Children's ART as Symbolic Language: Action, Representation, and Transformation

Author(s): Rebecca S. New

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Children's ART as Symbolic Language: Action,
Representation, and Transformation
Rebecca S. New
Tufts University

John Dewey (1934) pointed to the criti that the artist is a solitary prodigy entitled
cal role of artistic activity in children's lives to special regard by members of the com
as a means of exploring and expressing munity. Rather, this interpretation of chil
their experiences in the world. This article dren's symbolic languages lends support
proposes an expansion of this view, one to the proposition that an education worthy
that might lead to greater understanding of public support should provide all children
and support, if only children's art were in with opportunities to develop and use their
terpreted as the creative and imaginative creative, aesthetic and expressive talents.
use of multiple symbolic languages. This This alternative perspective on children's
premise posits children's production and art also supports another principle to be
use of symbolic languages as a form of explored in this discussion?that images
sociocultural activity with the potential to of children and interpretations of (art) edu
re-present reality in a way that transforms cation are inextricably bound to their so
prevailing attitudes and understandings? ciocultural contexts.
about children, their development, and the This perspective on children's art-as
aims of (art) education. Such an interpre symbolic-language is not new. In litera
tation of children's art also evokes alterna ture on child development and education,
tive images of teaching-learning process traces of these premises can be found in
es and belies the commonly-shared belief writings of progressive educators, cogni

VISUAL ARTS RESEARCH ? 2007 by the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois 49

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 tive theorists, and contemporary scholars norms of what is acceptable, possible, and
in education, psychology, and philosophy. worthy of public admiration. In its own
Others have confirmed the developmen postmodern twist, Italy has retooled its tra
tal value and social significance of sym ditional cuisine as emblematic of regional
bol systems, and suggest that education specializations and the origins of the "slow
would be vastly improved if greater atten food movement." In each case, what has
tion were given to this fundamental human been well-understood and taken-for-grant
need to interpret and express our indi ed is repositioned and critiqued as it cor
vidual and shared experiences. However, responds to new understandings and new
it was not until the world was invited into goals.
the early childhood classrooms in Reggio The city of Reggio Emilia holds a partic
Emilia that these premises were made vis ular place in this Italian story due to its long
ible in the form of pedagogical practices history of resistance to the status quo, its
guided by a belief in the promise of "the active commitment to industrial innovation,
hundred languages of children" (Edwards, and its interpretation of civic engagement.
Gandini, & Forman, 1993; 1998). Reggio Emilia's political history serves as
It is perhaps not surprising that a chal backdrop to its leadership role in advocat
lenge to traditional views of children's art ing for a new image of the child as compe
and art education would come from Italy, a tent and rich with potential. Over the last
nation with a history of confronting the sta half-century, Reggio Emilia's interpretation
tus quo with respect to children and their of community services for children and
competencies?Maria Montessori as a families has given rise to an approach to
classic example. The history of Italy's love [what some might label as] children's art
affair with art and artists provides another education that is politically motivated and
compelling example of the dynamic and stands in sharp contrast to much con
transactional relationship between cultural temporary pedagogical practice. Central
contexts and artistic activity. Art historians to what is now referred to as "the Reggio
point to the convergence of creative en Emilia approach" is the idea that creativity
ergy and community support in Florence, is a quality of thinking that can be found
a cultural milieu that gave birth [renais and should be nurtured in all members of
sance] to ideas, inventions, icons and im a community. The story of Reggio Emilia
ages that helped to define the culture of reveals valuable insights into the nature
Western civilization. Five hundred years and consequences of such a perspective
later, Italy is reputed to have more art mu on children, creativity and early education;
seums than any other nation in the world. it also conveys the transactional relation
In a society determined to remain alert to ship between cultural values, pedagogical
its complex history and respectful of local practices and a community's own continu
traditions, Italy also embraces its future. ing development.
Monuments to freedom fighters are situ
ated within proximity to fascist architecture Reggio Emilia as Developmental Niche
and museum visitors seem unfazed by the
juxtaposition of an Andy Warhol silkscreen To more fully understand the possibili
with a Caravaggio, or a display of Botero's ties of a pedagogy focused on nurturing
larger-than-life sculptures sharing space children's multiple symbolic languages, it
with ancient marble sculptures in Flor is helpful to consider the early childhood
ence's Piazza della Signoria, including a settings as they constitute particular devel
to-scale copy of Michelangelo's Davide. opmental niches. This nested theoretical
As designers and craftspeople, artists and framework builds upon a rich history of an
inventors explore new ways to live in and thropological and crosscultural studies that
respond to the 21st century, graffiti artists have explored various ways in which adults
and fashion ads challenge community interpret and respond to children's devel

