With the winter holiday season fast approaching, I am excited to share our updated Branches Atelier Book & Toy Resource Guide. The books and gifts contained within this guide will support children’s creativity and imagination as well as their attention, self-control and problem-solving skills.
Before heading out to the mall or jumping online to purchase the latest and greatest gifts, I would like to suggest that perhaps you might rethink how many new toys your child needs. Maybe scale back the number and the kind of toys and gifts you purchase. If your child has too much, nothing is special. When a child has too many toys, they tend to flit from one to the other without investing time and deeply exploring or playing with what they have. This leads to boredom.
While all toys do have a sticker price, I encourage you to slow down and consider the actual cost of certain toys. With climate change being one of the biggest challenges of our time, we must take into consideration the environmental cost of producing so many gifts and toys. And we must ask ourselves the question, “What happens to the toy after a child is finished with it?” Too often, the “latest and greatest” toys end up discarded and, unfortunately, in the trash dump within a few months. Many of these toys are made of plastic and don’t naturally break down. If you think the toy might be discarded in a few months, don’t buy it.
Instead, here are some high-quality, child-tested, environmentally friendly, fun, and educational gifts ideas that children will enjoy for years to come. These toys will withstand the test of time. And best of all, many of them have much less impact on our environment.
Finally, don’t forget to buy less, play more, and spend time creating some wonderful new family memories!
The West Coast Collaborative invites you to join us for a two-day, virtual conference to inspire and reconnect as we come back together with Reggio Educators and the West Coast Collaborative.
Morning sessions will be streamed live from Reggio Emilia:
Tiziana Filippini– Pedagogista and Loretta Bertani– Atelierista
Afternoon breakout sessions will be streamed live from the West Coast Collaborative schools:
Branches Atelier – Culver City, Bright Start – Santa Barbara
Growing Place – Santa Monica & The New School West – Los Angeles
Friday November 12
9:00am-9:15am: Welcome & Opening
9:15-10:45: Tiziana Filippini and Loretta Bertani: Fundamentals through the lens of interconnectivity
10:45-11:00: Break
11:00am-12:30pm: Continued- Tiziana Filippini and Loretta: Fundamentals through the lens of interconnectivity
Participants sign up for one of the four sessions:
1Growing Place Ocean Park, Santa Monica Amy Dickens, Teacher: The Bread Shop: Creating a place to build connections
2 Bright Start, Santa Barbara Marcela Caceres-Gelinas, Director/Pedagogista & Liliana Hensel, M.A.: Building a Culture of Well-being & Community
3TheNew School West, Venice Cindy Nelsen, Atelierista & Flora Toro, Teacher: From Pods to Performers, a tale of building relationships through materials.
2:30pm-3:30pm: Q&A as large group
3:00pm-3:30pm: Closing and Reflection
Saturday November 13
9:00am-10:45am Tiziana Filippini and Loretta Bertani: Presentations through the lens of interconnectivity
1:45am-11:00: Break
11:00am-12:30pm: Continued-Tiziana Filippini and Loretta Bertani: Presentations through the lens of interconnectivity
Participants sign up for one of the three sessions:
1Bright Start, Santa Barbara Michelle Lagunas, Teacher and Elise Wellington, Teacher: Herbs and Alchemy: Cultivating ecological thinking through empathy and the hundred languages
r2 Branches Atelier, Culver City Patricia Hunter McGrath, Atelierista/Executive Director & Berenice Vallejo, Assistant Director : “All living things need love”…An exploration of ecology through sound, paint and narrative.
3 The New School West, Venice Susan Kim, & Cynthia Vazquez Transformation and Relaunch
4Growing Place Marine Park, Santa Monica
Beth Nakatsui, Infants Teacher & Julia Vasquez, Infants Teacher: Bridging Boundaries and Ecosystems: Everything is interconnected
Loretta Bertani is an atelierista in the Robinson Crusoe Preschools and Infant Toddler Center, Istituzione of the Municipality of Reggio Emilia since 1996.
