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(This is a brief summary and a pictoral record of the conference).
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"Valuing Early Childhood:
An Invitation for Community Dialogue"
Asilomar Conference Grounds
Pacific Grove, California
June 16 - 18, 2011
In collaboration with Reggio Children and First 5 Monterey/CCAEYC.
The program on June 17th included presentations by the two keynote speakers from Reggio Emilia, Italy, Elena Giacopini and Anna Orlandini on Observation, Interpretation and Documentation and Analysis of a Research Project. There were informal small group discussions following the break for lunch, and the program reconvened in Merrill Hall with an introduction to ateliers by Jennifer Azzariti, Atelierista and Consultant, and NAREA Board Member. There were 10 different atelier groups that met in various locations at Asilomar, which focused on the sense of place in connection with Asilomar's context as well as on participant's educational and community contexts.
These photos will take you through day two of the conference--June 17th
  
(Left) Jennifer Azzariti, Atelierista and Consultant, and NAREA Board Member, introduces the team of facilitators for the ateliers. The 10 groups met with their facilitator in meeting rooms throughout the conference grounds to discuss their assignments. Then they ventured out onto the Asilomar property and beach areas where they sketched, took notes, and planned their work. They eventually met back with their groups to present and discuss their collaborations.
(Center) Atelier facilitator Pauline Baker from Tucson, Arizona speaks to her group about their assignment.
(Right) A group plans how they will proceed with the provocation offered in their atelier.
  
  
   
Atelier participants sketched out their ideas in a variety of locations, styles, and positions.
  
  
The beach and the rocky areas were popular for working both individually and as groups.
  
Atelier participants used a variety of materials supplied in each meeting area to prepare their work.
(Far Right) This participant used a piece of charcoal found on the grounds to complete her work.
  
  
There was reflection, discussion, and critique as the atelier participants met back with their groups.
  
Everyone enjoyed the exhiliration of being by the ocean during the atelier session of the conference. These photographs show (Left) the conference coordinators, Margie Cooper, NAREA Board Co-Chair (L), and Judy Kaminsky, NAREA staff member (R); (Center) the conference speakers, Anna Orlandini (L) Elena Giacopini (R) and interpreter Leslie Morrow (C), and (Right) NAREA Board Members Jennifer Azzariti, atelier coordinator and facilitator (L) and Jennifer Kesselring, atelier facilitator (R).
Small group discussions continued on into the evening as participants reflected on the Innovations article, "My Nose is as Full as the World," a research project from Reggio Emilia, and discussed personal experiences with educational and community contexts.
Please see the upcoming August issue of the NAREA eNewsletter
for further coverage of the Seventh NAREA Summer Conference.
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in collaboration with 