Rhizomes and Reggio Emilia
Many of you who read my blog will have noticed how I refer to the rhizome as a pattern in which I see learning happening in both children and adults. (Deleuze and Guttarri). It is akin to how the internet works – a way of jumping and landing on different pads or nodules before leaping off to another that connects. The spaces inbetween are not separators of knowledge but rather nutrient rich connectors of learning that for me signify the act of the journey of learning. I like the metaphor of the rhizome because it is in movement in many directions with no specific entry or exit points, or particular progressive pathways and is akin to Loris Malaguzzi’s metaphor of learning being like a tangled bowl of spaghetti.
My journey into the philosophy of Loris Malaguzzi and the pre-schools in Reggio Emilia began 15 years ago. As an artist working in education undertaking residences I first came across the work of the Pre-Schools of Reggio Emilia as an exhibition. I never got to the exhibition that first time, I just had the leaflet…I just didn’t know how important it was going to be for me. I began by reading, from the source…for me it was all about the library, real bookshops at the time and not blogs, Pinterest or Facebook back then! Reading from the source is so important, it is easy to become lost in interpretations of an approach to learn that is so context based to the city of Reggio Emilia and Italian culture. So my advice is to head to the Reggio Children website and find your countries official Reggio Children International Network Member organisation, which is NAREA in the US or Sightlines Initiative in the UK, others include Red Solare, The Reggio Children Institute, REANZ and purchase books published by Reggio Children and books recommended by them. It is easy to get lost online…
But then again, getting lost is kind of fun and can lead to the unexpected finds. I prefer to head out with tools of orientation. At Sightlines Initiative we talk about ‘Tools and Compasses’ that enable us to go on a journey of discovery, of research but without getting lost in the wilderness. These are found below and reprinted from ReFocus Journal 6
Values and characteristics in developing environments of enquiry : Tools and Compasses
Values & principles
- Education is the creative process of exchange, relationship and understanding of oneself, others and the world.
- Things, people and experiences … The educative environment looks for skills to be in relationship and explore relationship. Dialogue is of absolute importance in its everyday practice.
- The awareness of constant possibility is a quality not a limitation. Knowledge is always open to change.
- ‘Listening and exchange’ is the dominant idea in pedagogical practice, and in the learners’ experience. The practice of listening, with evaluation and synthesis, enables educators to interpret children’s competencies and questions, and to construct with them suitable learning experiences.Images & understandings
- Children are rich in curiosity and competence and potential. They are innately sociable and seek exchanges.
- The desire and predisposition to be curious, to enquire, to make hypotheses, to interpret and make sense of our experiences, to be in relationship, are basic human characteristics.
- Our learning spaces need to be imbued with the characteristics of curiosity and sociability.Qualities & tools
- Time – space – attention: the three basic tools, creating the foundation of the educative experience. They are the responsibility of educators in collaboration with children and their families.
- Dialogue is a tool as well as a value. Regular and detailed reflection processes are vital in the co-construction of sociable learning journeys.
- Pedagogical documentation is a vital tool in making learning visible for educators, children and families.
- The schoolspace needs to be a studio for exploration, examination and exchange. It can be a place where we bring the tools of all our senses to the business of learning, across all the perceptual modes and expressive languages.
These values and characteristics keep close to me, as a guide for all that I do and approach. They are not a set of rules, or closed actions, but rather a set of thoughts for not getting lost. They came out of discussion and many years of thinking about what happens in Reggio Emilia and in how we construct together our own creative and reflective pedagogic practice here in the UK. Reggio is often referred to asa mirror, not to initiate or copy but to use to reflect on our own contexts.
I share these thoughts in the spirit of encounter and exchange. For me these two important words are framing my year of 2015 – to encounter new perspectives and to be IN exchange with as many a possible. Facebook, blogs and Twitter make that all so much easier now. A wonderful blog and connected post to this is a recent connection made with Diane Kashin. This blog is inspired by her own on the same subject, so go see that too, comment on them, and contemplate your own journey and tools and compasses. I attach an image of a quote she shared here that encapsulates the idea of journeying with others.
For further information please feel free to contact me here or through Sightlines Initiative.
Debi Keyte-Hartland 
I really enjoyed reading this. I also love the concept of rhizomes as an experiential, inquiry based pedagogical framework that inspires lifelong learning. I look forward to reading more! I write about the connections between contemporary art and pedagogy here: https://theartsandeducation.wordpress.com/
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Thank you Adam! And thanks for the connection to your blog too!
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