Why is Messiness Valuable?
The Reggio Emilia Approach and the BC Early Learning Framework are grounded in the practice of Critical Reflection. By pausing and carefully studying our intentions, believes and values, by questioning our systematic foundations, and by reflecting on our image of the child, educator and space periodically, we are able to change mindsets, behaviours and systems … Read More
Seagull Encounters
As educators, we face many challenges in our daily lives. Sometimes these challenges are completely out of our control, like the seagulls who choose to live on our rooftop playground and change the dynamics of our outdoor environment in ways we had never imagined. It is easy to fall into everyday reactions to these events … Read More
Borrowing Friends’ Ideas: Strategies for Building Bridges
Children are constructors of knowledge. They theorize ideas for their wonders and are happy to put them into research by trying things out. Working with the Social Constructionist Learning Theory, we have learned that these ideas and research processes can become richer when children have opportunities to collaborate together. In this journal entry, Minami from … Read More
Cultivating Strong Relationships
As educators, we know that the stronger relationship we have with the children, the better we can learn together. As September arrives and we welcome new children into our programs, we re-start thinking about ways to connect with children, make them feel welcomed, and build strong relationships with them. Sometimes, we pause everything else: we … Read More
Children Can be Risk Assessors Too
Risky Play is always a topic that comes up in our work with children: how do we allow risk without jeopardizing the safety of the children in our programs? A few weeks ago we published a resource link on our website, titled, “The Image of the Educator.” In this short article we talked about how … Read More
“Difficult” Discussions
Emily was holding a multi-colour flower while riding the bike. As she was driving by, she told me that the flower was for George Floyd. Emily said she’s having a protest not to kill dark skin people.” (Aaron, Village School Age Educator) Children are active citizens of our society, constantly taking in the adult’s behaviours … Read More
Story Time at The Village
Our educators at Frog Hollow have been thinking of ways to connect with children who are not able to attend their childcare centre due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Educators and children make close bonds with each other. It has been hard for both sides to not see each other, play, talk and be in touch. … Read More
Observation & Cognitive Knots
On our online workshop on April 16th we introduced and deeply investigated the concept of “cognitive knots” which was new to many of our attendees. Carolyn Edwards, defining cognitive knots in The Hundred Languages of Children, says, Just as a knot in woodgrain impedes a saw cutting through, and just as a knot in thread … Read More
Dear Neighbours: A Message of Hope
Since the start of staying at home due to Covid 19 virus, many of us have had almost no contact to the outside world or our families and friends. At the Learning Centre, we recognize that this is an emotionally stressful and difficult time for many adults and children. We have launched a community project … Read More
Clay Monster
Our February 2020 Conference was led by Suzanne Axelsson, who helped us see technology and the “digital” with a different perspective. “Screen-time” has become taboo in the world of Early Childhood Education or even parenthood. Of course, plenty of research indicates that too much screen time has negative effects on children. But what Suzanne was … Read More
A conversation with August
The outbreak of the Covid-19 virus has made many changes to the usual patterns we see in our everyday lives: people are staying at home more often, stores are packed with people and emptied of supplies, News is overwhelmed by the amount of information coming in and we, as humans, are in the midst of … Read More
How does re-visiting a shared experience influence our perspectives?
