Now available in English or Spanish.
Reviews
From Margie Carter, early childhood author, consultant, co-convener of the Reimagining Our Work (ROW) Initiative.
Long before Corona or Covid were household words, Pam-Oken Wright was showing us how education looks different than schooling—as a parent fostering her child’s inquisitive mind, and simultaneously in her work as a teacher for nearly 40 years, exploring the kind of attention, materials, conversations and questions that support, rather than suppress, the curious minds and active bodies of four to six year olds. Enter a devasting global pandemic, with schools closed or going online, and parents panicked they don’t have the time or know-how to supervise the education of their children. This book to the rescue! In a practical sense, it is filled with examples of materials, experiences, and discussions that re-engage children and parents alike. Equally valuable, Pam teases out the difference between schooling and education, a call to action for an important reckoning we can no longer avoid given the perfect storm ahead. “What is learning?” Pam asks, and answers with captivating examples that include stories, children’s conversations, drawings, inventions, and plain-speak theories on how knowledge and a learner’s self-identity is constructed. This book offers down to earth insights into an engaging educational approach that starts by seeing the world through the child’s eyes, invites exploration, serious thinking and questions, imagination and invention. If your kid is fortunate enough to be in a school like this, Pam offers specific ways in which home and school can become an extension of each other. But, if your situation is more typical, if your child or teaching job actually denies children an education in favor of schooling, this book is your toolbox for reimagining a way forward in an era of certain uncertainty.
From Sandy Lanes, host of “Awakened to Reggio” podcast
Thank you to Pam Oken-Wright for her fresh, timely, and very digestible window into the Reggio Emilia Approach. For many years, educators around the world have been flocking to Reggio Emilia, Italy to study the educational philosophy of their municipal preschools and infant toddler centers, because of their incredible respect for the child as a citizen of the world as well as to learn their values-based approach. Pam has a knack of taking complex concepts, such as learning theory, and making them tangible and understandable for everyone, without taking away their depth and full meaning–exactly what those of us who teach adults about the Reggio Approach have been trying so hard to do. One of the more unique messages of this book, is that this is not an educational approach, but a way of approaching humanity, the world, and life, and as such, Pam reaches out to a new audience—those educating their young children at home who would wish to learn this approach. Someone just messaged me the other day asking for Reggio resources for parents, and I was so excited to be able to tell her about Pam’s book. The way that Pam has organized this book is brilliant—beginning with the WHY before moving to the HOW. The stories she tells truly bring the concepts to life and make them relevant to the daily life spent with children. Every parent and home caregiver, whether the child is in a school or at home, would benefit from gaining an awareness about the ways of listening to, interacting with, and building on children’s thinking and ideas. Her guidance toward providing children with beautiful experiences and materials with which to express their theories about the world is unparalleled. She provides a wealth of free and inexpensive resources that will allow anyone an entry point to this way of being with children.
from iveybyrd on Instagram
“I just got this book and I have to say it is absolutely life changing! I’m sharing it with all the mothers and homeschool families I know. Thank you for writing it!!”
From Betsy R. Loeb on Amazon
This is a down-to-earth read. Combines the theoretical with the practical.
Appropriate for educators and parents of young children.
Especially relevant now as we lived in a COVID world and more parents are tasked with educating their children and where zoom teaching sometimes can mean more worksheets and less relevant learning experiences for children.
Order now or read a sample here
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