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Robin Long Ed.S
www.letthemlearnllc.com
rtlong@letthenmllc.com

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Los Angeles native and New York based visual artist, Kehinde Wiley has firmly situated himself within art history's portrait painting tradition. As a contemporary descendent of a long line of portraitists, including Reynolds, Gainsborough, Titian, Ingres, among others, Wiley, engages the signs and visual rhetoric of the heroic, powerful, majestic and the sublime in his representation of urban, black and brown men found throughout the world.

By applying the visual vocabulary and conventions of glorification, history, wealth and prestige to the subject matter drawn from the urban fabric, the subjects and stylistic references for his paintings are juxtaposed inversions of each other, forcing ambiguity and provocative perplexity to pervade his imagery.

Wiley's larger than life figures disturb and interrupt tropes of portrait painting, often blurring the boundaries between traditional and contemporary modes of representation and the critical portrayal of masculinity and physicality as it pertains to the view of black and brown young men.

Initially, Wiley's portraits were based on photographs taken of young men found on the streets of Harlem. As his practice grew, his eye led him toward an international view, including models found in urban landscapes throughout the world - such as Mumbai, Senegal, Dakar and Rio de Janeiro, among others - accumulating to a vast body of work called, "The World Stage."

The models, dressed in their everyday clothing most of which are based on the notion of far-reaching Western ideals of style, are asked to assume poses found in paintings or sculptures representative of the history of their surroundings. This juxtaposition of the "old" inherited by the "new" - who often have no visual inheritance of which to speak - immediately provides a discourse that is at once visceral and cerebral in scope.

Without shying away from the complicated socio-political histories relevant to the world, Wiley's figurative paintings and sculptures "quote historical sources and position young black men within the field of power." His heroic paintings evoke a modern style instilling a unique and contemporary manner, awakening complex issues that many would prefer remain mute..

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Los Angeles native and New York based visual artist, Kehinde Wiley has firmly situated himself within art history's portrait painting tradition. As a contemporary descendent of a long line of portraitists, including Reynolds, Gainsborough, Titian, Ingres, among others, Wiley, engages the signs and visual rhetoric of the heroic, powerful, majestic and the sublime in his representation of urban, black and brown men found throughout the world.

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As the school's PYP coordinator, I work with teaching teams to ensure that provocations are conceptually based. The notion of teaching through concepts is something that is very close to my own teaching philosophy.

At the beginning of a term the grade 5 classroom teacher was on leave, so that provided an opportunity to involve the students in a new learning direction. Exploring the transdisciplinary theme of Sharing the planet, we created the central idea that "living things need to adapt in order to survive." One of our related concepts is adaptation.

Knowing that adaptation was naturally going to occur in the classroom due to a change of teacher, I thought that the best concept for initial exploration.

Before launching the unit, I repositioned all of the tables in the room and removed all of the chairs. I wrote a note on the board welcoming the children as learners and invited them to embrace the difference.

Upon entering the classroom, the students were confronted with an unfamiliar environment. They began to express concern about how they could learn in that space. Anticipating this, I asked the children to follow me to a different place to learn. We went outside to explore various locations, and it was not long before they were ready to express their thoughts on these new learning conditions.

We re-entered the classroom to find it had been altered again (thanks to a colleague). I then let them know it was an adaptation exercise. The students reflected on this and began to ask more questions about why this was happening. Together, we worked to refine their inquiries.

In the next few days, activities were designed for the students to provoke adaptation to new ways of working. I deliberately ensured that the adaptation exercises encompassed different learning content areas. I wanted to reinforce the integrated nature of PYP and inquiry learning in a transdisciplinary manner.

The children experienced and learned more about the concept of adaptation and were now better placed to start tackling the subject of living things adapting to their environment. Not only were they able to experience what adaptation felt like, but they could recall from their own experiences how different factors change or affect the type or duration of adaptation.

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How do you engage students in understanding complex concepts? Reply below with your own story or send us an article for sharing on this blog. Details for submitting an article are here.
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Grant Lewis is PYP coordinator at Our Lady of the Nativity Primary School, Aberfeldie, Australia (a candidate IB school). Grant has a passion for learning and loves exploring new ways of engaging children into their learning. He believes that cognitive and affective experiences enhance learning.

