Growing My Thinking Around Documentation
It’s mid-August and one of the items on my summer to-do list is to read about pedagogical documentation (say what?).
So out on a walk, (this is where I do my best thinking) it occurs to me that if I think about documentation as “learning stories,” I suddenly become interested. This puts me in the role of researcher and author.
“I’m writing a book about each child,” I tell myself. This motivates me.
Where Do I Begin?
So in my beginning attempts to document student learning, I know I will be embarking on a journey without a clear path.
This is why I greatly appreciate an article written by Carol Anne Wein entitled Learning to Document in Reggio-Inspired Education.
In her article, she describes the progressions she has observed in teachers’ attempts to document learning. She is clear that these are not stages, but rather “a more flexible, a more varied process.” Her progression includes:
1) Developing habits of documenting
3) Developing visual literacy skills
Number four on the list serves as a “pothole to avoid” where I see the word “purpose” in bright orange, neon letters blinking among piles of photos, work samples, and anecdotes.
Jumping In
While reframing documentation as “learning stories” is definitely helping me to get started (I’m finally reading Windows on Learning!), I’m pretty sure this is one of those times where I will learn the most in applying the Nike Slogan, Just Do It!
Thanks for stopping by!