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The Diary of LauraWhat is an infant educational diary? Who is it

for? What kind of stories does it tell? What questions does it raise about infant-toddler care and education?

Carolyn Pope Edwards, University of Nebraska--Lincoln

Reggio Emilia, 1983 Asilo Nido Arcobaleno, 1983

Il diario al nido per fermare la storia deibambini: Storia di Laura

Introduction by Carla Rinaldi.

Contents by Giuliana Campani, Ivetta Fornaciari, ElucciaForghieri, of the Asilo NidoArcobaleno.

Published by the Municipio diReggio Emilia, March,1983.

Translated into English by Silvia Betta, University of Nebraska—Lincoln, 2006.

Lella Gandini and Donatella Giovannini, University of Nebraska, 1998

--Bambini: Italian Approaches to Infant/Toddler Caregiving, by Lella Gandini and Carolyn Edwards, Teachers College Press, 2001

Traces of Childhood: A Child’s Diaryby Donatella Giovannini

Constructing a diary requires a great deal of time, continuity and determination in gathering the materials for such a document, which is made of words, images, and texts. The work begins the day the child enters the infant-toddler center with his parents, and ends with his passage to preschool.

Diario from Pistoia, Italy The diario is a parting gift to each family who uses the infant/toddler services…

…treasured for years to come

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Memory books Half the Sky Welfare Institutions, China

Asilo Nido Arcobaleno, 1983

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For whom is the diary?

For the educators, it is certainly a way to refine their abilities to see the events when and where they happen, to analyze and self reflect… .

For the parents, it is an opportunity to get closer to the child and to study him or her through the eye of the educators …to know more about how the child is while away from home

For the child, awareness is gained through a higher communication, attention, and sensitivity of the environment around him or her, and from being a ‘subject of love’; the diary documents a personalized educational intervention, a document that when he or she is grown up will enable him or her to read fragments of his or her own story.”

(Edwards & Rinaldi, 2008, pp.25-27).

“Who is Laura?”

Why is there a picture of teachers on the page introducing Laura?

What is the purpose of asking parents about Laura’s birth, eating, sleeping habits, and so on? Is this similar to information you gather?

“Help from the Mobiles”

What happens when the mother and grandmother slip out of the room without telling Laura?

What does Eluccia do when Laura cries, and do you think it was a good strategy?

Would you say Laura is “adjusted” yet?

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“Difficulties during Diaper Change”

Why did the teacher put so much time and energy into changing Laura’s diaper?What is going on from Laura’s perspective?What do you think Laura’s mother might feel about this diaper change?

Perspectives from around the worldIn the footsteps of Laura’s teachers, by Pat Wharton, Stirling, Scotland: Use this book as a model of how to do an educational diary• Decide on a purpose• With whom and how you will share it• What kinds of things and when you will record• Keep it uncomplicated• Make visible the parents and yourselves, the educators

Jan Millikan of Australia: “Listen with the eyes, the heart, and the intellect.”

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Remarks

This is a simple story, but it conveys the whole Reggio Emilia philosophy.It illustrates the principles of relationship-based care.It illustrates the use of the educational diary as a tool for observation, reflection, and sharing.

Epilogue: Reggio Emilia, 2007The Reunion at Arcobaleno

What did the diary mean to Laura and her teachers?

Laura and her son, DavideEluccia Forghieri, teacher

Laura’s mother, FilomenaGiuliana Campani, teacher

“Laura contributed to a more defined image of the child who knows and is able to do…”

Diary Pages with Student Teachersat the University of Nebraska Child Development Laboratory

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Kya is a bookworm.Kya enjoys reading books and looking at pictures. She asks to have books read to her and she will also sit down and read stories to her dolls. She enjoys reading different kinds of books throughout the day and at nap time.

Kya is a thinker!Kya has a lot of ideas in her head and often takes time to think about them. She is intentional in what she does and has a lot to say about what she is doing or playing.

Kya is a documenter.Kya is very interested in writing in her notebook. Everyday she will grab it and take it with her to family block. She likes to write in it with a colored pencil and document what is going on.

Who is Kya Branch? Diary Pages in Head StartPage 1: Introduction to the child as a whole person. Provide vivid,

process-oriented photos of child with labels and descriptions that focus on strengths and suggest who the child is a unique personality: (1) cognitively; (2) social-emotionally; and (3) expressively.

Page 2: The child as a reader and writer. Provide vivid, process-oriented photos of the child with descriptions that suggest who the child is along three literacy dimensions: (1) as a “reader”(interacting with books and print; (2) as a “writer” (with emerging skills with letters and graphics); (3) as a “speaker”(communicating ideas to self and others).

Page 3: The child’s own “Who am I”? Provide a set of photos and/or scanned drawings or work products by child that present the child as the child wants you to present him or her. Work with the child on this page and add labels based on child’s dictation. Let the child take the lead in preparing a page that speaks about the child, by the child.

Who is Juan?By Connie Voss

Juan is a creator

Juan is a performerJuan is nurturing

Juan is always there to give his little sister a helping hand when she needs it.

Juan spends a lot of time designing his own projects in the art area.

Juan delivers mail from his mail bag to his friends in the play house area.

Juan is a reader Juan is outgoing

Juan is a writer

Juan enjoys sitting down in the library area to read stories. He easily retells stories that have been read to him.

Juan is writing out a ticket because someone was driving too fast!

Juan asks a friend next to him, “What are you making?”Then he tells her about his project.

I am Juan!

I am adventurous!

I am a helper

I am a thinker

I am sweeping the trash off the table. I had to clean the table because I was a big helper.

I am playing on the computer, playing Clifford.

I am climbing at Twisters! I was playing too. It was fun!

“Who is Katelyn?” by Charity Smith

Katelyn is a friend! She likes everyone and is very helpful. Her beautiful, contagious smile makes everyone else smile. She is loved by the whole class.

Katelyn is creative! When counting the candles on the birthday cakes & there weren’t enough, she went and got flowers from a counting box to add so that she could count the number of items on each cake.

Katelyn is a builder! She likes to build things in the block area. Her favorite blocks are the wooden ones, she also likes to use the fence to build with.

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Katelyn is an artist! She loves to draw and does very detailed pictures. She creates a masterpiece every time.

Katelyn is a communicator!When Katelyn started school, she was quiet. She has since opened up more. Here we are working on sounding out the letters.

Katelyn loves to read!She loves to read books at school and at home. You can also find her from time to time in the Library Area reading.

“Who is Katelynas a Reader and Writer?”

“Who Am I?” by Katelyn

Dramatic Play! “I like to play with the babies. I am the mommy and my baby’s name is Tiffany. I like to play with babies with my friends.”

Art Area! “This is a picture of butterflies. I like to draw different pictures of butterflies, angels, and myself.”

Computer Area!“I like to play games. My favorite game is Fish. I like to paint on the computer, too.”

Final Wonderings

What will be the long term effects of these diary pages for the children and families?Will the teachers be able to keep using their new skills?Will the relationships between the teachers be different?Are little stories and diary pages an effective doorway into the documentation process?