50 Rebecca New

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opmental potentials. Taken as a coherent hood teachers; its willingness to work with,
whole, the developmental niche?including rather than against, the Catholic Church to
the physical and social environment, pat insure children's equal opportunity to early
terns of social relations and activities, and care and education; and its investment in a
the prevailing ideology about what is nec radically different early childhood program
essary and valued?describes culturally (New & Mallory, 2005). Some of what is
specific pathways and conditions for chil regarded as special about Reggio Emilia's
dren's development (Harkness & Super, early childhood services is also common
1996; Super & Harkness, 1986). There to other high quality Italian early childhood
are parallel conceptions of the contexts programs, including careful attention to the
of children's learning in educational set physical environment, a strong emphasis
tings, the notion of a "literacy rich" environ on parental participation, and documen
ment as one such contemporary example. tation as a form of in-service professional
Reggio Emilian early childhood settings development (New, 2007). Other features
make a compelling case for another sort of the city's early childhood services
of developmental niche?one that is rich its inclusion of services for children 0-6
in stimulation and support for developing years within the same administrative unit
other forms of creative expression. and its interpretation of curriculum in the
But first?the city itself. Reggio Emilia form of long-term projects for children and
is a small wealthy city of 150,000 inhabit teachers?are particular characteristics of
ants in northern Italy. Despite distinctions Reggio Emilia. Where Reggio Emilia has
noted previously, Reggio Emilia also has probably most distinguished itself is in its
much in common with other Italian cities, persistent efforts to reconceptualize the
including a centrality of the family in com role of symbolic languages in children's
munity life, a belief in the shared respon early educational experiences?and to
sibility of children, and an appreciation of share its discoveries with the world (Gan
everything local?whether it's wine, bread, dini, Hill, Cadwell, & Schwall, 2005; New,
cheese, or early childhood services. As is 2004b).
the case in most Italian cities, Reggio Emil
ia has three forms of early childhood ser The Environment as Teacher
vices: those provided by the state for 3-5
year old children [scuola materna statale]; Of all the features that have become
those offered by the church or other pri synonymous with Reggio Emilia's munici
vate sources, sometimes also for children pal infant-toddler centers [asili nido] and
as young as two years; and those funded pre-primary schools [scuole del'infanzia],
and directed by the municipality. Reggio the most immediately striking is the at
Emilia1 has similarly wealthy and progres tention given to the physical environment
sive neighbors in Parma, Modena, and (Gandini, 1991). The first impression is
Bologna, including a history of left-leaning generally one of awe at the sheer beauty
socialist governments and a leading role of the space. At the entrance are graphi
in the resistance movement of World War cally displayed messages to parents and
II and the women's movement in the late visitors and carefully arranged depictions
1960's (New, 1993). of children at work and play?all based on
The city is also widely acknowledged for the ongoing documentation that is a part
its own accomplishments and initiatives in of the teacher's role. Plants, comfortable
the world of early childhood, among them furniture, and photographs of children are
its leadership role in bringing principles visible throughout. The dining areas are
of local management [gestione sociale] arranged as if they were small restaurants,
to the governance of its early childhood with white or checkered linens and, often,
services; its stand against the prohibition centerpieces on each small table. Mirrors
of hiring of men to work as early child are throughout the school environment?

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on the floor in the shape of a puddle, on possible pathways for children's play and
the ceiling as part of a mobile, in the halls learning.
and on the walls of the house-keeping area The environment of Reggio Emilia's
as well as the block corner?inviting chil classrooms does more than invite children
dren to play with light, to ponder their own to be creative and attend to details in the
performances during dramatic play, and environment. The school culture also high
to consider patterns of symmetry in their lights the value of an aesthetic sensibility.
block constructions, among other things. Bathrooms include mobiles and transpar
They also provoke children to imagine 'a ent materials to catch the changing light;
world that is upside down.' graphic stripes of various sizes and colors;
The notion of a prepared environment and?sometimes?elaborately arranged
echoes lessons learned from Maria Mon tubes that reveal colored running water
tessori well over one hundred years ago. illuminating the interplay between humor,
Reggio Emilia's interpretation of the envi creativity, and aesthetics. Central atriums,
ronment as a "a third teacher" is also con sometimes with exotic plants, another time
sistent with a tenet of sociocultural theory with a live peacock, provide children with
that emphasizes the critical role of chil living objects to observe and appreciate, to
dren's surroundings for determining what draw and paint. A glass bowl of delicate
is feasible, desirable, and preferable. But rose petals reminds children of the plea
teachers in Reggio Emilia do more than sures of dichotomies and the value of con
prepare an environment in which children sidering something familiar from another
can safely learn and play; they continually angle. Such a seemingly unnecessary ad
revise children's physical surroundings as dition to the classroom also gives voice to
they might better support children's learn an ethic of beauty, an orientation denied in
ing, including their expanded capabilities standardized school settings designed and
in their symbolic languages. Thus, for ex furnished with an externally derived inter
ample, when teachers arrange shells ac pretation of 'quality.' For Reggio Emilia ed
cording to size, shape, and patterns, they ucators, this expanded interpretation of the
invite children to notice and appreciate concept of context is critical. The environ
those details. When they place various ments represent more than "just a physical
colors of leaves on a light table or in woven ambiance, place or structure", but, rather,
arrays of transparent bags, they acknowl they instantiate "a combination of mean
edge children's capacities to notice and ings and values" (Lanzi, 2006). Among the
invite them to take care of their environ cultural values most central to the peda
ment and make creative use of found ma gogy of Reggio Emilia's early childhood
terials, including those that are fragile and program is the importance of enduring
delicate (Topal & Gandini, 1999). When and collaborative relationships among and
teachers playfully arrange objects in a pat between adults and children, families and
tern on the shelf, they convey a message schools. These relationships are central
to children that there is value in thinking to the teaching-learning process that pro
creatively about the otherwise routine ele vides explicit support for children's multiple
ments of their physical environment. Even symbolic languages.
the color-coded way in which art supplies
are arranged does more than make them A Pedagogy of Collaborative Inquiry
easily accessible; it also draws attention to
their visual appeal. When teachers drape Surely the most provocative feature of
fabric over the block area so as to encour the schools of Reggio Emilia is the peda
age more creative and less gendered con gogical practice referred to as progettazi
structive play, they demonstrate?to chil one. Much of what we understand about
dren and their families?adult capacities this approach to curriculum and pedagogy
to manipulate the ordinary and expand the in Reggio Emilia is consistent with the