From Maryam, our Learning Centre Director: Re-visiting is one of the most important roles of Pedagogical Documentation. Through the process of re-visiting, educators children and families get the chance to remember the experiences that they shared together. They can reflect on their previous thoughts, and plan for the future. This week, we share a story … Read More
Observation: a Difficult Day at the Infant Room
From Maryam, our Learning Centre Director: Observation and reflection is the foundation of Emergent Curriculum. As educators, we must be able to record our observations, our thoughts and our feelings to be able to reflect, redirect and rethink our ways of living and learning with children. As the Learning Centre Director, one of my roles … Read More
Angela’s Uncomfortableness with Clay
For the past two years we have been challenging ourselves at Frog Hollow to explore the language of clay. Clay is a magical material. It is simple and yet filled with possibilities. What we have learned in our journey is that very few children and adults are comfortable with clay when just introduced to it. … Read More
Making Children Visible
Making Children Visible is our favourite initiative at the Learning Centre. Through this initiative, we bring children out into the community through community projects. In turn, these projects remind adults that these young individuals are active citizens of our society. Last year, we made a mural about the children’s vision of the city with local … Read More
5 Reasons We’re Excited to Have Suzanne Axelsson Speak at our Annual Conference
Suzanne has over 25 years experience of working with children in a variety of settings: preschools, schools and museums, etc. She has also worked as a teacher, special needs teacher, director and consultant. Suzanne has visited settings in UK, USA, Iceland, Canada, Palestine, Turkey, Greece, China and more. Each place has inspired Suzanne to evolve … Read More
The Magic of Loose Parts
Loose Parts have been a huge part of our culture at Frog Hollow. The children in our programs are used to the concept of Loose Parts and when a new child joins the group, they immediately find their way around with the beautiful material. This Fall, we had the pleasure of operating a new School … Read More
Alex’s Music
What is it like to be a partner in learning with children? How do we, as educators, listen actively to what the child is expressing with their 100 languages? How do we find the right time to provoke a thought? What is it like to learn with a child rather than teaching a child? A … Read More
Parent Interview: Ping
Family involvement in our Reggio-inspired children’s programs is so important. When families can see and understand the experiences that we share with their children, this beautiful approach is enriched for everyone. Not just children and families, but educators too. We feel so fortunate that Ping, the mother of one of the children from our Satellite … Read More
Hugo’s Fossils
An Introduction from Hugo’s mum: One of the magical things about the Reggio approach that I have observed as a parent is that there are so many opportunities to witness a child’s strengths. Some kids see the world a little differently than others, and the educators’ willingness to share in how these children perceive the … Read More
Sves’s Potions
Reflection is a vital part of the educator’s practice in the Reggio Emilia approach. As educators, we come across hundreds of “AHA moments” in our journeys with the children. It is difficult to remember all these moments, and so the practice of reflection makes it possible for us to stop, think and learn from our … Read More
Meeting Time: A Shared Experience
Our “circle times” at Frog Hollow have changed dramatically since we started to think about promoting a Culture of Collaboration in our children’s programs. Traditionally, our circle time has been very adult-oriented. It was a time when the educators shared what they wanted children to learn, reading them a book or singing a song that … Read More
Making Children Visible on the Drive
Last summer, as part of our Making Children Visible initiative, we spent the day on Commercial Drive, asking people passing by about their ideas to make the Drive more accessible and welcoming for children. Read on to find what we learned. At Frog Hollow Reggio-Inspired Learning we are working to change adults’ perspectives on the … Read More
You Get What You Get and You Don’t Get Upset: What We Tell Children Matters
Maryam, the Director of our Reggio-Inspired Learning Centre, shares some of her thoughts on how the language we use with children can have a huge impact. Educators in the Early Years field tend to be very cautious about what we say to children. We try to be sensitive and compassionate with our words. We try … Read More
Building to Understand Collaboration and Flexibility
A group of children at our 3–5 Satellite Program have been exploring buildings as they work towards understanding collaboration and flexibility. Miho observed that the forms of the children’s constructions were fluid until they began to discuss with each other, or until the buildings became larger. Only then did the children classify their constructions. As … Read More
Reggio-Inspired Mentor Program
