# data[].attributes.body
Documentation is meant to make student learning processes visible to the students, parents, and faculty. This is very important because it shows a child's growth throughout the year as well as gives teachers insight into the child's learning. It supports authentic learning. I want to use this practice in my classroom to elevate and appreciate all the work done by the students in the classroom.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Documentation: A Central Aspect of the Reggio Emilia Philosophy

# data[].attributes.body
In my classroom I was observing at, I witnessed an interaction that appropriately displays how to support students through their big emotions. Children do not have the emotional intelligence to understand their feelings, which often leads them to express negative emotions physically. How adults respond to children can be a learning point for them. When a child was hitting another in the classroom I was observing at, the teacher pulls him aside and says “Baby (She always uses terms of endearment with her students) you know I love you, we are just going to talk because I need to teach you something, but I can’t talk when you are crying so lets take deep breathes.” She proceeds to walk him through breathing exercises that help him calm down from his tantrum. The teacher then asks him several times “how much do I love you?” until he answers. He says softly “you love me so much.” The teacher replies, “that is right I love you so much! But that does not give you the right to hit one of my friends. Those are my friends, so when you hit them, you are hurting my feelings.” I was inspired by this interaction because the teacher handled the outburst of this student so well. Instead of just punishing him which would have escalated the situation, she used it as a teaching moment to teach about empathy. She reaffirmed him, pointed out that what he did was wrong, and explained why and how to fix it.

# data[].attributes.body
During class we talked about how adults speak to children will teach them how to see themselves and treat others. The way adults speak to children has the power to change everything. This quote also ties in with the social and emotional learning aspect in a classroom because it sees children as capable beings and how teachers are meant to support children's growth by helping them understand their emotions. Seeing children for their potential is an important factor in helping them learn and grow

# data[].attributes.body
This video shares the importance of creating a classroom that celebrates, welcomes, and reflects diversity. They give many examples of how to do this well and why it is important. Children notice diversity from a very young age and it is up to the teacher to help them accept and love these diversities. I want my classroom to be filled with toys and materials that reflect the faces of my students. I want a library full of books that teach children about other cultures and books that reflect their own. I want my classroom to be a mirror and window for all my students.

# data[].attributes.body
These are just a few examples of books that I would like to include in my classroom library to ensure that children see themselves in the classroom as well as into others lives.

# data[].attributes.body
I saw the importance of documentation in the classroom through my observation because I saw how the students would love to show me their work when I asked them about it. In their classroom, their work was displayed on every single wall. However, one critique I have about the classroom I observed, is that it never displayed the process of learning, it just displayed the outcome.

# data[].attributes.body
In class we talked about how in order to get all the benefits from play, children must be FREE. Free to explore, make their own rules, interact with each other without restrictions from adults. Children are constantly living in a world that is dictated by adults. As an aspiring teacher, I want to be someone who fosters an environment for children to play freely and use their imagination to its fullest capacity!

# data[].attributes.body
This article is a fantastic resource that I found that describes the Reggio Emilia approach to play in the classroom.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
The Reggio Emilia Approach is lead by the child's curiosity, connection to the world around them, and the belief that children have the ability to develop their own potential. "Influenced by this belief, the child is beheld as beautiful, powerful, competent, creative, curious, and full of potential and ambitious desires." Hewitt, Valarie (2001). "Examining the Reggio Emilia Approach to Early Childhood Education". Early Childhood Education Journal 29 (2): 95-10.

Play is driven by the children's interests, questions, and the world that they live in. The materials available for play add to the children's play in meaningful ways. The opportunity for children to create their own play and explorations helps to develop independence and creative thinking. As child guide their own play, social interactions take place and relationships are built. Language is developed, math and science is explored, creativity and art go hand in hand, nature finds its way into many play scenarios and explorations, and the culture of others in discovered in meaningful ways. Children are truly engaged in their play.

Provocations are often set-up by teachers, after observation of the children, to encourage discussion, exploration, experimentation, interest, and thinking. Provocations may be based on a topic of interest that the children are studying. Once children initiate a study or project, teachers can add to the play and exploration on the topic by planning and preparing meaning set-ups in different areas of the classroom.

Provocations could be:

A concept i.e. change

A problem i.e. children touching chrysalises and damaging them

An object i.e. a map

Nature e.g. children's fascination with sticks

A question from the teacher

Questions from the children

Song lyrics

An event

A book

An interest that a child or group of children have

A requirement i.e. the school show

(Retrieved from I am Inspired by Reggio Emilia, 9/11/2015.)

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
The Reggio Emilia Approach is lead by the child's curiosity, connection to the world around them, and the belief that children have the ability to develop their own potential. "Influenced by this...

# data[].attributes.body
In class, we discussed that there is danger in telling children "You're okay" and "stop crying". It invalidates their feelings and oppresses their personhood. Rather, as teachers, we should validate their feelings and give them the tools and resources to navigate strong emotions. We also need to be mindful of our empathy toward children and understanding of their world. For a preschooler, it may feel ground shaking to share a toy or to have a pencil taken out of your hand by a classmate whereas for an adult that is so minuscule. Thereby, really entering their world and empathizing with their emotions will help honor their feelings and give the teacher the opportunity to help show the child how to understand and manage their emotions.

# data[].attributes.body
I saw this in the classroom I was observing in when they read a book that talks about their feelings. After reading the book, the teacher asked each student about how they were feeling and how they can relate to the book. Later that day whenever a student would cry or look sad or angry, the teacher would remind them of the book and ask them about their feelings in the same way. This gave them the vocabulary to express their emotions and come up with ways to solve their problem.

# data[].attributes.body
Free play was seen during their station time. There would be different stations such as, legos, coloring, playdough, racecars, and barbies. The child would be free to choose where they wanted to play and who they wanted to play with.

# data[].attributes.body
During my observation time I saw how the teacher read two different books to the children each day. All the books were age appropriate and included diversity. The teacher would pause and ask questions about how they relate, what they think, and so on.