The Development of an Early Childhood Teacher Research Collaborative

Abstract

This article investigates young children's understanding of and relationships to their communities and the natural world. Inspired by the pedagogy of Reggio Emilia (Edwards, Gandini, & Forman, 1998) and guided by the concept of documentation as a cycle of inquiry (Gandini & Goldhaber, 2001), a group of early childhood educators from across the state of Vermont met regularly to share and analyze observations, artifacts, photographs, and videotapes of children in their communities and the natural world. These discussions generated additional experiences that promoted the children's thinking and theories and resulted in participants reflecting on what they had learned about children in their communities and the natural world by creating an exhibit that would travel throughout Vermont. The article discusses a process teachers can engage in to study, deepen, and ultimately celebrate children's engagement in their communities and the natural world.