ERIC Number: EJ949136
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2011
Pages: 14
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1366-4530
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
"You Can't Mandate What Matters": Bumping Visions against Practices
Merz, Alice H.; Swim, Terri Jo
Teacher Development, v15 n3 p305-318 2011
In this study, an American public school principal's vision of promoting growth in her teachers and students was inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach. Unlike other educational approaches, this approach did not involve a product, i.e., "to become Reggio", and it did not involve a set of rules or mandates. Instead, the principal had her teachers engaging in a process that examined and bumped into their own teaching practices. Through this work, they also tapped into their own identity, worldviews or beliefs, as well as others' in order to bring greater awareness, congruency, and growth as individual teachers and as a school. Since there is no direct equivalent of the American public school principal in the Italian approach, this study provides a glimpse of one principal's role in introducing and utilizing the approach for inspiration, exploration and growth. (Contains 1 note.)
Descriptors: Public Schools, Reggio Emilia Approach, Principals, Teacher Administrator Relationship, Teaching Methods, Early Childhood Education, Foreign Countries, Communities of Practice
Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 325 Chestnut Street Suite 800, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Fax: 215-625-2940; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Early Childhood Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Indiana; Italy
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A