Loretta graduated at Instituto 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 difficulties in school.
Loretta collaborated with the theater group “Teatro Gioco Vita” of Piacenza for designing and leading workshops on expressive languages and shadow theatre addressed to primary schools, as well as for street entertainment events for children and youth.
Tiziana Filippini is a pedagogista who collaborates with Reggio Children with regard to research, conferences and consultations in Italy and abroad.
From 1978 to 2015, Tiziana worked as a member of the Pedagogical Coordinating Team of the Istituzione of 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 Education.
Bright Start Presenters: Michelle Lagunas and Elise Wellington: Herbs and Alchemy: Cultivating ecological thinking through empathy and the hundred languages
Bright Start Presenters: Marcela Caceres-Gelinas, & Liliana Hensel: Building a Culture of Well-being & Community
Growing Place, Ocean Park Presenter: Amy Dickens: The Bread Shop: Creating a place to build connectio
Growing Place, Marine Park Presenters: Beth Nakatsui and Julia Vazquez: Bridging Boundaries and Ecosystems: Everything is interconnected
Branches Atelier Presenters: Patricia Hunter McGrath and Berenice Vallejo: “All living Things Need love”… An Exploration of Ecology Through Sound, Paint and Narrative
The New School West Presenters: Cindy Nelsen & Flora Toro: From Pods to Performers, a tale of building relationships through materials
The New School West Presenters: Susan Kim, & Cynthia Vazquez Transformation and Relaunch
Raising children can be both joyful and challenging. At times, it can also feel lonely and confusing. Join Becky Zlotoff and other families on this journey, in a warm, safe and non-judgmental space. We will meet weekly on Zoom. Together we will explore our own triggers, where our children are developmentally and best practices for raising children in mindful, peaceful ways.
Becky Zlotoff has been an early childhood educator for 22 years and has worked with infants, toddlers, preschoolers and parents, as well as mentoring teachers. She also has 4 children and 4 grandchildren of her own.
Becky combines her knowledge and experiences with all these age groups and roles, as she support the adults in creating their own unique and loving families.
All classes will take place on Zoom. Registration is per family. This includes child’s parent(s) or guardian(s) and occasional visits from other involved family members.
Space in each class is limited to 10 families.
$550 per 10 week session or $1400 for 30 weeks
Session 1
Tuesdays from 8:00-9:00pm October 12th -December 14th
Or Wednesdays from11:00am-12:00pm October13th –December 15th
Session 2
Tuesdays from 8:00-9:00pm January 4th – March 8th
Or Wednesdays from11:00am-12:00pm January 5th – March 9th
Session 3
Tuesdays from 8:00-9:00pm March 15th, 22nd; April 12th – May 31st
Or Wednesdays from11:00am-12:00pm March 16th, 23rd; April 13th – June 1st
Bridging Boundaries During Challenging Times : A two- day online workshop with Tiziana Filippini, Loretta Bertani of Reggio Emilia, Italy
After many requests from those of you that have to work on Friday we are now able to offer a Saturday Only option for this conference Please click here to purchase tickets.
This year has been long and challenging! We invite you to join us for a two-day, virtual conference to inspire and reconnect as we come back together with Reggio Educators and the West Coast Collaborative to explore how we are Bridging Boundaries During Challenging Times.
Morning sessions will be streamed live from Reggio Emilia.
Afternoon breakout sessions will be streamed live from The West Coast Collaborative
Branches Atelier – Culver City, Bright Start – Santa Barbara, Growing Place- Santa Monica, and The New School West – Los Angeles.
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 1996Loretta 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.
11:00am – 12:30pm: Loretta Bertani – Coexistences: Relationships Between Living Organisms
12:30 – 1:15pm: Lunch Break
1:15 – 2:30pm: Breakout sessions
Participants sign up for one of the two sessions:
1 Growing Place Marine Park, Infant Toddler Cecilia Carrillo & Beth Nakatsui, Teachers Saying Hello to a New Classroom: Meaningful School Transitions During the Pandemic: Offering knowledge and practical suggestions to help make transitions (during this pandemic) meaningful for children, parents, and teachers.
