2017 Summer Kansas Child

Kelly Harlow (left)
Cornelia Stevens (right)
O.W.L.S. Studio at TOP
Early Learning Centers
Cultivating Curiosity in Children
At the TOP Early Learning Center in Wichita, early childhood
educators have created a special studio to encourage curiosity as a
learning tool. When the studio was created, it was given the name
O.W.L.S., which is an acronym for Open Windows Learning Studio. It
operates as a school within a school. The studio initially was inspired
by principals in Reggio Emilia, Italy. Schools there facilitate learning
using these fundamental principles:
1. Children are capable of constructing their own learning.
2. Children form an understanding of themselves and their place in
the world through their interactions with other children and adults.
There is a strong focus on developing social skills by encouraging
children to work in groups, where each child is an equal participant.
3. Children are encouraged to use their words as they discuss their
experiences. They are listened to with respect, believing that their
questions and observations provide an opportunity for learning and
discovery.
4. The environment is the third teacher and is recognized for its
potential to inspire children. The studio is filled with natural
lighting, free from clutter and includes materials that encourage
curiosity and creativity.
5. The adult’s role is to mentor and guide children, listen to their
thoughts and ideas, find what interests them and then provide
them with opportunities to explore these interests further. The
projects aren’t planned; they emerge based on the child’s interests.
6. Children express their thoughts and creativity in many ways. There
are a hundred different ways of thinking, discovering and learning,
and each one of these ways must be valued and nurtured.
We recently expanded the approach used in the studio and have
merged the Reggio philosophy with science, technology, engineering,
arts and mathematics, or S.T.E.A.M.
Educators first used the acronym S.T.E.M., but later realized there
are many benefits to incorporating the arts. S.T.E.A.M. is designed
to integrate S.T.E.M. subjects and the art of design into education.
When the preschoolers visit the studio, they are invited to explore
one of the learning labs or participate in the featured S.T.E.A.M.
activity of the week. This past school year, students have enjoyed
pendulum painting, catapult painting, observing the reaction of
mixing baking soda with vinegar, and drawing with a color bot. The
arts might get a child interested in a project.
S.T.E.A.M. focuses on questions, children seeking their own answers
and valuing their own opinions. It celebrates experimentation by
trying and failing. It is so important for kids to be comfortable with
failure. Our best innovators have failed many times but got back up
and tried again. S.T.E.A.M. is interactive and hands-on. Children are
not being told what to make. Instead, our students are creating from
their imagination and learning from​ the process! n
www.ks.childcareaware.org Kansas Child 21