Our Reggio-Inspired Mentor Program begins in September. This program is designed for Reggio-Inspired programs who would like to implement in-house mentorship for their own educators. The program aims to train mentors who can work with educators in their teams and provide everyday suggestions on the floor and during curriculum meetings. Graduates will have the option … Read More
The Earth is Not a Place to Throw Garbage
The following reflection comes from an educator from our Nootka school age program: The Earth is not a place to throw garbage; it’s a place to live. —one of the children in our Nootka school-age program When I first began supervising at Nootka’s Out of School Care program, I noticed that the children had strong … Read More
The Beauty of Serendipity
Serendipity can be thought of as a happy accident. It is what many scientists and artists come across during their explorations; it is the birth of many amazing creations in our world. Tight schedules, inflexible expectations and set curriculums can make it harder for us to notice these rare moments. At Frog Hollow we have … Read More
The Reggio Approach in School-Age Programs
Often we hear that the Reggio approach is only appropriate for younger children. At Frog Hollow’s Children’s Centres, we have deeply looked into this claim, and we disagree with it. Can the Reggio approach be applied in School Age programs? Can educators and older children be partners in learning? Can educators believe in a rich … Read More
Pedagogical Encounters
Pedagogical Encounters are public tours that allow participants to observe our children’s centres, and see our Reggio-Inspired programs in action. These Encounters are much more than just a tour; in addition to seeing our centres in action, participants have ample time to observe, reflect, and ask questions. Participants have the opportunity to spend time with … Read More
ECEBC Leadership Conference 2019
We are honoured to be presenting at the ECEBC Leadership Conference, and excited to be part of their evening tour this week. Maryam, Gary, and Anna will be presenting on Thursday, April 11th as part of the Leadership Sessions. From the Conference Guide: “Frog Hollow Children’s Centres have been inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach … Read More
Living With Material
For a long time, The educators from Frog Hollow Kids World programs were not sure how to use clay in their programs. They continued to challenge themselves, offering the clay to the children in different ways, until the unfamiliar became welcome as a natural part of the space. Here, they share some reflections on Living … Read More
Mentoring Reggio Educators
The Reggio Emilia approach is rewarding, fascinating and exciting. But it is also complex and requires much work, practice and dedication. At Frog Hollow we have realized that training our educators and providing them with as many professional development opportunities as possible help us keep the culture of wondering and reflecting going. But we all … Read More
New Workshops Open for Registration!
We’ve posted new workshops and tours for Spring 2019. Scroll down to read what’s coming up at the Learning Centre, and follow the links for more info and to register. Have a great idea for a workshop? We’d love to hear from you!
Custom Workshops and Tours
On January 19, 2019, Frog Hollow Learning Centre provided a Custom Workshop to the educators of Bright Eyes Academy. The educators at this centre have been exploring the Reggio Emilia approach for a few years and they wanted to get a better understanding of some aspects, including documentation and engaging in long-term projects. Of course, … Read More
Interview: Maryam Discusses the Encounters Exhibit
Although she’s out of the office at the moment, Maryam Naddaf, Director of our Reggio-Inspired Learning Centre, was kind enough to share her thoughts on the Encounters Exhibit, which recently ended. For more information on the exhibit, you can read our previous post here. Q: What made you decide to choose title of Encounters for … Read More
Conference Wrap-up
Our Second Annual Conference was a huge success; thanks to everyone who participated! On the evening of Thursday, February 21, we launched the conference with an inspiring session with Sara Felstiner from the Hilltop Educator Institute. Sarah shared stories of engaging families in emergent curriculum. On Friday, February 22, the main part of the conference … Read More
An Evening with Educators of Capilano Children’s Centre
On February 5th, we hosted Adrienne Argent, an instructor at Capilano University’s exceptional Early Childhood Care and Education program, for her presentation on the material presented in their exhibit at Frog Hollow Neighbourhood House for our Encounters Exhibit. The presentation, entitled “I am Together: What Happens When We Pay Attention to Our Problems?” was excellent and … Read More
Join Us For Evening Events!
Now that the Making Children Visible Exhibit has begun, we would like to invite you to two evening events that we’re hosting in conjunction with the Exhibit, and the upcoming Conference. Encounters Exhibit: An Evening with Educators of Capilano Children’s Centre On February 5th, As Part of the Encounters Exhibit, we’re pleased to host An … Read More
The Encounters Exhibit has begun!
