Making Learning Visible: Children As Individual and Group Learners

by Project Zero, Reggio Children

Book by Project Zero, Reggio Children

Genres: Education

368 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 2001

Reviews

[Stef Rozitis · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is well-worth reading. There is much in it that illustrates in a practical way how much more learning can happen when teams of teachers can be reflective together as well as honouring the capability of the child. It can be misleading to consider outside of its own Reggio Emilia context- it can seem as if much of the results happen by a sort of magic of beautiful spaces and that children freely choose to learn so intensively so that I have seen this sort of documentation used to argue AGAINST explicit teaching. In actual fact the schools in the book take learning very seriously and not just as a side-effect of play as the reader without a context may suppose.

I found the stories themselves interesting without necessarily agreeing with all the claims or the hypey tone in sections. I wish the pictures were printed a bit larger as I found it hard to see what was on them (my need for glasses may have been an issue). I think some of the thinking around breaking down binarisms (toward the end of the book) was very worthwhile engaging in and adding to and the book is full of "quotable" sections that can be used in documentation or professional development.

I loved the focus on listening, I thought about it a lot and could have spent more time on it. I broadly agreed with the theses of the book (that children are very capable, that documentation can help us see what is happening in the early childhood classroom - and perhaps elsewhere, that groups add to the learning of the individual, that connections between individuals and even between groups in time and space enrich learning, that generosity and affection are part of a healthy learning environment, that there is more than one answer and "right" way to approach a problem although most initial answers can be improved upon.

I recommend this book to people who work in early childhood, and in some cases maybe to other education professionals as well (as it is possible that early childhood practice could provoke productive ways forward also with older students).

[Martha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a practical guide for teachers who want to put students at the centre of learning and encourage them to think deeply and create enduring learning. With a section of practical strategies, it reviews the theory before giving you advice about how to implement it in the classroom. The fact it presents common pitfalls is a reassuring nod to the fact that we are all developing and growing, and it won't always work first time. Highly recommended for teachers who want to develop thinking cultures in their classroom.

[Karla · Rating 5 out of 5]

The pedagogy of listening is an important section and well written, as most of the book is.
The photographs help illustrate ideas, although I do wish they were larger and in color.
School- as a place of learning for parents.... why have we not yet embraced this better? Valuable ideas in the book!
Class meetings, as Glasser presented reaffirmed here

I enjoyed this read. Can't say I would really recommend this one though.

[Marianne Cane · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a professional book related to the educational philosophies of the preschools and infant-toddler centers in Reggio Emilia, Italy, and the work of Project Zero at Harvard University. It is about the way that visual narratives can make children's and teachers' thoughts and strategies more deep and more accessible. The photographs of young children's work and the narratives that accompany them are moving. It is not, however, a page turner.

I'm reading a few pages at a time.

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great resource on group learning. The projects documented and presented in this book are fascinating and inspiring. Dialog between Reggio Emilia and the US.

[Tracy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very helpful guide to the Reggio Approach but was a little dry reading. The examples and children's experiences were awesome but lacked how to start it.

[Alona · Rating 5 out of 5]

a great book for primary teachers! There are lots of examples of learning that took place in Reggio Emilia's schools.