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As the school's PYP coordinator, I work with teaching teams to ensure that provocations are conceptually based. The notion of teaching through concepts is something that is very close to my own teaching philosophy. At the beginning of a term the grade 5 classroom teacher was on leave, so that provided an opportunity to involve the students in a new learning direction.

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Twenty years ago, I learned something that changed my life. I was in an undergraduate class, and my mentor and professor shared slides about the schools of Reggio Emilia. At that moment as a teacher in training, I immediately found purpose and passion for what was possible through education.

Twenty years later, I am still as passionate about the Reggio Emilia approach as I was back then. Working in two Reggio-inspired schools and traveling to Italy twice to visit the birthplace of this teaching philosophy have given me opportunities to learn more about what this practice is, and how it looks, feels, and sounds.

Reggio Emilia is a child-centered approach to early childhood education that was developed in a northern Italian town of the same name shortly after World War II, and Reggio-inspired practice is a teacher's and/or school's interpretation of the Reggio Emilia approach. It will look different outside of Italy because the people and culture and history are what make it. That's why we use the phrase "Reggio-inspired practice"-we're inspired by Reggio to support our own context.

Every person and every school that becomes inspired will take various ideas for their own. In fact, any school can learn from this approach.

Reggio Emilia Principles That Other Schools Can Embrace

1. Image of the child: In Reggio Emilia, there is a phrase, "image of the child." It's what we believe about children and is at the center of my work. I believe that all children are capable, competent, and creative.

Tip: Write down three words that you believe about children and tape them somewhere obvious. Use those words to guide the day, the activities, and the environment.

2. Project work: Responding to children's interests helps bring authentic engagement and exploration to life. Project work fosters in-depth studies that the children and teacher(s) are living and learning alongside each other. Listening well, leading with questions, and exploring-using experience, materials, hands-on learning, and integrating content areas-all create opportunities to learn in deeply integrated ways throughout the day.

Tip: Notice what the children are talking about, what they are playing, and if there are patterns or excitement around that topic. Ask what the children already know about that topic, or maybe ask the children what they are curious about. Follow up with questions they have about the topic, and start exploring those questions.

3. 100 languages: In Reggio Emilia, "100 languages" refers to the fact that children learn in many different ways, and it's important to offer multiple opportunities for children to show what they know. It might be through reading, writing, creating a sculpture, painting, or hiking. Having various ways to create and construct offers children multiple ways to learn.

Tip: Ask the children what they like to do. If, for example, you have a lot of children who like to draw, maybe offering experiences with clay, watercolor, or loose parts can engage the children in deeper ways through a medium that excites them.

4. Environment as the third teacher: How does your environment reflect all learners? How does it invoke wonder, beauty, and engagement so that the children feel excited to enter? In Reggio Emilia, "environment as the third teacher" is an idea that allows us to think critically about how we are setting up the environment so that all children can learn.

Tip: The thinking of the children should be on the walls. Put up their math strategies, artwork, and photographs. Put up stories they have written in the book area. All of this shows that you think their work is valuable enough that it should be shared.

5. Teacher as learner: Even though I have been focused on my learning and teaching practices over the last 20 years, I still feel like I am learning something new about Reggio-inspired practice every day. Through reading, collaborating, and thinking alongside the children, I learn more. We, as teachers, should see ourselves as learners and researchers so that we can be in a space of process and active learning.

Tip: Write down what the children say in order to be inspired about what you do. Carry around a clipboard, and write down conversations so that you have a living document that shows you are a learner.

6. Family as partner: We cannot be a school without our families. It's important to value the relationships with families. To be able to know the child well and share that with families makes them feel seen and valued.

Tip: Find the best way to contact three to five families a week: Whether it's by email, phone call, or text, let them know what you see their child doing. Be specific. Be authentic.

7. Documentation: Children share so many ideas and questions. It's important that we, as teachers, document that work and make it visible so that they can see their process of thinking. We can, as observers, assess the process and learning that has taken place during the project.

