“Children take joy in their work and sometimes as adults we forget that's something we should continue doing.” ― Ashley Ormon
Our annual GRCDC celebrations are one way we are able as a community to take joy not only in our work, but also in the work and learning of our students. As we approach the first of many holidays on the traditional calendar, the first of which is Halloween, the staff felt it important to share with our families the rationale and meaning behind what, our celebrations at the Grand Rapids Child Discovery Center. Our primary objective in any school celebration is an opportunity to come together as a community, share experiences with our children, and above all enjoy the play and learning of one another. Many years ago, the school made an intentional decision to celebrate the seasons rather holidays to be inclusive and sensitive to our community’s diverse beliefs and needs. Celebrations include traditions of families, theories of children and teachers’ knowledge of children, and seasonal food and activity. They are organized in community between staff and families with the intent to build relationships among all participants, and deepen each member’s knowledge and understanding of the Reggio Approach. The Fall Celebration is especially connected to our current learning this year through the parallel to our Summer Provocation connecting the inside to the outside.
For a few years, the school travelled to a farm west of the city for this experience. Two years ago, when we first moved to our current building, I asked the staff to think about how we could use our current site for all of our celebrations. The staff enthusiastically began discussing with children and as a staff “what Fall means”. From that collaborative experience emerged many common connections, such as food, family, storytelling, nature and friends. These five concepts will be the basis for planning relevant activities that pay tribute to the fall season.
“Children take joy in their work and sometimes as adults we forget that's something we should continue doing.” ― Ashley Ormon
Our annual GRCDC celebrations are one way we are able as a community to take joy not only in our work, but also in the work and learning of our students. As we approach the first of many holidays on the traditional calendar, the first of which is Halloween, the staff felt it important to share with our families the rationale and meaning behind what, our celebrations at the Grand Rapids Child Discovery Center. Our primary objective in any school celebration is an opportunity to come together as a community, share experiences with our children, and above all enjoy the play and learning of one another. Many years ago, the school made an intentional decision to celebrate the seasons rather holidays to be inclusive and sensitive to our community’s diverse beliefs and needs. Celebrations include traditions of families, theories of children and teachers’ knowledge of children, and seasonal food and activity. They are organized in community between staff and families with the intent to build relationships among all participants, and deepen each member’s knowledge and understanding of the Reggio Approach. The Fall Celebration is especially connected to our current learning this year through the parallel to our Summer Provocation connecting the inside to the outside.
For a few years, the school travelled to a farm west of the city for this experience. Two years ago, when we first moved to our current building, I asked the staff to think about how we could use our current site for all of our celebrations. The staff enthusiastically began discussing with children and as a staff “what Fall means”. From that collaborative experience emerged many common connections, such as food, family, storytelling, nature and friends. These five concepts will be the basis for planning relevant activities that pay tribute to the fall season.
