This year we have piloted four Reggio-Inspired Mathematics kits of materials that were made possible through a grant from the Vancouver Reggio Consortium Society. We applied for the grant in response to teachers that began a professional inquiry project during 2013-2014 and one of the emergent issues was the need for fresh materials to inspire mathematical provocations. The kits have been very well received and from our work with the materials and through our ongoing professional inquiry we have published a resource.

We were invited to share our district’s project at the VRCS’s Sharing Circle. It was an inspiring event with all the teams of educators who had received grants sharing their projects. All of the projects focused on collaboration – such an essential component to professional learning.

It was an honour to hear Susan Fraser speak at the event. She is the author of Authentic Childhood, a very inspiring book. Susan was on the first Canadian delegation to visit Reggio Emilia and the learning journeys grants are her legacy. She proudly declared at the end of the event that we have been inspired by the philosophy of Reggio Emilia and have made it “our own”.

The kits that were made possible from this project have been piloted in sixteen classrooms in our district and our now available for circulation through DRC.

~Janice