Designs for Living and Learning

"Children are miracles.  Believing that every child is a miracle can transform the way we design for children's care.  When we invite a miracle into our lives, we prepare ourselves and the environment around us.  We may set out flowers or special offerings.  We may cleanse ourselves, the space, or our thoughts of everything but the love inside us. We make it our job to create, with reverence and gratitude, a space that is worthy of a miracle! Action follows thought.  We can choose to change.  We can choose to design spaces for miracles, not minimums."  ~ Anita Rui Olds

My copy of Designs for Living and Learning: Transforming Early Childhood Environments came yesterday, and after flipping through it expectantly, I settled into the rocking chair with Chipmunk and began to read.  The Anita Rui Olds quote prefaces the entire book.  "Wow," I thought. "'We can choose to design spaces for miracles, not minimums.'" 

Olds was talking about institutional childcare environments. But how often does this apply to my home?

The first chapter of the book contains a helpful assessment for current environments to help teachers decide what is working and what they want to change about their space.  Some of the questions they list don't apply to the home environment (one of my strongest first impressions is that the authors continually exhort teachers to make their environments more "homelike", which made me think, hmmm), but others do. 

The first thing they suggest is that you draw a floorplan of your learning space and ask a set of questions about each area.  Since the book is directed at early education environments (and since that is what I'm focused on, too), the questions are asked from the point of view of a 3-6 year old. 

1. I can see who I am and what I like to do here...
2. The natural world can be found here (such as objects from nature, animals, living specimens.)
3. There is something sparkly, shadowy, or wondrous and magical here.
4. My teacher leaves a special object out here every day so I can keep trying to figure out more about its properties and how it works.
5. There are materials here that I can use to make representations from what I understand or imagine.
6. I can feel powerful and be physically active here.
7. I can learn things from different perspectives here, literally and through assuming roles in dramatic play.

Lots of full-color photographs pepper the text for inspiration.

I'm very happy that I finally ordered this book after months of looking at it on Amazon. It's meeting me right where I am, clearing out, organizing, and rethinking our home for the new year.

 

 

Comments

[Account Deleted]

I was glad to find this at my library! I like the list and the quote :)

[Sarah]

I love this book, too, Angela. Deb Curtis was actually one of my college instructors. I was only 18, though, and didn't appreciate all of her wisdom. I even got scolded by her for talking too much in class. Yikes. Oh, how'd I'd love to sit through one of her classes now! Thanks for sharing your notes!

[Jennifer Mackintosh]

I'm laughing thinking of Sarah being too chatty in class!!! :)

I'm so excited to get to read this book...I have it...now to carve some time out to read it!!!! It's really speaking my language!

[Gae]

Dear Angela,
This looks like a really interesting book.
Did you find that it actually was a lot diffeent from what you have already implemented with your young ones.
Have you read the Reggio books ( all th ones in your side bar)that seem to be going around?
I had an interesting talk with Erin (Seven Little Australians) the other day.
I am not so sure this is any different from what I already do.
Any insight on this in your own family, please?

Totally irelevent:
Is your 15 acres designed to be self sufficient? Do your fruit trees produce enough for your family? We are looking when we move to be self sufficient if we can, so I am just interested.
God Bless

[Lori]

i love this book - i have recommended it to so many people! :^)

[Alycia in Virginia]

sounds like a lovely book...another one to add to my library request.