Infants and Toddlers at Work

Ann Lewin-Benham founded and for 20 years directed the Capital Children's Museum in Washington, DC, where she also founded and directed the Model Early Learning Center. She is the author of Possible Schools: The Reggio Approach to Urban Education and Powerful Children: Understanding How to Teach and Learn Using the Reggio Approach.

• Foreword to the First EditionMihaly CsikszentmihalyiAcknowledgmentsIntroductionImpetus for the BookResearchTeaching TechniquesMaterialsLearning Exemplars: The Reggio SchoolsChapter OverviewFour Big Ideas in This Book1.  Why Use Materials?Infants and Toddlers in FlowHumans: Unique LearnersSensitive Periods and Brain PlasticityStructuring the Use of MaterialsConclusion: Materials' Meaning2.  Framing ExperiencesThe Brain's Attention SystemsFacing ComplexityChallenges: Glue, Scissors, Clay, SewingConclusion: Accumulating Skills3.  Infants and MaterialsInfants' PredispositionsAdults' IntentionalityFood, Paper, Fabric, SoundDay by Day in Provocative Infant SpacesConclusion: Natural Learners4.  Man-Made MaterialsCultural Contrasts: 10,000 Years Ago and NowReggio and Neuroscience ResonancesThe Design and Development of MaterialsOne Huge and Many Small EventsConclusion: Meaning-Full Materials5.  Painting With TemperaStumbling, Reflecting, LearningA Theory of How We LearnTeaching With IntentionA Culture of RelationshipsBeginning Use of TemperaConclusion: The Joy of Painting6.  Clay6-Month- and 2-Year-Old ReactionsMolding the BrainGames7.  Mark-MakingA Natural LanguageAn Innate DriveA Story from ReggioComplex Intersections: Drawing and DecisionsSmall Choices/Large ImpactsSelf-Portraits PlusConclusion: Drawing, An Imperative8.  Exploring PaperPaper, Brain, and HandNew Ways With Paper: Eight Months of ActivitiesPaper, Infants, and Toddlers: Reggio StoriesConclusion: New Perspectives9.  Natural MaterialsLearning to SeeInfant/Toddler Investigations of NatureThe Bounty of Natural MaterialsResearch, Nature, and the ClassroomConclusion: The Power and Pleasure of Nature10.  Light and ShadowHow We Know What We SeeDiscovering Light and ShadowConclusion: Enticing the Infant/Toddler Brain11. Using Technology with Infants and Toddlersby Alex MorganLearning the Language of TechnologyExploring Digital HumanityBuilding Community Through TechnologyConclusion12. Making Meaning With Technologyby Ryan KarudaCoding and RoboticsAugmented and Virtual RealityDigital PhotographyDigital LandscapesSpectrogramAppendix A: List of MaterialsAppendix B: Art SuppliesAppendix C: ToolsGlossaryReferencesIndexAbout the Author and Contributors