52 Rebecca New

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principle, put forth a century ago by John plorations and aliens (New, 1990). Teach
Dewey (1902), that children's learning er curiosities about gender differences in
activities?including those associated with early literacy interests led to a mailbox
representational tools such as paints or project for three-year olds that led off with
clay?should originate from children's life the question?what is a message??and
experiences, not those of adults. Elements turned into a school-wide exploration of
of this principle are integral to the Italian children's multiple literacies. And some
orientation to curriculum, since children's times, projects are launched in the ab
questions, hypotheses, and emerging un sence of children's interests, as illustrated
derstandings serve as the fuel that drives by what is now referred to as the 'table and
this pedagogical practice. And yet, Reg shoe' project that began out of a desire to
gio Emilia's valuing of children's ideas and increase children's mathematical explora
initiatives does not translate into the sort of tions. The straightforward question that
child-initiated curriculum that characteriz inspired weeks of measuring and design?
es many U.S. early childhood classrooms. we need a new table just the size of our old
Rather, Reggio Emilia teachers use chil one?belies the substantial teacher obser
dren's questions and curiosities as pretext vations, planning and decision-making that
to encourage them to explore materials, served as the genesis of this well-known
to experiment with various ways of repre project.
senting and testing hypotheses, to debate These teacher provocations gener
and negotiate their multiple points of view. ate activity that creates a context in which
As such, a progettazione is not the same children share ideas, explore new hypoth
as a project with a clearly defined begin eses, and create shared understandings.
ning and end. Rather, it is a "projection" of The level of creative 'flow' that is generated
an idea or curiosity that may lead in unex both characterizes and sustains these col
pected and sometimes multiple directions. laborative activies and is consistent with
The teachers' role in this interpretation of research on creativity (Csikszentmihalyi,
curriculum is complex and collaborative 1990). Throughout these collaborative ex
(New, 2004a). periences, children and teachers alternate
Children engaged at any one time in in their roles as initiator or responder, in
progettazione are often in small groups suring that teachers' curriculum plans are
formed through mutual interests or, per linked to and supportive of children's inter
haps, selected by the teachers. In ei ests and developing capacities. Teacher
ther case, children are rarely far from the knowledge of children's understandings
teacher's keen eye and ear as they delve is heavily influenced by their own obser
into complex practical and philosophical vations?and what children convey in their
explorations that evolve over time into col various symbolic representations.
laborative enterprises in which the role of
the teacher is as indispensable as it might The Hundred Languages of Children
also appear, at times, to be invisible. Such
collaborative activities begin based on As described previously, the class
carefully considered questions and hy rooms and hallways of Reggio Emilian
potheses generated about children's early early childhood spaces are filled with evi
learning and development in consultation dence of children's creative activities, in
with the pedagogista and sometimes with cluding drawings, sculptures, and works
children's parents. Thus, concerns about in-progress. Children in Reggio Emilia
children's war play led teachers to gener classrooms can frequently be found with
ate a class discussion with the provoca paper and pens, sketching out plans or
tive question?can an enemy become a memories. Children also have frequent
friend?and children's responses soon led access to other art media?clay, paints,
to a long-term project on outer space ex pens and pencils of varying sizes and col

