Just reading this fascinating article by Patricia Tarr, Associate Professor in the faculty of Education, University of Calgary, Alberta Canada. It is a comparison of aesthetic codes in typical Canadian/ American preschools and Reggio Emilia preschools. (We can add to the comparison the schools we went to as children in England, then and today.)
Where did this cartoonified (to borrow the author's apt term) aesthetic come from? When was it born? How did it grow? How did it cross oceans? How does it compare to Victorian classrooms? And how can we help eradicate it?!
Strongly recommend reading the whole article, but an excerpt: 'Reggio educators include aspects of a home into the school: vases of flowers, real dishes, tablecloths, and plants. There is attention to design and placement of objects to provide a visual and meaningful context. The objects within the space are not simplified, cartoon like images that are assumed to appeal to children, but are "beautiful" objects in their own right. For example, dried flowers hang from the ceiling beams and attractive jars of beans and seeds are displayed on shelves in the dinning area of Arcobaleno Infant-Toddler Center.'
Strongly recommend reading the whole article, but an excerpt: 'Reggio educators include aspects of a home into the school: vases of flowers, real dishes, tablecloths, and plants. There is attention to design and placement of objects to provide a visual and meaningful context. The objects within the space are not simplified, cartoon like images that are assumed to appeal to children, but are "beautiful" objects in their own right. For example, dried flowers hang from the ceiling beams and attractive jars of beans and seeds are displayed on shelves in the dinning area of Arcobaleno Infant-Toddler Center.'
I think the words 'that are assumed to appeal to children' lead us to the root of the problem. Who assumed this? Like the rebranding of Saint Nicolas from historic green to Coca-Cola red, have we let people trying to sell us something (Walt Disney?) tell us what children like?
Who to trust? It seems the good ladies and men (we did find a male) of Reggio Emilia are trusting their 'inner child' and if so, so can we.
Who to trust? It seems the good ladies and men (we did find a male) of Reggio Emilia are trusting their 'inner child' and if so, so can we.
But Patricia has another suggestion:
'Art educators need to find ways to collaborate with early childhood teachers to critically examine the aesthetic codes which permeate their classrooms and then together find ways to create environments which support children's aesthetic and artistic development... Reggio has shown how partnerships between artist-teachers and early childhood educators can have a powerful impact on all the learning that occurs. Art educators can be challenged to take on the role of atelierista within a school, working as partners with teachers to support children to communicate their ideas visually, help to create provocative learning experiences, and design environments that enhance children's perceptual awareness and provide places for wonder, curiosity and the expression of ideas.'
Patricia recognises that the teacher might not have had their own aesthetic sensibilities nurtured as children. We wonder if every adult would have an aesthetic sensibility had they gone to school in Reggio Emilia or do genes play a decisive role? How can we test this on the community of adults in Reggio Emilia?
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