Free Online Seminar – Education in the Time of Coronavirus Tuesday, 12 May, from 7:30 pm to 9 pm

Posted on May 6, 2020 by

Presented by Patricia Hunter McGrath and Branches Atelier

Hi Everyone,

I hope you are all doing well during this unusual time. 

At Branches, we have been able to move all of our infant and toddler parenting classes and preschool classes from our classrooms to online learning. Together with our Branches staff, we have developed a daily online live curriculum and extracurricular classes for all of our Branches children and families. Now that we are starting to adapt to this new situation, I thought it might be useful to share what we have been learning with you.

With this in mind, I would like to invite you to join our Branches staff and myself for a free online seminar. You are welcome to invite anyone who might be interested to sign up. Parents and teachers welcome!

Education in the Time of Coronavirus 
Tuesday, 12 May, from 7:30 pm to 9 pm
During this seminar, we will share our strategies and learning with you and cover the following topics:

  • How to talk to children about Covid 19 using persona dolls
  • What role schools can play in supporting families during the Coronavirus lockdown
  • How we engage children in online learning
  • How we can help children stay connected to their friends, families, and teachers
  • How we support our parents
  • How to design curriculum and experiences that keep children connected and learning during this challenging time
  • Materials we offer the children to support their learning at home
  • What is Fun Friday?
  • How we create an ongoing dialogue with our families that informs our curriculum and helps us move forward as a community

To further support your learning during this time, I will also be releasing a free online course which will cover an introduction to watercolors and collage. Feel free to share this resource with colleagues and parents. The more creativity during this time of uncertainty the better!

Please sign up through Eventbrite and we will send you the link and password for the seminar.

Please click here to register

I look forward to seeing you all online soon!

Tricia and the Branches Atelier Team

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DEVELOPING YOUR STUDIO: A FIVE PART SERIES WITH PATRICIA HUNTER-MCGRATH AND CHRISTINA BIANCHI

Posted on February 15, 2020 by

Please join us for a very special workshop series that focuses on how to develop a studio/Atelier at school or at home. During the five sessions we shall explore in depth a wide range of materials, tools and techniques  that can be introduced and integrated into your unique setting.

Through designing the atelier, to the introduction and organization of materials, to training your teachers and Atelieristas, Branches Atelier would like to bring this innovative, creative and educational resource into your homes and schools.

1) Introduction to Materials and the Atelier and Creating a World of Colors: Palettes that Connect us to our World

Saturday, March 7th, 2020 9am – 3 pm $110.00 (Includes the cost of materials) 

2) Innovations in Clay 

Saturday, April 25th, 2020 9 am – 12pm $65.00

3) Line Tools, Pastels and Watercolor                        

Saturday, April 25th, 2020 1pm-4pm $65.00

4) Mixed Media,  Bringing The Materials together

Saturday, May 23rd, 2020  9am to 12pm $65.00

5) Creating an Atelier in Your Space! 

Saturday, May 23rd, 2020  1pm to 3pm $50.00

All workshops are held at:

Branches Atelier

11359 West Washington Blvd.

Culver City, CA 90066

For more than 12 years, Branches Atelier has developed an innovative program that uses expressive media and materials as tools of the mind. We have researched and developed many different kinds of ateliers throughout our school. 

We are happy to offer a series of workshops that will deeply explore the materials and organization that are essential for any atelier. Over 5 sessions you will also learn the philosophy, techniques and organizational strategies that are needed to create dynamic, creative, and innovative ateliers.

Unlike the traditional art studio that focuses on the production of art, Ateliers are beautiful, creative spaces designed to support and develop all areas of children’s learning and development from math, narrative, and science to creativity and problem-solving. 

Through the introduction of tools and techniques, you will learn how to use these amazing materials in your homes or classrooms with young children. We will explore how to organize these materials and create ateliers in a wide range of diverse settings and around specific concepts, from classrooms to homes, sheds to shelves, indoors and outdoors. 

We invite you to attend any one, any combination or all of these workshops.

All tickets are to be purchased via Eventbrite please click here to purchase tickets.

We will start off our first workshop with a brief overview to the series exploring the thinking, history and organization of Ateliers followed by :

1) CREATING A WORLD OF COLORS:  PALETTES THAT CONNECT US TO OUR WORLD.

March 7th, 2020 9am to 3pm $110

(A hands on workshop) Presented by:

Christina Bianchi and Patricia Hunter McGrath

Tempera Paint can be mixed in an infinitely nuanced palette, but how often do we end up creating colors that represent the vitality, diversity and beauty of the natural world? Join us as we consider how we can use this resource to bring attention to the richness of the environment including: 

  • What are the tricks and tips to creating a wide range of beautiful palettes?

