Nursery and Farm School. Suzanne Axelsson, a preschool … Continue reading
