Contents
Foreword to the First Edition Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi ?xi
Acknowledgments ?xiii
Introduction ?1
Impetus for the Book ?1
Research ?4
Teaching Techniques ?5
Materials ?6
Learning Exemplars: The Reggio Schools ?7
Chapter Overviews ?7
Four Big Ideas in This Book ?10
1. ?Why Use Materials? ?13
Infants and Toddlers in Flow ?14
Attention and Materials ?16
Humans: Unique Learners ?16
Sensitive Periods and Brain Plasticity ?19
Structuring the Use of Materials ?27
Conclusion: Materials? Meaning ?31
2. ?Framing Experiences ?32
The Brain?s Attention Systems ?33
Facing Complexity ?36
Challenges: Glue, Scissors, Clay, Sewing ?40
Conclusion: Accumulating Skills ?48
3. ?Infants and Materials ?49
Infants? Predispositions ?49
Adults? Intentionality ?52
Food, Paper, Fabric, Sound ?54
Day by Day in Provocative Infant Spaces ?59
Conclusion: Natural Learners ?65
4. ?Man-Made Materials ?66
Cultural Contrasts: 10,000 Years Ago and Now ?67
Reggio and Neuroscience Resonances ?69
The Design and Development of Materials ?73
One Huge and Many Small Events ?78
Conclusion: Meaning-Full Materials ?83
5. ?Painting With Tempera ?84
Stumbling, Reflecting, Learning ?85
A Theory of How We Learn ?87
Teaching With Intention ?90
A Culture of Relationships ?91
Beginning Use of Tempera ?96
Conclusion: The Joy of Painting ?101
6. ?Clay ?102
6-Month- and 2-Year-Old Reactions ?102
Molding the Brain ?110
Joyful Tactile Experiences ?116
Conclusion: Clay, Creativity, and Competence ?118
7. ?Mark-Making ?119
A Natural Language ?120
An Innate Drive ?123
A Story from Reggio ?125
Complex Intersections: Drawing and Decisions ?129
Small Choices, Large Impacts ?130
Self-Portraits Plus ?133
Conclusion: Drawing, An Imperative ?135
8. ?Exploring Paper ?136
Paper, Brain, and Hand ?137
New Ways With Paper: Eight Months of Activities ?139
Paper, Infants, and Toddlers: Reggio Stories ?145
Conclusion: New Perspectives ?150
9. ?Natural Materials ?153
Learning to See ?154
Infant and Toddler Investigations of Nature ?157
The Bounty of Natural Materials ?161
Research, Nature, and the Classroom ?165
Conclusion: The Power and Pleasure of Nature ?168
10. ?Light and Shadow ?170
How We Know What We See ?170
Discovering Light and Shadow ?175
Conclusion: Enticing the Infant/Toddler Brain ?184
11. ?Using Technology with Infants and Toddlers ?186
Alex Morgan
Learning the Language of Technology ?187
Exploring Digital Humanity ?188
Building Community Through Technology ?190
Conclusion ?193
12. ?Making Meaning With Technology ?194
Ryan Kurada
Coding and Robotics ?194
Augmented and Virtual Reality ?195
Digital Photography ?195
Digital Landscapes ?195
Spectrogram ?196
Conclusion ?197
Appendix A: List of Materials ?199
Appendix B: Art Supplies ?203
Appendix C: Tools ?205
Glossary ?207
References ?211
Index ?215
About the Author and Contributors ?224