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ors?as well as constructive play materi then sideways as they tried to guess their
als, including raw and recycled materials. identities. This socially dramatic shadow
This practice seems, at first glance, to be play served as an efficient and engaging
consistent with a long-standing tradition provocation for the children who then, in
in children's art education, one that privi small groups?some with colored markers,
leges children's experiences and initiative others with only black pens?attempted
(Lowenfeld, 1947). Art education has for to draw profiles of each other. The chil
decades operated under the belief that dren soon learned that some tools offered
children should largely be 'left to their own greater 'affordances' than others for this
devices in art' (Eisner, 2005, p. ix). And particular representational task as they
yet, children's explorations with these art added another skill set to their developing
materials are far from isolated or solitary representational repertoire. In each case,
activities. Not only are teachers often ob the means to one goal serves as the aims
served referencing children's drawings as of another?children receive explicit sup
a basis for their curricular ideas, plans, and port for their developing representational
hypotheses. Other times, children's rep skills even as they are encouraged to use
resentational efforts present themselves them.
in ways that elicit direct and creative re Other Reggio Emilian interpretations
sponses from teachers. of 'support' are remarkably simple and in
Teachers often strategically use chil clude the provision of representational ma
dren's interests to support their develop terials that allow children to be successful.
ment of graphic and three-dimensional For example, as indicated in the profile
representational skills, sometimes far ex project described above, art materials in
ceeding standard interpretations of what is clude a wide variety of brush sizes as well
possible and developmentally appropriate as crayons and markers, including fine
for young children. So, for example, when tipped pens and pencils with erasers. This
three-year-old children were unsuccessful variety of standard graphic tools stands in
in their efforts to make tall structures with sharp contrast to the thick crayons, pencils
clay, their teacher provided wire scaffold and markers that are presumed develop
ing on which children could build. When mentally appropriate for children's small
four-year-old children expressed frustra hands and fine motor development. The
tion at their inabilities to model two- and work that children produce through the use
four-legged clay figures that would stand of these materials suggests that children's
on their own, teachers initiated a bridge representational competencies may well
building project such that children worked be at least in part a function of the tools
together to determine how best to con they are provided access to and with which
struct a successful clay span, in the pro they create their symbols.
cess learning about the physics of suspen While the use of authentic creative me
sion, balance, and symmetry as well as the dia [such as the use of real clay] surely
pleasures of collaboration. When four- and contributes to children's developing sym
five-year-old children complained that they bolic languages, more critical forms of
could not draw the crowd at the piazza be support are also available. Perhaps be
cause "we can only go in one direction," cause teachers take seriously children's
their teachers designed a series of activi ideas and intentions, they also respond
ties, including one involving the use of a seriously, conveying the expectation that
standard classroom resource in the form children are using creative materials with
of a cloth suspended from the ceiling and intentionality. These responses are par
projected back light and a game whereby ticularly notable in teachers' conversations
children and teachers 'tricked' each other with children about drawings intended to
by donning another's hat, projecting an depict something they are interpreting in
other's voice, turning face-forward and the real world. / think that I understand.

54 Rebecca New

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Can you explain this part to me? And so teacher takes a celery stalk that a child
how do you think that this would work? has been drawing and places it in his
Conversations with children about their hand, turning it over and running his small
work validate the significance of children's fingers over the ridges, she is doing what
drawings; they also serve as a catalyst to Dewey described as 'educating attention.'
invite the child to reflect on and critique But when the teacher puts the celery stalk
her original representation, often resulting back on the table and walks away, it is the
in a 'back to the drawing board' response. child who picks up the pen and adds fine
Sometimes, the teacher might wait for the lines and a small leaf to the celery stalk;
child to translate a design into a working and it is the child who claims his contribu
model, at which time it will become obvious tion to the school-wide cookbook.
that something's not right. And in still other Reggio Emilia educators' efforts to
cases, the teacher intervenes at a critical help children to see more clearly what they
moment, helping the child to critique his or are observing and rendering suggests a
her own representation. In all cases, the reciprocal relationship between their con
assumption is that the product matters. ceptual understandings and their repre
These examples of what Reggiani chil sentational skills. George Forman (1989)
dren are challenged and encouraged to do emphasizes the mutuality of the mental
are part of the normal course of a day's operations inherent in and supported by
events in a Reggio Emilia classroom. What such experiences, theorizing that Reggio
is also 'normal' in that setting, but remark Emilia's emphasis on symbolic represen
able to many visitors, is the remarkably tation not only supports children's learn
high and consistent level of creativity and ing how to see and how to draw; they also
representational competence the children draw to learn.
demonstrate. Indeed, some suggest that, Some of these activities are goal ori
because these productions are the results ented?e.g., the production of a cookbook.
of carefully orchestrated teacher-child col Other activities are focused explicitly on
laborations, children 'can't really do this the exploration and creative manipulation
work by themselves.' While the teacher's of materials and thus take on the tenor of
role is often critical in the provision of a what might be called 'art education.' And
rationale for the process and the product yet these activities also seem far beyond
of the child's creative endeavors, an in the norm of what typically happens in early
terpretation of joint 'authorship' belies the childhood settings, particularly as children
separate roles and competencies demon are encouraged to assign their own mean
strated, on the one hand, by the adults; ings to their creative activities. A recent
and on the other, by the children. Teach project involved collaboration with the
ers acknowledge and respect their own works of the artist Alberto Burri, in which
roles in creating spaces, time, materials, children were invited to explore the tones
encouragement, and support for children's and textures of various pieces of white and
developing capacities. And yet, an undue black recycled papers and other recycled
emphasis on the adult role detracts from and natural materials. A publication and
the clear intent on the part of the children exhibit documented their efforts and final
to share what they know and can do. The products, whose sophisticated composi
children who are given the fine-tipped felt tions and accompanying explanations
pens and the mirrors and the questions? suggest an emerging sensibility to the nu
e.g., about how their eyes do and don't dif ances of color and diverse forms of ma
fer from a friend's?not only want to share terials and their creative manipulations. A
their emerging understandings. They composition is when you make something
have also been provided extraordinary as that didn't exist before, explains 5-year-old
sistance in attending to the details of what Laura; and her friend Morgana further ex
they can see and understand. When the plains that you put the things in the places