  • What are the techniques of paint mixing with children?

  • How can color support children learning?

  • How can a wide range of paint colors support children’s connection to nature?

  • What is the difference between a tone, hue, shade and tint?

  • How can paint and color support literacy and poetic language?

This Workshop includes the price of paint cups and paints that participants can use to create a palette that can be taken back to their centers. Participants will also create a paint recipe book that can be used as a tool to create beautiful palettes throughout the year.

2) CREATIONS, INNOVATIONS AND THE NARRATIVE OF CLAY

April 25th, 2020  9am to 12pm $65 

(A hands on workshop) Presented by:

Patricia Hunter McGrath

Join us while we explore the wonderful medium of clay. Clay is a powerful tool for transformation in the hands of children, it supports stories and narratives, mathematics and geometry. Its flexibility invites us to reconsider our ideas over and over again. Join us as we consider how to set up a studio where clay’s potential as a tool for representing children’s ideas can be realized. Together, we will explore:

  • What is the alphabet of clay?

  • How can clay support literacy?

  • How is clay used to represent children’s ideas?

  • How is clay introduced to the children?

  • What are the tools and techniques of clay?

  • How does clay become a tool for collaboration?

3) LINE TOOLS PASTELS AND WATERCOLORS

April 25th, 2020    1pm to 4pm $65 

(A hands on workshop) Presented by:

Christina Bianchi and Patricia Hunter McGrath

When considering which materials to introduce, the fluidity of these materials and the nature of the relationship between gestures and lines make these line tools ideal for supporting a class of individuals in becoming a collaborative group. The creation of initial color palettes with an eye for how these materials can be combined and layered helps to draw children’s interests over long periods of exploration.

  • How are pan pastels, oil pastels and watercolor media introduced to the children?

  • What are the tools and techniques offered the children? 

  • How are the materials used to represent children’s ideas?

  • How are these materials used to support narrative and communication?

  • How are they combined to create new possibilities?

4) MIXED MEDIA, BRINGING IT ALL TOGETHER

May 23rd, 2020   9am to 12pm. $65 

(A hands on workshop) Presented by:

Christina Bianchi and Patricia Hunter McGrath

Join us while we explore the possibilities of layering and collage. Combining many different materials and media is a very powerful tool for representation and meaning-making. Mixed media can support stories and narratives, scientific thinking, and problem-solving. Its power lies in the ability to endlessly combine and layer different types of materials to create theories, ideas, and new ways to communicate. The potential of different combinations of media invites us to reconsider our perspectives over and over again. 

  • What are the techniques of mixed media?

  • How mixed media supports  literacy?

  • How is mixed media used to represent children’s ideas?

  • How is laying of materials  introduced to the children?

  • How does mixed media become a tool for reflection and collaboration?

5) CREATING AN ATELIER IN YOUR SPACE

May 23rd, 2020  1pm to 3pm $50 

Presented by:

Christina Bianchi and Patricia Hunter McGrath

Together we will discuss many different kinds of ateliers; indoors, outdoors, on shelves, in cupboards, at home and at school. As well as where to start and how to create a beautiful atelier for your school, class or home.

  • What organizational strategies we used in creating an atelier?

  • How is the care of the atelier and materials introduced to the children?

  • How do you create a place for imagination, creativity and problem solving?

  • What kind of storage is best for the materials?

  • How can you design an atelier within your environmental constraints?

 

We invite you to attend any one, any combination or all of these workshops.

All tickets are to be purchased via Eventbrite.

Please click here to purchase tickets.

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We still have 6 seats left for tomorrow before we sell out !

Posted on February 14, 2020 by

Exploring the Role of The Atelierista:

A Day with Tiziana Filippini – Pedagogista

and

Loretta Bertani – Atelierista Reggio Emilia, Italy

When: February, 15th, 2020 – 9AM – 3PM

Where: Wildwood Elementary School 12201 Washington Place, Los Angeles, CA  90066

Cost: General admission: $85 Tickets are only available via Eventbrite

Student Discount: $40 With current valid ECE ID

To apply for student discount Please email : jim@branchesatelier.com

Hosted by The West Coast Collaborative.

Tickets are only available via Eventbrite

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We still have spaces & Student Discounts for this upcoming Workshop.