Tip: Take lots of photographs. Write down students' thoughts. Share the story and the big findings so that the various audiences (children, teachers, families, policy makers) can see the thinking that has happened.

What I have learned through my studies of Reggio-inspired practice is that everything is done with purpose and intention. We should not just do to do, but we should have intent for everything we do with children. Reggio Emilia has given me an opportunity to deepen my understanding of what teaching, learning, and living can look like. Over the years I have been studying it, I have continued to take what I have read, observed, learned, and interpreted for my own context. It's an ongoing process that will forever be my passion.

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7 Ideas From Reggio Emilia That Any Early Childhood Teacher Can Use

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Twenty years ago, I learned something that changed my life. I was in an undergraduate class, and my mentor and professor shared slides about the schools of Reggio Emilia. At that moment as a teacher in training, I immediately found purpose and passion for what was possible through education.

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You are currently reading our archived blog.
While these older posts may not reflect our current vision and direction, we encourage you to visit our new website at to explore our latest, updated content. There, you'll find a wealth of valuable articles, resources, and insights that align with our current focus and over 60+ Free Play Invitations.
You might particularly be interested in reading this article: How to Create Highly Effective Invitations to Play: A Step-by-Step Guide
Thank you for joining us in this exciting new phase!

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For a long time I struggled with understanding the place and power of provocations. A few years ago I had a huge ah-ha moment. I am in an inquiry. I am a researcher. With each provocation - new understandings emerge. I love that it is a process of learning for both myself and the children. We are in it together.

So what follows is my experience with provocation. Is it everything there is to know? I hope not!

Provocations are experiences I set-up in response to children's interests and ideas. When I set up a provocation I am providing hands-on exploration for children to practice, test, construct and deconstruct their ideas and theories.

I set up a provocation and listen. I engage in the children's thinking. It is my thread to lead us onward.

A provocation will PROVOKE thinking! I have witnessed if children are not engaging in the provocation as a support to their ideas and concepts - I have to check with my own agenda or perspectives. Am I really honing in on their thinking or mine?

In the public school arena, where I incorporated Reggio Inspired practices - two distinct types of provocations arose:

Child Interest Based Provocations - These provocations built upon and expanded student ideas, interests, and wonderings.

Standards Based Provocations - These provocations built upon and expanded state mandated objectives and standards. The materials and tasks set out to achieve the standards and goals that are mandated.

Why Provocation?

One of the most interesting things to me as a researcher-teacher is understanding the learning process. We have all heard - - and know - - the importance of the child's emotional connection and safety in the classroom as the foundation of the learning environment. I would be so bold to say a quality education equals quality relationships in the classroom.

It is inside this value system I have found the sleeping giant. If safety, trust, and respect provide the foundation - then the next level of support is being invested in children's interests and curiosities.

When we pay attention to the interests of children, children get serious about learning. When I listen keenly to a child or group of child negotiating an idea - something magical happens.

Children come into the world wired to make sense of life. When we pay attention to the things that children are interested in, learning becomes incredibly important. Deep inside the thinking of children - lies the fairy dust of education - - meaningful engagement!
Think about it.
Clearly - a curious mind is one that is primed for learning.

I know when I am interested - hold on! - I am highly invested! What defines my state of engaged learning is a high level of focus and attention.

Focus and attention are the keys to developing strong pathways in the brain. Powerful provocations give children opportunities to attend to the world of ideas and concepts with incredible focus and attention.

Provocations, then, can be support systems in response to children's interests through meaningfully curated loose parts and materials.

The magic lies in the fact these parts and materials curate new languages or ways of interacting with children's ideas or wonderings. I listen keenly to children to uncover the unique perspectives of what they see and think.

A well-crafted provocation engineers play that is, in actuality, provoked by the children!

Provocations support the unfoldment of ideas and theories of the children. Not my ideas. Not my interests. The children's. And when I really invest myself in this process - new and expanded possibilities for children's exploration and inquiry arise. And this . . . is teaching fairy dust!
Want to learn more about Provocations? Click here to download our eBook, Provocations: A Start Up Guide. In it you will learn what is a provocation, what is an invitation and the breakdown of 13 provocations! I would love to hear your ideas and experience with provocations. Please share in the comments!