2 Branches Atelier, Los Angeles Patricia Hunter McGrath, Atelierista/Executive Director & Berenice Vallejo, Assistant Director/Teacher Creativity, Connections, and Relationships: Materials and Environments to Bridge Physical Distancing and Help Build Community.
2:30-3:00pm: Return to the same breakout group for reflections and Q&A.
Saturday March 6th 9am to 3 pm 9:00 – 10:45am: Tiziana Filippini & Loretta Bertani Coexistences: Relationships Between Living Organisms
10:45 – 11:00am: Break
11:00am – 12:30pm: Tiziana Filippini & Loretta Bertani Coexistences: Relationships Between Living Organisms continued
12:30 – 1:15pm: Lunch Break
1:15 – 2:30pm: Breakout sessions
Participants sign up for one of the three sessions:
1 Bright Start, Santa Barbara Marcela Caceres-Gelinas, Director/Pedagogista Bridging Boundaries Between School & Home: A Collaborative Process with Educators, Children, and Parents During a Global Pandemic.
2 The New School West, Venice Kristin Sherman, Pedagogista & Roleen Heimann, Co-Founder/Co-Director “We got to see a feeling!”: How we’ve supported collaboration, expression, and community building while physically distancing online and on the ground.
3 Growing Place Ocean Park, Santa Monica Christine Richard, M.A., Pedagogista Metaphors for Resiliency: Observing how children see the world, what impressions they offer to us about the resiliency of humanity and our connection to nature and community.
2:30 – 3:00pm: Closing Panel with representatives from each school
This event is Hosted by the West Coast Collaborative.
This year has been long and challenging! We invite you to join us for a two-day, virtual conference to inspire and reconnect as we come back together with Reggio Educators and the West Coast Collaborative to explore how we are Bridging Boundaries During Challenging Times.
Morning sessions will be streamed live from Reggio Emilia.
Afternoon breakout sessions will be streamed live from The West Coast Collaborative
Branches Atelier – Culver City, Bright Start – Santa Barbara, Growing Place- Santa Monica, and The New School West – Los Angeles.
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 1996Loretta 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.
11:00am – 12:30pm: Loretta Bertani – Coexistences: Relationships Between Living Organisms
12:30 – 1:15pm: Lunch Break
1:15 – 2:30pm: Breakout sessions
Participants sign up for one of the two sessions:
1 Growing Place Marine Park, Infant Toddler Cecilia Carrillo & Beth Nakatsui, Teachers Saying Hello to a New Classroom: Meaningful School Transitions During the Pandemic: Offering knowledge and practical suggestions to help make transitions (during this pandemic) meaningful for children, parents, and teachers.
2 Branches Atelier, Los Angeles Patricia Hunter McGrath, Atelierista/Executive Director & Berenice Vallejo, Assistant Director/Teacher Creativity, Connections, and Relationships: Materials and Environments to Bridge Physical Distancing and Help Build Community.
2:30-3:00pm: Return to the same breakout group for reflections and Q&A.
Saturday March 6th 9am to 3 pm 9:00 – 10:45am: Tiziana Filippini & Loretta Bertani Coexistences: Relationships Between Living Organisms
10:45 – 11:00am: Break
11:00am – 12:30pm: Tiziana Filippini & Loretta Bertani Coexistences: Relationships Between Living Organisms continued
12:30 – 1:15pm: Lunch Break
1:15 – 2:30pm: Breakout sessions
Participants sign up for one of the three sessions:
1 Bright Start, Santa Barbara Marcela Caceres-Gelinas, Director/Pedagogista Bridging Boundaries Between School & Home: A Collaborative Process with Educators, Children, and Parents During a Global Pandemic.