Posted on February 11, 2020 by

Don’t Miss This Amazing Opportunity

Exploring the Role of The Atelierista:

A Day with Tiziana Filippini – Pedagogista

and

Loretta Bertani – Atelierista Reggio Emilia, Italy

Click Here to View the Video

When: February, 15th, 2020 – 9AM – 3PM

Where: Wildwood Elementary School 12201 Washington Place, Los Angeles, CA  90066 Cost: General admission: $85 Tickets are only available via Eventbrite Student Discount: $40 With current valid ECE ID To apply for student discount Please email : jim@branchesatelier.com Questions: allison@branchesatelier.com Hosted by The West Coast Collaborative. Tickets are only available via Eventbrite Click here to download the flyer
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Afternoon Preschool Teacher Position

Posted on January 29, 2020 by

Branches Atelier is an innovative, dynamic Reggio inspired preschool with a home-like quality, nestled in a beautiful campus in Culver City, California. We are looking for an energetic, passionate, hard-working, creative, warm, friendly, nurturing, and self-motivated teacher to join our Reggio-inspired learning community. This part-time preschool teaching position would be for 16 hours per week starting in our afternoon preschool as a support teacher and may lead to a permanent full-time teaching position. Hours from around 1 pm to 5 pm Monday to Thursday. We would also like the candidate to be available to sub as needed.

This position is a wonderful way to get to know our program and for you to find out if you would like to join our Branches community.

Through, classes, conferences, and staff seminars, we offer our teachers ongoing professional development in a wide range of areas of interest to support a life long learning in progressive education.

Our teachers also have the unique opportunity to work directly with educators Reggio Emilia several times a year. Our relationship with the schools of Reggio Emilia allows us to offer outstanding professional development for all of our teachers.

With Branches teaching experience, many of our teachers are able to present nationally and internationally on our unique approach to education.

Prospective applicants should have a strong child development background, and at least two years of early childhood experience, a minimum of 24 ECE units, however, a BA in ECE or related field is preferred, We are willing to consider a teacher who holds their teacher permit with 2 to 4 years experience.

All Applicants must have:

  • A passion for teaching and life long learning.
  • An interest in learning Branches philosophy and values.
  • A commitment to developing a strong and dynamic learning community for children and parents.
  • Knowledge experience with social constructivism and the Reggio approach.
  • An interest in using creative materials with young children.
  • Strong collaborative and communication skills.
  • Openness for feedback and self-reflection.
  • An innovative, curious, creative and open mind.
  • A genuine passion and commitment to quality education for children.
  • A commitment to ongoing professional development.
  • Flexible with a disposition towards problem-solving.

If you are interested in this position, please visit our website at www.branchesatelier.com so you can learn about our school.

Proceed by submitting  a cover letter to Patricia@BranchesAtelier.com that explains

  • why you are interested in working with us
  • why you became a teacher
  • what kind of person you are
  • what are your interests
  • what brings you joy.

Job Type: Part-time

Salary: $17.00 to $22.00 /hour

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Exploring the Role of The Atelierista: A Day with Tiziana Filippini – Pedagogista and Loretta Bertani – Atelierista Reggio Emilia, Italy

Posted on January 14, 2020 by


When: February, 15th, 2020 – 9AM – 3PM

Where: Wildwood Elementary School 12201 Washington Place, Los Angeles, CA  90066

Cost: General admission: $85 Tickets are only available via Eventbrite

Student Discount: $40 With current valid ECE ID

To apply for student discount Please email : jim@branchesatelier.com

Questions: allison@branchesatelier.com

Parking and directions: wildwood.org

Join us as Reggio educators explore the powerful role that the atelier and atelierista plays in supporting,  uncover ing and deepening  children’s learning processes.

Tiziana Filippini is a pedagogista who collaborates with Reggio Children with regard to research, conferences, and consultancies in Italy and abroad. 

From 1978 to 2015, she worked as a member of the Pedagogical Coordinating Team of the Istituzione – Preschools and Infant Toddler Centers of the Municipality of Reggio Emilia.

Tiziana is currently one of the curators of the new version, “The Wonder of Learning: The Hundred Languages of Children.”

In addition to her work with the municipality, Tiziana was part of the original research group of Making Learning Visible, a collaboration between Reggio Children and Project Zero at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. The collaboration resulted in a book, Making Learning Visible: Children as Individual and Group Learners, which became very well known in North American early childhood circles and all over the world.

