Observe and listen to children because when they ask “why?” they are not simply asking for the answer from you. They are requesting the courage to find a collection of possible answers.

-Loris Malaguzzi, founder of the Reggio Emilia approach to early childhood education

 It would be difficult to miss the influx of insects on our campus this past month. Many children have certainly noticed and have been eager to share their ideas. Open-ended materials offer children opportunities to think and process through languages that are not limited to verbal. As children revisit their theories, they make deeper connections.

“It’s a butterfly! I touched it. It is not moving. Maybe its wings is not working.”

“I think it is a moth. Butterflies are pretty in color and a moth looks like that.”

Through these open-ended expressions, children’s unique perspectives are valued and shared with others. They learn that their way of seeing things might be different from someone else’s. As they collaborate, new ideas emerge from the relationships they cultivate.

“I want to draw this bug. Look, it has dots on the top. We should call it Silver Bug.”

“I want to draw the Praying Mantis because green is my favorite color, and the Praying Mantis is green. I am making a rainbow for him.”

Real learning results from relationships. It is through relationships with each other, the environment, and an expression of our interpretations that we build the foundation of creativity and critical thinking. Most importantly, we foster a sense of care for those around us.

 I am putting some water on the beetle so the ants get off him.”

“I bet it was walking and something blew at him and he fell.”

“We are trying to figure out what the ants are doing to the beetle. We need to take bugs to a safe place. It hurts the feelings of the bugs if we say don’t touch them. We need to figure out how they died.”

 When a study of insects is not limited to the transmission of entomological facts it transforms into a question of what children require from an educational system. It is where the assembly line ends and creativity flourishes. Children formulate and experiment with their own perspectives while holding space for those of others. They are supported in requesting the courage to find their own collection of possible answers, cultivating a curiosity for learning and life.