Poppies in the Field

Perhaps you wonder why I've posted this beautiful photo of brilliant red poppies in the field. The image calls to mind two different ideologies in two very different parts of the world, both near and dear to my heart.

The first is the pedagogy of Reggio Emilia, a place in northern Italy where the intellectual capability of young children is nurtured like no other place I've witnessed. When I first encountered the work of the children's programmes of Reggio, it was at an exhibit called The Hundred Languages of Children - and part of the exhibit portrayed the children's explorations and artistic renderings of a field of red poppies. The municipality of this small city has rallied around the children and educators in a profoundly supportive way.

The second is my hope for the young children of Afghanistan, a country that is struggling against incredible persecution to rebuild an educational system for its youngest citizens - both boys and girls. The bravery of those who fight against injustice and for these children continues to inspire me.

At the dawn of a new term

As a new term begins, and with it a new group of student teachers-becoming, I hope to hold this thought in mind as together we become community...

We want to know what the children think, feel, and wonder. We believe that the children will have things to tell each other and us that we have never heard before. We are always listening for a surprise and the birth of a new idea. This practice supports a searching together for new meaning. Together we become a community of seekers.

~ Louise Cadwell Boyd