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where they look good, the exact places draw the interior of a glass-walled atrium,
(Reggio Children, 2004, p. 46). Through the teacher was exuberant in her praise
these experiences over a period of weeks, of the child who managed to capture the
the children became increasingly capable complex and receding perspective. When
of critiquing their own work. It looks like a asked about sparing the feelings of the
scribble! They shouldn't be so close to peer who was still struggling, the teacher
gether, notes Valentino; and a peer con was matter-of-fact: This child's drawing is
tinues it would be better if we took all the better, and the other child can learn from
buttons off because it's ugly It's all spread him. He wants to get it right, too.2 Although
out?I don't like it! (2004, p. 42). These contrary to most contemporary views of a
activities?and their teachers?provide a 'standards-free' orientation to children's
form of aesthetic education that is "a mode creative and symbolic activities, the ap
of nurturing an increasingly informed at proach taken in Reggio Emilia resonates
tentiveness to a diversity of art forms," an with Maxine Greene's recommendation to
awareness that is cumulative since "the teach children "what standards mean, what
more we know, the more we see and hear" doing things with style can mean" (Greene,
(Greene, 2001, p. 193). The same might 2001, p. 201). The children in these Reg
also be said about adult recognition of chil gio Emilian classrooms have been taught
dren's competencies. by good teachers to look at and to render
One of the fundamental features of more carefully what they can see and un
Reggio Emilia's interpretation of children's derstand and communicate. They have
symbolic languages is a belief in children's been provided with multiple opportunities
abilities to effectively communicate their to (learn how to) use a variety of media,
ideas and understandings. The cultural furthering their own understandings of the
value of things done well is readily appar particular affordances of the tools with
ent in Italian kitchens as well as design which they express their ideas (Forman,
studios, and so it is perhaps not surpris 1994). In so responding to the opportuni
ing to find these expectations within Reg ties as well as the spoken and unspoken
gio Emilia's educational program?except expectations of what is important and what
that in this case, the expectations are di they are capable of doing, these young
rected at young children. Teachers are not children achieve levels of accomplishment
hesitant to use superlatives in conversa that seem far beyond their years.
tions with children about their work, not Malaguzzi was not surprised at what
only as a means of encouragement but, children could do when given the oppor
more often, as a response to demonstra tunity, nor, perhaps, would other critics of
tions of competence. Far from seeming contemporary education be surprised. In
to be stressed or distressed by the high his now classic text, The Challenge of Art
expectations, these Italian children seem to Psychology, Seymour Sarason rails
at ease with their own and others' critiques against the widely held belief that only spe
of their work, and willingly return to make cial people engage in artistic activity, argu
revisions, whether in a letter to a friend ing instead, as Malaguzzi did, that all hu
or a design for a new block structure. In man beings have the capacity for this form
that same vein, children seem not to suf of expression. So how do we account for
fer if a teacher highlights the work of one the widespread absence of artistic activity?
child within a group context. Thus, when Sarason points to research by David Hen
one child at a table of other four-year-olds ry Feldman on the prodigal child, in which
successfully drew a profile of a friend com he outlines a principle of "co-incidence" or
plete with ponytail, her teacher enthusias convergence of forces that serves both to
tically displayed the results of her efforts enhance, and conversely, delimit, human
to the other children. In another observa potential. In outlining some of more 'for
tion, when two five-year-olds attempted to tuitous' circumstances that support the de

