The dandelion theory of networks

Tracy's image of the dandelion is so powerful for me -- that I can't stop thinking about how I want to connect to this network and that my big work and missing pieces are collaboration and technology. My feelings of isolation in my classroom will only continue and my attempts to talk and share my practice with others have so, so, failed in Powell River. So obviously I need to try to approach these ongoing issues in a different way because I know that what i have alive and growing in my classroom is amazing because of course the children are amazing and I have found a process a making learning make sense for me and the children that really works. This book, Learning together with young children, really summarizes many frameworks of learning that we have discussed in class and the Reggio Emilia Approach is one of the frameworks that they consistently refer to as a 'process of meaning-making'. I have been studying this approach for 15 years now and love it because it is not static. It is always growing and evolving and is very much in the present.  It is not 'theme' based learning and it is not a band wagon to hop on and off of. It is what Catherine Snow would call 'a literacy of thoughtfulness' and 'a process of making sense/meaning' of the world around us. I love this. 

 The elements that make the Reggio Approach meaningful for me are the following: 1. a strong image of children 2. project based learning 3. documentation of learning in the classroom through the lens of the children (this is how I learn....this is what I understand....this is what I am thinking about...this is what I want to learn more about and this is how I would like to learn it) 4. aesthetics of the classroom 5. Environment as the third teacher 6. Scaffolding, Provocations, Listening, listening, listening...7. Authentic and emergent curriculum and the lived curriculum in the classroom (always emerging and growing - this is the dandelion theory without the technology aspect) 8. Learning to see the beauty and embrace the tension. 9. Constructivist, art based - inquiry based learning. 10. Finding a collaborative partner (network) to talk with about all this learning and unpacking what is going on in my classroom with another colleague is my journey that I am currently trying to map. 

This year I have had some successes. Two of my pieces of writing on the work in my classroom are being published with Sue Fraser's 3rd edition, Authentic childhood, which will come out probably in the new year. Sue also wrote a piece which will appear in the book about the aesthetics of my classroom. This was quite exciting and Sue is a wonderful mentor. I feel very privileged and humbled by her presence in my life. 

My big question is how do I share my work with teachers in my school? In my district? I think this work demonstrates one of the really important paradigm shifts in thinking about learning and 'learning with children' in this new age of knowledge. 

My second question is about technology in early primary....I think I am trying to explore ways to use the computer to extend our understanding about the world we live in but I am still unclear in my mind as to what I am trying to unearth....I believe I want the kids to be able to 'create' new understandings so i guess the program needs to be interactive (like the text/document program Mejh showed us - they probably could use something similar?) and

maybe so several kids could be on the program at once drawing text???? Also maybe working with a class set of digital cameras and a program that would allow us to document our learning re: through photographs of actual nature walks???? Map making????  Any ideas anyone?  I am trying to make the shift to 'co-creating text in a collaborative way' with the children and I working together. These literacies/languages/ text would integrate across all curriculum. I need to stop now because I think I am definitely wandering. Hope this makes sense and someone has some feedback out there in the world.