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What is a provocation? - Fairy Dust Teaching

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You are currently reading our archived blog. While these older posts may not reflect our current vision and direction, we encourage you to visit our new website at wunderled.com to explore our latest, updated content. There, you'll find a wealth of valuable articles, resources, and insights that align with our current focus and over 60+ Free [...]

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Provocations - What and Why

Ever wondered what provocations are or how you can best use provocations in early education, in your daycare or preschool? The team at Educa have put this post together sharing some fantastic resources. We hope it helps!!

Picture Source: Willow School:Provocations on the Playground

In early childhood teaching the term Provocation is derived from the Reggio Emilia Approach. They are fantastic opportunities for learning that many services incorporate into their suite of learning activities.

If you search Pinterest using the terms provocations ideas there are literally thousands of ideas for provocations. Also schools like the Willow School (pictured) often feature provocations they are using on their blogs

But What Are Provocations Exactly?

For children a 'Reggio Inspired' provocation is an open ended activity that doesn't have a prescribed outcome, instead it is designed to stimulate ideas, initiative and imagination for and amongst children, whether they choose to explore their ideas alone or in groups.

Journey into Early Childhood defines provocations as

"deliberate and thoughtful decisions made by the teacher to extend the ideas of the children. Teachers provide materials, media, and general direction as needed, but the children take the ideas where they want. This allows children to develop skills of creativity, inventiveness and flexibility in thinking, planning and reflecting."

- Journey into Early Childhood

How do educators use provocations?

There is often discussion among educators about the balance between child-led and teacher-led learning. Differences between provocations and outcome based learning activities. Examples are highlighted by early childhood educators like Anna Golden . She compares provocations to "traditional" classroom set ups - for example:

Explicit activities such as literacy activity centers or Instruction Based learning (eg worksheets, letter forms for tracing, word study, small group instruction)
versus
Open ended style writing provocations which provide materials (papers/envelopes/cards and mark making implements) to 'provoke thinking" without specifying a designated outcome although they are always designed with 'intention' by the educators.

Provocations use a range of items that can be linked together by children or provide a jumping off point for where their imaginations can take them. The focus is more on developing learner dispositions rather then teaching narrower skills. There is no "wrong" as a result of a provocation.

"In reference to right answers - Knowing is a process not a product "

- Jerome Bruner

What does a provocation look like?

Educators use nature based elements, loose parts, tinker trays in a multitude of ways to inspire the kinds of creativity that small people excel at, given the opportunity - because there's no magic formula for a provocation.

In fact the best provocations are created by reflective teachers who spend time evaluating whether their ideas work for their children.

Some suggestions for items to include when planning provocations:

See the setup for this flower provocation and more at An Everyday Story

An interesting photo, picture or book,

Nature (e.g. specimens)

Conceptual (e.g. changing seasons, light)

Old materials displayed in a new way,

An interest that a child or children have,

An object (e.g. magnets, maps)

New creative mediums,

Questions (from any source - i.e. What is gravity?)

An event (e.g. a presentation, a holiday)

List from - Racheous: Respectful Learning & Parenting

If you're looking for more information on "Reggio Inspired" topics there is a great series of posts from Let the Children play

For information and resources regarding the Reggio Emilia Approach contact the organisations below:

Reggio Children - Italy
Reggio Emilia Australia Information Exchange North American Reggio Emilia Alliance Reggio Emilia - Aotearoa New Zealand

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Engage Your Early Learners using Provocations - Educa

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Provocations - What and Why Ever wondered what provocations are or how you can best use provocations in early education, in your daycare or preschool? The team at Educa have put this post together sharing some fantastic resources. We hope it helps!! Picture Source: Willow School:Provocations on the Playground In early childhood teaching the term ...

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Sparking Curiosity With Self-Directed Learning

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For Mary Ellis, the advantages of allowing students to direct their own learning became apparent when, as a student teacher, she visited a 4th grade class to observe an “innovative” teacher. When she walked into the room, she saw students who seemed to be playing with matchbox cars. Ellis says, “I r