56 Rebecca New

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velopment of prodigious accomplishment, developing competencies in, their creative
Feldman notes the necessity of a cultural and communicative potentials.
milieu, the availability of master teachers,
recognition of talent and a commitment to Atelier as Space for Creative
support it, accompanied by "large doses Exploration and Collaboration
of encouragement and understanding"
(1986, pp. 11-12). One of the conditions of a 'cultural mi
It is impossible to read this description lieu' that is sympathetic to the develop
of the nurturing of prodigies without think ment of creative capabilities is surely the
ing immediately of Reggio Emilia. And yet, availability of dedicated time and space.
Reggio Emilia's 'cultural milieu' rejects the When Loris Malaguzzi began working with
elitism associated with the prodigy child parents and other community members to
and, rather, instantiates the belief that all create new educational environments for
children, like artists, "have a different way young children, he determined to do things
of seeing things" (Piccini, 2004, p. 7). The differently. An outspoken critic of Italy's
custodial forms of child care, he was con
city's efforts to insure that these capacities
develop rather than diminish are consis vinced [and convincing] that the human
tent with other progressives' beliefs about intellectual potential included a variety of
human capacities and the responsibilities means of creative expression denied in
traditional school settings. Thus it was that
of social institutions to support their devel
Malaguzzi proposed the atelier or studio
opment and expression in all children, not
space as a part of each school, whether
just those with 'individual proclivities.'
for infants and toddlers or preschoolers.
But how to explain the availability of so
Such a space was described by Malaguzzi
many 'master teachers,' given Italy's tradi
as "instrumental in the recovery of the im
tional lack of pre-service teacher educa
age of the child" with "the right to a school
tion? Even within cultural settings where
that was more aware and more focused, a
teachers have extensive pre-service prep
school made up of professional teachers"
aration, few have received the sort of pro
(Gandini, Hill, Cadwell, & Schwall, 2005,
fessional development that helps teachers
p. vii).
understand the importance of children's
The hope was that the provision of
multiple symbolic languages, much less the physical space and materials, accom
how to support them. Indeed, a vast ma panied by sustained attention within the
jority of classroom teachers have been 'left school curriculum, within a cultural con
to their own devices' in figuring how, when, text that values expressive languages as
or if to intervene (Eisner, 2005, p. ix). But essential (instead of optional or marginal)
teachers in Reggio Emilia, much like the to academic disciplines that are privileged,
children, have special resources to support can "render both the learning experience
their work with children, including the cre and the process of education more com
ation of a 'cultural milieu' within the school
plete and more whole" (Ibid.) It was not
environment that includes high expecta assumed, however, that teachers could
tions for them, among them that teachers accomplish such aims just by having more
can learn about children they are trying to space, materials, and 'sustained attention.'
teach, that they can study and respond to Who better to help teachers render their
children's symbolic representations, and learning?and the learning of children?
document the teaching-learning process more visible than someone who has been
as they teach. Two resources?the ate trained as a visual artist?
lier and the mediating tool of documenta Malaguzzi took a second risk and hired
tion?are central to this cultural context for formally trained artists?one for each
teaching, and have profoundly influenced school setting and most with little or no
adult understandings of, and children's direct experience working with children in

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classroom settings?to take on the role of lustrateci the power behind an educational
atelierista. As interpreted over the last for investment inviting children and adults to
ty years, the responsibility of the atelieri purposefully engage in what Bruner calls
sta is not only to make the atelier a more acts of meaning (1990). Malaguzzi's hope
welcoming space but, more importantly, that the atelier could serve as "a means
to support teachers' efforts to learn about to rescue teachers 'who had been humili
and facilitate children's ongoing efforts to ated by the narrowness of their prepara
make sense of and assign meanings to tory schools'" (Ibid ) has been validated
the world around them. In particular, their by educators working in Reggio Emilia's
collaborative work has involved attending municipal pre-schools?and others so in
carefully to children's use and further de spired. One ateiierista with three decades
velopment of their untapped symbolic lan of experience described the satisfaction of
guages. Vea Vecchi, one of the first to be this alternative way of working with chil
hired and now helping to train a new gen dren. "There was always the possibility
eration of atelieriste, talks about the value of saying, Tve done this, and I interpret
of the connections made by adults working it this way. What do you think?' We had
together in this way. She notes that the the maximum amount of freedom, and we
"languages of the atelier" when used with were expected to experiment and to ex
in the context of more established disci press ourselves, to take on a great deal of
plinary discourses, can produce "a shift in responsibility individually but, at the same
established points of view" and encourage time, never to be alone" (Gandini et ai,
more complex approaches to problems as 2005, p. 10).
well as recognition of expressive, empath In addition to his sensitivity to the need
ie, and aesthetic elements "inherent in any of adults for supportive and intellectually
discipline or specific problem" (Gandini, stimulating work environments, Malaguzzi
Hill, Cadwell, & Schwall, 2005, p. viii). was keenly aware of the costs of the ate
Likely as important as the intellectual lier and its materials and he acted on his
stimulation provided by these partnerships belief that their schools for young children
has been the presence, made possible by had a responsibility to offer a 'return on
these unconventional collaborations, of that investment.' And thus it was that the
experiences "rich in imagination, stimulus documentation became inextricable from
to socialization, and full of merriment' [ital the work of these adults with each other
ics added] (Gandini et al, 2005, p. ix). and with children.
In the elegant new volume, In the spirit
of the studio: Learning from the atelier Documentation as Collective
of Reggio Emilia (2005), Malaguzzi and Consciousness
others expound upon the history and cur
rent interpretations of this special space. The power of documentation to illustrate
Malaguzzi acknowledged the risk in intro children's creative potentials was revealed
ducing the atelier as a space for young as a part of another of Malaguzzi's quests,
children, defending his decision to create which was to share Reggio Emilia's com
"a school made entirely of laboratories" pelling interpretation of "a new culture of
where "the hands of children could be ac childhood." Under his charismatic leader
tive," where there was "no possibility of ship, Malaguzzi worked with atelieriste,
boredom, where hands and minds would pedagogiste, teachers and city leaders to
engage with each other"...in a way "or collect, organize, and display their observa
dained by biology and evolution" (Gandini tions and new understandings of children's
et al, 2005, pp. 73-74). learning in the form of a traveling exhibi
This collaborative approach to cre tion. The first exhibition toured Western
ativity and expression influenced much European nations as diverse as Sweden
more than children's opportunities. It ?I and Germany, Portugal and Denmark. In