2 The New School West, Venice Kristin Sherman, Pedagogista & Roleen Heimann, Co-Founder/Co-Director “We got to see a feeling!”: How we’ve supported collaboration, expression, and community building while physically distancing online and on the ground.
3 Growing Place Ocean Park, Santa Monica Christine Richard, M.A., Pedagogista Metaphors for Resiliency: Observing how children see the world, what impressions they offer to us about the resiliency of humanity and our connection to nature and community.
2:30 – 3:00pm: Closing Panel with representatives from each school
This event is Hosted by the West Coast Collaborative.
This year has been long and challenging! We invite you to join us for a two-day, virtual conference to inspire and reconnect as we come back together with Reggio Educators and the West Coast Collaborative to explore how we are Bridging Boundaries During Challenging Times.
Morning sessions will be streamed live from Reggio Emilia.
Afternoon breakout sessions will be streamed live from The West Coast Collaborative
Branches Atelier – Culver City, Bright Start – Santa Barbara, Growing Place- Santa Monica, and The New School West – Los Angeles.
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 1996Loretta 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.
11:00am – 12:30pm: Loretta Bertani – Coexistences: Relationships Between Living Organisms
12:30 – 1:15pm: Lunch Break
1:15 – 2:30pm: Breakout sessions
Participants sign up for one of the two sessions:
1 Growing Place Marine Park, Infant Toddler Cecilia Carrillo & Beth Nakatsui, Teachers Saying Hello to a New Classroom: Meaningful School Transitions During the Pandemic: Offering knowledge and practical suggestions to help make transitions (during this pandemic) meaningful for children, parents, and teachers.
2 Branches Atelier, Los Angeles Patricia Hunter McGrath, Atelierista/Executive Director & Berenice Vallejo, Assistant Director/Teacher Creativity, Connections, and Relationships: Materials and Environments to Bridge Physical Distancing and Help Build Community.
2:30-3:00pm: Return to the same breakout group for reflections and Q&A.
Saturday March 6th 9am to 3 pm 9:00 – 10:45am: Tiziana Filippini & Loretta Bertani Coexistences: Relationships Between Living Organisms
10:45 – 11:00am: Break
11:00am – 12:30pm: Tiziana Filippini & Loretta Bertani Coexistences: Relationships Between Living Organisms continued
12:30 – 1:15pm: Lunch Break
1:15 – 2:30pm: Breakout sessions
Participants sign up for one of the three sessions:
1 Bright Start, Santa Barbara Marcela Caceres-Gelinas, Director/Pedagogista Bridging Boundaries Between School & Home: A Collaborative Process with Educators, Children, and Parents During a Global Pandemic.
2 The New School West, Venice Kristin Sherman, Pedagogista & Roleen Heimann, Co-Founder/Co-Director “We got to see a feeling!”: How we’ve supported collaboration, expression, and community building while physically distancing online and on the ground.
3 Growing Place Ocean Park, Santa Monica Christine Richard, M.A., Pedagogista Metaphors for Resiliency: Observing how children see the world, what impressions they offer to us about the resiliency of humanity and our connection to nature and community.
2:30 – 3:00pm: Closing Panel with representatives from each school
This event is Hosted by the West Coast Collaborative.
This year has been long and challenging! We invite you to join us for a two-day, virtual conference to inspire and reconnect as we come back together with Reggio Educators and the West Coast Collaborative to explore how we are Bridging Boundaries During Challenging Times.
Morning sessions will be streamed live from Reggio Emilia.
Afternoon breakout sessions will be streamed live from The West Coast Collaborative
Branches Atelier – Culver City, Bright Start – Santa Barbara, Growing Place- Santa Monica, and The New School West – Los Angeles.
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 1996Loretta 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.
This event is Hosted by the West Coast Collaborative.
If you missed the webinar, want to see it again, or want to share it, we have posted it on our resources page which also includes the past 2 webinar videos and all resources related to the webinars.
We have also updated our resources as compiled by Pauline McPeake and Patricia Hunter McGrath.
Reggio Inspirations 