Reflective Practices: A New Journey

Welcome to my blog about reflective practices in early childhood education! I will explore my journey by giving you a bit of background of my experiences and inviting you to reflect alongside me going forward.

My passion for reflective practices came from my college instructors, who inspired me with their visit to Reggio Emilia, Italy. Upon viewing photos and hearing about their experiences, something connected inside of me that strived to do similar for the young children in my care. It differed from what I had experienced in early childhood; children's voices mattered, and educator reflection was valued, and this captured my attention. You will see Reggio-inspired pedagogy throughout my blog, and if you read my thesis, it includes reflections on Malaguzzi's (1994) image of the child. 

As I shared on the about me page, I discussed my apprehension about creating a blog. I appreciate you joining me on this new, uncertain, and unpredictable path leading toward a hopeful future for change in early childhood education. I lean toward other brave educators and mentors who went or are going through the blogging process, such as Diane Kashin, Suzanne Axelsson, Sally Haughey, Joanne Balais, and many others. I admire these early childhood giants. One of my professional friends calls me TFG, her tiny, friendly giant, as she lifts my self-esteem and self-efficacy to do these blog posts. She boosts my confidence by telling me, "You are becoming an early childhood giant". Thank you for your constant encouragement during our interactions! 

I aspire for my writing to become a source of inspiration and hope for everyone in education and a way for me to leave different from the thoughts you share. Thank you!

Malaguzzi, L. (1994). Your image of the child: Where teaching begins. Exchange, 3, 52–56. 

Rinaldi, C. (2004). The relationship between documentation and assessment. North American Reggio Emilia Alliance 11(1), 1–4.