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1987 an English-language version arrived mentation goes beyond a set of actions
in the U.S. The exhibition was overwhelm that teachers engage in. Rather, docu
ing in its size, its complexity, its beauty, mentation represents a "mutual exchange
and its message?that children have social of thoughts and theories between children
and intellectual and creative potentials not and teachers within particular environmen
fully realized in traditional early care and tal contexts" (presentation at Student and
education programs. What visitors saw Professor Study Group, Reggio Emilia,
in the exhibit were beautifully arranged February 21, 2006). Vea Vecchi further
graphic displays and photographs of chil describes adults' responsibilities to "render
dren accompanied by their drawings and evident and visible, through observation
constructions, translated texts of their con and documentation, the vital interweaving
versations, hypotheses, and explorations of cognitive and imaginative ways of know
about the natural world (rain clouds, shad ing; and to ...reveal the personal as well as
ows, reflections) and their sense of self in the social elements that are part of every
relation to others (emotions as expressed representation" (Vecchi, 2005, p. ix). Doc
through hands and voices, gender roles), umentation as practiced in Reggio Emilia
as well as fantastical constructions?a di thus does more than reveal the vast and
nosaur, a horse, clouds. Some visitors left untapped potentials of children. This pro
the exhibition in disbelief, others in tears. cess of observing, recording, display and
Most described their delight at this display interpretation also serves as a mediating
of children's creative competencies; and tool for collaborative inquiry and respect
their dismay at how little was understood ful relations among adults, parents as well
of what children are capable of thinking as teachers. It is this 'going public' with its
and doing. multiple subjectivities that leads scholars
New exhibits from Reggio Emilia, trans to regard documentation as an essential
lated into multiple languages, continue to means by which to study children's devel
occur on a daily basis in Reggio Emilia opment (Carini, 1988), promote collabora
classrooms. Described in Making Learn tive inquiry (Moran, 2006), and encourage
ing Visible (2001) as a primary means of critical reflection on pedagogical practices
illustrating children's collaborative knowl {Dahlberg, Moss, & Pence, 1995).
edge constructions, documentation as in Such collaborative inquiry as found in
terpreted by educators in Reggio Emilia is children's progettazione, their efforts to il
also a way of listening, a means of mutual lustrate their thoughts and understandings
engagement, and a process of adult learn through multiple symbolic languages, and
ing that is reciprocally linked to children's teachers' documentation of those activities
learning. There are multiple strategies and moves beyond the specifics of children's
forms of documentation, immediately ap early learning processes and potentials.
parent to those visiting the schools, includ Rather, this attitude of curiosity assumes
ing the wall documentation panels about a different and more controversial stance,
[often ongoing] long-term projects, the an "unflinching process of re-search into
various publications about various proj the 'deep politic' of early childhood educa
ects carried out in the schools, as well as tion" (New, 2006, p. xx). In all of its varied
the daily type of documentation made up forms, documentation of children's creative
of transcriptions of conversations and dis and collaborative efforts sends children
cussions with the children. Each of these the message that their ideas, questions,
strategies represents particular means by thoughts, and imaginations matter?and
which the teacher has established a form that teachers can and should share in their
of "solidarity with the child or children, interpretation and expression. The recip
gaining access to children's thoughts, rocal nature of this process and the holistic
questions, and new understandings." qualities of what might be called the final
Reggio Emilia's interpretation of docu products demonstrates the untapped po

