“BRAINSTORM FOOD AND NEWS HOTEL” (our rule jumbling newsstand)
Guiding Ideas
What is a newstand? Who is an architect? What is a story? and ANTS. Ants were going to be a central thread of todays LAB. Here is exactly what Nicole shared in out Lab chat: I was also thinking it might be nice to assemble the piñata, which honestly looks more like an ant than a caterpillar 😝, and connect that idea to migratory ants. Since we’re already working with ideas around information and territory, it could be a really nice way to tie everything back to nature.
These kinds of ants migrate in entire colonies, almost like moving communities or families (marabuntas), and before relocating, they send out some members to explore and find suitable places to live. This feels directly connected to what we’re exploring around information (news) and territory.
But alas Lab is messy and unpredictable and doesn’t always go according to the adults’ idea, so ants didn’t even make it in to Lab this week…
Ingredients for today’s lab
Two architects reading Eva’s favorite children’s book EVER Iggy Pack Architect by Andrea Beaty and illustrated by David Roberts, cardboard boxes, and cardboard contruction tools, a repurposed Woodland Theater, newsprint paper, more newspaper materials, and a special NEWS microphone.
What just happened?
Why did the newsstand get called the BRAINSTORM FOOD AND NEWS HOTEL? Well, our Correspondent Jude, along with the amigues, observed in a picture shared by Nicole that a kiosk sells food and news and although I am not sure I remember what prompted it to be called a hotel, but Livneh was very very clear that BRAINSTORM was a necessary element.
Top bewsstories today include:
If Claudia had a B she’d be Blaudia. Jack would be Back. Rafa… Bafa and Wendy… Bendy. by Bivneh
This is a story about two friends holding hands by Blaudia
Una fiesta privada by Boli
Virus, Bacteria, Ant and Dinosaurs by Bey
The Statue of Liberty is in Manhattan by Bude
Pirates eat Pirate Bootie by Back
and many many more… look for them in newsstands nearest you!!
Also stay tuned for a very special wedding announcement at the end of this blog post. Correspondent Livneh’s tells the story.
El “Que Paso” for grown-ups?
When we play in El Lab we experience different perspectives and invitations, we co-create inter-generationally and inter-culturally in a primordial container with emerging shape- shifting invitations, connections, and constructions.
This morning, I (Wendy) took out my child development books and my Reggio books. I was searching for what is and what isn’t Reggio in the Lab, and what resonated for me is both Reggio and the Lab.
Malaguzzi writes in The Hundred Languages of Children, “All this wisdom does not compensate for what we do not know. But not knowing is the condition that makes us continue to search; in this regard, we are in the same situation as the children. We can be sure that the children are ready to help us. They can help by offering us ideas, suggestions, problems, clues, and paths to follow, and the more they trust us and see us as a resource, the more they give us help. All these offerings, merged with what we ourselves bring to the situation, make a handsome capital of resources (p. 86 The Hundreds Languages of Children).
The handsome capital of resources we hold is, in many ways, similar to Reggio Emilia, Italy, and in other ways, different. What is alike and beautiful is the curiosity stance, the delight in children’s ideas, and the surprising turns that help co-create El Lab.
When the day began, Rey was writing an article for his newspaper about dinosaurs, bacteria, viruses, and ants. The story is the child's, and the form of a newspaper was co-created in El Lab as a way to get our news out, and as a claim that news, true stories, all of our stories, and democracy is dear to us.
Rey said he was going to write and poked, poked, poked with the pen. I thought I could feel the shape of bacteria and viruses forming, and when I asked him about it. He told me that it was a “rule jumble.”
His mother and I were delighted and remarked, "Whoa, this is a new word that we could feel, the moment when it all mixes up in a big heap.
El Lab to us feels like a jumble- maybe it’s a rule jumble for grown ups where it doesn’t match up.
For me, though, it feels like a jumble of freedom. When I began my work in early childhood, I remember that everything had to be in centers: the block center, the math center, the writing center. I was excited and then disappointed one day when we were all cooking the blocks in the play oven, and a higher-up told me the blocks needed to stay in the block area.
I am grateful for the freedom jumble- messy, beautiful, and unique qualities- as the lab's fertile ground. From this freedom comes permission for others to feel the confidence and release of bringing their own life force and energy… the best of themselves. It's the freedom jumble to simply be present.
Messiness: diversity and mess, anything can go - the idea we were a newsstand, a restaurant, and a hotel at the same time -we are now called the Brainstorm Food and News Hotel.
Transformation: With messiness comes transformation, like the caterpillar that becomes goo. We sometimes lose hold of the plan, and that's where transformation happens. When, for example, Levi was making newspapers into beds for his house. This space, held by the child’s perspective and experience, is as important in El Lab as what is planned and curated. Levi taught us about space, rules, and soothing, and I explained how his powerful words helped us along safely.
Relational Culture: There is something sacred to me that happens when we all play, especially adults, when there is an inversion or an upside-downing of the day, and an interconnectedness between cultures and generations. Yesterday, when I watched our architects, Cindy and Chris, play, there was not only deep listening to the children, but also a hope for the world in the curiosity and openness of the adults.
Materials and Curation: Nicole has brought surprising materials, and Eva's curation that makes a container out of the invitation and experience.
What is missing? We are back to the wisdom of Loris Malaguzzi, of Reggio, and of Rafa.
We need, want, and would love your help…your play, your practice, your presence, your professorship of this messy and beautiful Reggio Inspired Freedom Jumble.
Love
Wendy (aka Bendy) on behalf of Eva (Beva) and Nicole (Bicole)