Loretta  Bertani  is  an atelierista in the Robinson Crusoe Preschools and Infant Toddler Centres, Istituzione of the Municipality of Reggio Emilia since 1996

Loretta graduated at Istituto d’arte (Art college) of Reggio Emilia. From 1991 to 1995 she worked as an educator with the municipality of Reggio Emilia in local education groups, an experience addressed to pre-adolescent age groups and to the support of boys and girls with schools difficulties. 

Loretta collaborated with the theatre group “Teatro Gioco Vita” of Piacenza for designing and leading workshops on expressive languages and on shadow theatre addressed to primary schools, as well as for street entertainment events for children and youth.

Hosted by The West Coast Collaborative.

Tickets are only available via Eventbrite

Click here to download the flyer

Follow this event on Facebook

 

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A Message From Patricia Hunter McGrath

Posted on December 10, 2019 by
  • The West Coast Collaborative Website Launch
  • The Role of The Atelierista and Atelier Workshop

Hi Everyone, So much exciting news!

We have just launched our West Coast Collaborative website. We hope this website will be a wonderful resource for Reggio inspired parents, teachers and schools. To sign up go to www.westcoastcollaborative.com

We hope to add documentation, resources and so much more over the months ahead!

I am also excited to announce our upcoming WCC Reggio workshop! 

Before I returned to Reggio this year, I thought I had a very good understanding of the roles of the atelier, atelierista, and materials, but I learned so much from our trip to Reggio that our work has taken a big leap forward! We are excited to share the incredible work from Reggio with you!

We are so happy announce that Tiziana Filippini and Loretta Bertani will be coming to Los Angeles to present a day-long workshop for teachers, parents, students, professors, and administrators (see flyer below). 

We are thrilled to have such excellent Reggio educators present on The Role of the Atelierista and Atelier. As many of you know, it is always mind opening to hear the educators from Reggio share their work and bring new understandings of this wonderful approach and inspire our practice! 

I personally have learned more from Tiziana than anyone else. She was one of the original Reggio educators who worked as pedagogista with Loris Malaguzzi! It is always so inspiring to hear her speak!

We are also so excited to have Loretta Bertani, one of the amazing Reggio Atelieristas, join us in Los Angeles. Loretta will share many years of experience as the Atelierista of Robinson Crusoe Preschool, Toddler and Infant programs.

For Parents, Tiziana and Loretta will share their years of experience as educators in Reggio Emilia, for experienced teachers, they will offer new insights into the role of the atelier, atelierista and materials in your classrooms, for students, they will inspire your passion for early childhood education, and for professors and administrators they will talk about the role materials play in uncovering children’s learning processes.

Click Here to Purchase tickets https://www.eventbrite.com/e/exploring-the-role-of-the-atelierista-a-day-with-tiziana-filippini-and-loretta-bertaini-of-reggio-tickets-85557856853

The West Coast Collaborative is also happy to announce that we have two special rates for students.

We are offering a student discount for ECE students with a current college ID. We hope to have as many students as possible come to hear her speak. 

And for the first time we are also happy to let you know we have 5 scholarships available through the Ellen Khokha Scholarship Fund. 

To apply visit https://www.westcoastcollaborative.com/resources

Please feel free to send this info to anyone who might be interested, and anyone else who needs a little inspiration!

Hope to see you there!

Patricia Hunter McGrath

The West Coast Collaborative is a collection of schools that have been working together for many years, studying and researching the Reggio Emilia approach to early childhood education.  

Branches Atelier

Bright Start Child Development Center

Growing Place Ocean Park

Growing Place Marine Park 

and The New School–West are active members of this collaborative group.

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Exploring the Role of The Atelierista: A Day with Tiziana Filippini – Pedagogista and Loretta Bertani – Atelierista Reggio Emilia, Italy

Posted on December 9, 2019 by


When: February, 15th, 2020 – 9AM – 3PM

Where: Wildwood Elementary School 12201 Washington Place, Los Angeles, CA  90066

Cost: General admission: $85 Tickets are only available via Eventbrite

Student Discount: $40 With current valid ECE ID

To apply for student discount Please email : jim@branchesatelier.com

Questions: allison@branchesatelier.com

Parking and directions: wildwood.org

Join us as Reggio educators explore the powerful role that the atelier and atelierista plays in supporting,  uncover ing and deepening  children’s learning processes.

Tiziana Filippini is a pedagogista who collaborates with Reggio Children with regard to research, conferences, and consultancies in Italy and abroad. 

From 1978 to 2015, she worked as a member of the Pedagogical Coordinating Team of the Istituzione – Preschools and Infant Toddler Centers of the Municipality of Reggio Emilia.

