The feeling of belonging, in the widest sense, contributes to inner well-being, security, and identity. Children need to know that they are accepted for who they are. They should know that what they do can make a difference and that they can explore and try out new activities. … [The program] should recognize, acknowledge, and build on each child’s special strengths and allow each to make a contribution or to “make his or her mark,” acknowledging that each child has the right to active and equitable participation in the community.
(New Zealand Ministry of Education, Te Whāriki: Early Childhood Curriculum, 1996, pp. 54, 64)
We all have a drive to know and be known, to understand and be understood. Building a community is a process. It is a life long process and at its core is belonging. Each year we invite the children to create a new community. This process is one of experimentation and is often quite messy. We are all practicing and thus, we all make mistakes. We believe that the things children do are efforts to create belonging, to become part of something bigger than themselves. Some of these efforts go amazingly well while others do not. We encourage repetition of those efforts that bring us closer together. We practice do-overs for those efforts that create divides, that cause hurt. In Studio Red we embrace and learn through do-overs!
In Studio Red, we use conferences as a tool for reflection. Reflection becomes a way to review our efforts. In this way, they can provide opportunity to do a mental “do-over.” We invite children to reconsider work they have done, perhaps a problem they have solved with their peers or in their individual work. In the documented conference below, Sofia reflects on the problem-solving she did in a small group when Josef wanted to use the same materials.