Thanks to those who attended the Open House at the Roundhouse on the evening of the 15th, where we officially opened the 2019 Encounters Exhibit. We are looking forward to welcoming the educators of Capilano University Children’s Centre on February 5th, when they will walk us through an in-depth discussion of their project, hosted at … Read More
Encounters Exhibit Presentations
We are very excited to host two presentations as part of the Encounters Exhibit. Open House and Presentation: Join us at Roundhouse Community Art & Recreation Centre to hear about the projects involved in the exhibit and explore the role of documentation in bringing children’s voices out to the community For more information and to … Read More
Being Present
Today I want to share an observation from Mike Graham, one of our educators at Frog Hollow, and remind us of the importance of Being Present. As educators in early-years centres and school-age programs, we are left with many different kinds of responsibilities; from providing diaper change and bottle-feeding, to getting engaged in conversations and … Read More
Cognitive Knots
Recognizing “Cognitive Knots” and welcoming the uncertainty they offer is one of the ways our educators at Frog Hollow “observe” children and engage with their ideas. In The Hundred Languages of Children, Carolyn Edwards defines cognitive knots as follows: “Just as a knot in woodgrain impedes a saw cutting through, and just as a knot … Read More
Relationships and Connections
Relationships and connections are important principles of the Reggio Emilia approach. Educators of Reggio Emilia believe that humans are interconnected and interdependent beings. Lella Gandini speaks of educators, families and children as the three subjects of education that are always in relation with one another.1 The child is never alone. Children are always in interaction … Read More
The Reggio Emilia Approach
Here at the Frog Hollow Reggio-Inspired Learning Centre we’re always looking for ways to spread the word about the many amazing benefits of the Reggio Emilia approach to early childhood education. The Reggio Emilia approach has inspired many around the world since its inception after WW2. It is not a teaching method per se, but … Read More
6 stages of Curriculum Design
Progettazione, or the “Projection of Curriculum” is a complex and yet rewarding process in which educators of Reggio Emilia imagine potential paths for the emerging curriculum. Inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach, the educators at Frog Hollow have been experiencing with this process for the past few years. The Curriculum Design Process consists of 6 … Read More
Frog Hollow to Participate in Universal Childcare Initiative
A very exciting announcement was made at our Satellite Daycare today by Premier Horgan and provincial and federal ministers: the province-wide Universal Childcare Prototype Initiative – a trial run of the $10/day child care plan at 53 centres across the province – has begun, and Frog Hollow Neighbourhood House’s Satellite Daycare has been selected … Read More
Environment as the Third Teacher
One of the most common questions that I receive at our workshops is, “how do you manage to spend time with small groups of children when you have so many other children in the room?” There are many different factors that play a role in how we live with children in our shared space and … Read More
New Glossary of Terms
Every program has terms and phrases they use that are specific to their approach. Recognizing that some of the language we use at Frog Hollow may be unfamiliar to new educators and our families, we have created a glossary of terms. Phrases we use frequently, such as “invitations”, “provocations” or “hypothesis” are briefly defined here … Read More
Second Annual Conference! February 21st to 23rd, 2019
We are excited to host our second annual conference this year from February 21st to February 23rd, 2019. Workshop: Engaging Families in Emergent Curriculum – Stories from Hilltop Educator Institute On the evening of February 21st, join us to learn about ways to engage families in emergent curriculum. Sarah Felstiner from Hilltop Children’s Centre will … Read More
Frog Hollow Children’s Centres Recognized With Award
We are honored and humbled to receive the Community Partner award by Centre for Ability. The award was presented to us on September 25, 2019 by Linda Thoreson, a Supported Child Development Consultant who has worked with Frog Hollow Children’s Centres for many years. At Frog Hollow we recognize that change is only possible if … Read More