“Often in our work, and in our lives, we tend to look for confirmation of what we think and what we believe. We identify ours selves with our ideas and our theories. To change our minds, to reconsider our basic theories and beliefs so as to see their limitations, is often perceived as a personal defeat. Often the ensuing crisis is experienced as a loss rather than as the beginning of something new. The fact is that we are too firmly attached to our theories and to our ideas and thus we often close the door to new ways of seeing and understanding. But new ideas spring forth everywhere, particularly if we live among children. The children themselves stand for what is new for us and what is asking for acceptance. We can never predict the way in which the new will appear, but often it has the eyes of a child. We must, therefore, expect the new to appear, help it come forth, follow it, and nurture it.”
~Carlina Rinaldi from Louise Boyd Cadwell’s book The Reggio Approach to Early Childhood Education- Bringing Learning to Life
This quote reminds me of one of Dewey's attitudes to reflection - open-mindedness, and the idea that we have to suspend our own beliefs in order to keep learning. I am enjoying browsing your blog and getting ideas of how to infuse the Reggio philosophy with PYP. Would love to see more examples of your classroom environment.
ReplyDeletegjacobson@aisdhaka.org
PYP coordinator / IT Facilitator