Tiziana is currently one of the curators of the new version, “The Wonder of Learning: The Hundred Languages of Children.”

In addition to her work with the municipality, Tiziana was part of the original research group of Making Learning Visible, a collaboration between Reggio Children and Project Zero at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. The collaboration resulted in a book, Making Learning Visible: Children as Individual and Group Learners, which became very well known in North American early childhood circles and all over the world.

Loretta  Bertani  is  an atelierista in the Robinson Crusoe Preschools and Infant Toddler Centres, Istituzione of the Municipality of Reggio Emilia since 1996

Loretta graduated at Istituto d’arte (Art college) of Reggio Emilia. From 1991 to 1995 she worked as an educator with the municipality of Reggio Emilia in local education groups, an experience addressed to pre-adolescent age groups and to the support of boys and girls with schools difficulties. 

Loretta collaborated with the theatre group “Teatro Gioco Vita” of Piacenza for designing and leading workshops on expressive languages and on shadow theatre addressed to primary schools, as well as for street entertainment events for children and youth.

Hosted by The West Coast Collaborative.

Tickets are only available via Eventbrite

Click here to download the flyer

Follow this event on Facebook

 

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Connection To Nature And The Environment video

Posted on November 18, 2019 by

From our beginning in 2007, Branches Atelier has been at the forefront of developing an innovative, responsive environmental, educational philosophy that deeply connects us with nature and helps support children, teachers, and families taking an active role in healing our environment.

At Branches, we believe that everyday is Earth Day, and our commitment to healing our planet is in small actions that we do everyday. It is integrated through all that we do. It is our way of life and permeates throughout our school.

Through workshops, parent meetings, documentation of the children’s theories, and classroom curriculum, all members of our community are invited to become actively involved in Restorative Environmental Educational Practices. We believe that many of our methods can be applied at home, school, and also have a positive impact on our extended community.

At Branches, we believe that we need to do more than sustain our environment; we need to restore and repair.

In the following video, Patricia shares her educational, environmental philosophy and welcomes and introduces our returning and new families into the work taking place at Branches.

She also offers a wide array of ways we can rethink our connection and relationships with nature and find active ways to restore our environment at home, school, and in our extended communities.

Video | Posted on November 18, 2019 by | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Branches Part time Afternoon Teacher Position

Posted on September 25, 2019 by

Branches Atelier is an innovative, dynamic Reggio inspired preschool with a home-like quality, nestled in a beautiful campus in Culver City, California. We are looking for an energetic, passionate, hard-working, creative, warm, friendly, nurturing, and self-motivated teacher to join our Reggio-inspired learning community. This part-time teaching position would be for 27 hours per week starting in our afternoon preschool and parent-toddler programs and may lead to a permanent full-time teaching position. Hours from around 11.45 am to 5.30 pm Monday to Friday. This position is a wonderful way to get to know our program and for you to find out if you would like to join our Branches community.

Through, classes, conferences, and staff seminars, we offer our teachers ongoing professional development in a wide range of areas of interest to support a life long learning in progressive education.

Our teachers also have the unique opportunity to work directly with educators Reggio Emilia several times a year. Our relationship with the schools of Reggio Emilia allows us to offer outstanding professional development for all of our teachers.

With Branches teaching experience, many of our teachers are able to present nationally and internationally on our unique approach to education.

Prospective applicants should have a strong child development background, and at least two years of early childhood experience, a minimum of 24 ECE units, however, a BA in ECE or related field is preferred, We are willing to consider a teacher who holds their ECE teacher permit with 2 to 4 years experience.

All Applicants must have:

  • A passion for teaching and life long learning.
  • An interest in learning Branches philosophy and values.
  • A commitment to developing a strong and dynamic learning community for children and parents.
  • Knowledge experience with social constructivism and the Reggio approach.
  • An interest in using creative materials with young children.
  • Strong collaborative and communication skills.
  • Openness for feedback and self-reflection.
  • An innovative, curoius, creative and open mind.
  • A genuine passion and commitment to quality education for children.
  • A commitment to ongoing professional development.
  • Flexible with a disposition towards problem-solving.

Pay $17 to $22 per hour depending on experience.

If you are interested in this position, please proceed by submitting the following materials:

Visit our website at www.branchesatelier.com so you can learn about our school. Write a cover letter that explains why you are interested in working with us, why you became a teacher, what kind of person you are, what are your interests and what brings you joy. Please include your Resume and send to patricia@branchesatelier.com

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