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tentials of a collective consciousness akin nature of what we consider a worthwhile
to that found in art collectives in which art education and the role of such an enter
itself is a "long-term social process, rather prise within the context of a community
than a short-term formal event" (New York and the future of a society. The origins of
Times, March 5, 2006, section 2, p. 29). this challenge can be found in Malaguzzi's
belief that creativity is a quality of thinking
Conclusion and his courage in putting that idea forth
and pursuing it with intellect, passion,
Bruner has written eloquently about compassion?and colleagues. Surely the
the need for a greater and more nuanced most provocative element of Reggio Emil
understanding of the culture of education ia's interpretation of children's symbolic
(1996). This analysis of Reggio Emilia's languages is their dual power to invite and
municipal early childhood program as it support collaborative relationships and to
constitutes a highly particular (Gandini, generate conflict by challenging traditional
1984/1991) developmental niche reveals ideas about children, schools, teaching
the sociocultural situatedness of their ap and learning. Avoided by many, this sort
proach to the education of young children. of conflict is seen by others as essential
It illustrates the pervasive power of social to community development and cultural
relations and social activities as contexts change (Turiel, 1999). Philosopher Max
within which children come to understand ine Greene writes about the potentials of
and participate in cultural routines and an aesthetic education that is "always in
practices that, in turn, guide children's ap process," characterized by open-mind
propriation of cultural values, beliefs, and edness and a sense of exploration, with
goals (Rogoff, 1998). And it reminds us purposeful "breaks with ordinariness and
that the educational enterprise, no less stock response." She imagines the results
than any other social activity, reflects cul of such an approach to education: "there
turally distinct interpretations of what and may be a new readiness, a new ripeness in
how children should learn (New, 2004a). our students and even in ourselves. There
Reggio Emilia capitalizes on these socio may be an increasing awareness of things
cultural tenets through the purposeful de in their particularity, of beauty and variety,
cisions made in terms of the physical en and form. People may be brought to watch
vironment, the pedagogical approach, the and to listen with heightened attentiveness
daily routines and high expectations that and care. The questions may keep coming.
are part of children's and teachers' every We can ask no more of ourselves." Reggio
day lives. Together, these elements invite Emilia's municipal early childhood program
us to take more seriously the potential edu has demonstrated such an interpretation
cation of culture as we consider new ideas, of education and art as a form of collective
new interpretations of old ideas, and the cognition?a collaborative endeavor (Rog
possibility that there remains much we've off, 1998) committed, noMo the develop
yet to imagine. ment of more and better child artists, but to
Reggio Emilia's interpretation of chil the development of creative, critically think
dren's symbolic languages provides a ing and collaboratively engaged citizens
powerful alternative to traditional notions (children as well as adults). The goal once
of art education, whose history has been imagined by John Dewey is what adults in
described by one critic as "the story of Reggio Emilia strive for on a daily basis: to
how the nature of human nature can at work with each other to acquire the skills
best be ignored and, at worst, destroyed" and dispositions essential to a society in
(Sarason, 1990, p. 172). The example of which joy and justice, ethics and aesthet
Reggio Emilia does more, however, than ics, inquiry and collaboration co-exist. The
challenge a dominant paradigm of art edu challenge for those who might be inspired
cation. Reggio Emilia challenges the very by Reggio Emilia's example is to reposition

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what might otherwise be called 'art educa Dewey, J. (1902). The child and the curriculum.
tion' such that critical and creative thinking Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
are central to the educational enterprise Dewey, J. (1934). Artas experience. New York:
and both children and adults find the cour Penguin Putnam.
age to look beyond the boundaries of the Edwards, C, Gandini, L, & Forman, G. (Eds.)
(1998). The hundred languages of children:
predictable. We should ask no less of our
selves. The Reggio Emilia approach?Advanced re
flections. Second edition. Greenwich, CT:
Ablex.
Edwards, C, Gandini, L, & Forman, G. (Eds.)
(1993). The hundred languages of children:
The Reggio Emilia approach. Norwood, NJ:
Ablex.
Eisner, E. (2005). Foreword. In N. Smith, C.
Fucigna, M. Kennedy & L. Lord. Experience
& art: Teaching children to paint. Second
edition (pp. ix-x). New York: Teachers College
Press.
Feldman, D. H. (1986). Nature's gambit. New
York: Basic Books.
Forman, G. (1989). Helping children ask good
Endnotes
questions. In B. Neugebauer (Ed.), The won
der of it: Exploring how the world works (pp.
1. The city's official name, Reggio nel
21-25). Redmond, WA: Exchange Press.
Emilia, refers to its place in the region of
Forman, G. (1994). Different media, differ
Emilia Romagna and, further, distinguish ent languages. In L. G. Katz & B. Cesarone
es it from another city in Italy, that of Reg (Eds.), Reflections on the Reggio Emilia Ap
gio nel Calabria. proach. Urbana, IL: ERIC/EECE.
2. This and other quotations are ap Gandini, L. (1991). Not just anywhere: Mak
proximations of actual conversations and ing child care centers into "particular" places.
observations without benefit of audio Beginnings: The Magazine for Teachers of
recording or, in some cases, on-site field Young Children, 1,17-20.
notes. Gandini, L. (2005). From the beginning of the
3. ?bersetzung aus dem Englischen: Atelier to materials as languages: Conversa
Antje Below und Arndt Ladwig. Fachliche tions from Reggio Emilia. In L. Gandini, L.
Bearbeitung: Pamela Oberhuemer Hill, L. Cadwell, & C. Schwall, In the spirit of
the studio: Learning from the atelier of Reg
gio Emilia ( p. 105). New York: Teachers Col
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