As part of PVCC’s Early Childhood Education (ECE) initiative to study creativity, students, faculty and staff, as well as colleagues from Illinois and New Mexico, launched an intense six-week study of Art and Creativity: Exploring the role and potential of ateliers in early childhood education by Vea Vecchi. In December, PVCC ECE students, faculty and staff volunteered to lead chapter studies.
During the dark winter days, study participants found insight and inspiration in the poignant and provocative writings of Vea Vecchi. Vea was one of the founding educators of the internationally acclaimed early childhood programs of Reggio Emilia, a child-centered educational philosophy developed in Reggio Emilia, Italy.
The study was launched virtually through a tri-state Zoom conference call and physically through the distribution of First Things First grant-funded copies of the book.
Each chapter of the book offers insights into the complexity of the field of early childhood education as well as concrete details of how the early childhood programs in Reggio Emilia work, day-by-day, month-by-month, and year-by-year. The book study remains open so participants may continue to read the posts and provocations of others, while the facilitated portion of the study ended in January.
“There was a lot to take in from Vea's book. I really connected with Vea's honesty. She gave us a true look ‘behind the scenes’ in the birth and growth of the Reggio schools,” says Constance Fox, PVCC Early Childhood Education major. “There is respect regarding others’ thoughts and visions.”
Constance says a quote in the book from Loris Malaguzzi, creator of the Reggio Emilia approach, is something that she will remember. "To go forward, we have to push both pedals and maintain a good balance; one pedal represents theory, the other practice; pushing only one pedal does not get us far.”
“As the PVCC ECE program creatively reinvents itself for the next generation, we are committed to being a program of balance, the pedals of theory and practice pushing each other in order to move forward,” says Christie Colunga, PVCC Residential Early Childhood Education Faculty. “We need you to help pedal our bike!” If you are interested in learning more about riding a new Early Childhood Education bicycle, please contact christie.colunga@paradisevalley.edu.