Orange County Head Start Curriculum Specialist trains abroad in Italy!

Orange County Head Start Curriculum Specialist and FHSA Region IV Board Representative Vidya Deonarine were selected to attend a State of the Art International Trip to Italy for Professional Development! Vidya, along with a team of 13 Early Childhood Educators and Advocates participated in visiting the Reggio Emilia school of Italy.

The Reggio Emilia approach to early childhood education views young children as individuals who are curious about their world and have the powerful potential to learn from all that surrounds them. As an Orange County Head Start Curriculum Specialist and lover of all things Early Childhood Education, Vidya found that The Reggio Emelia Approach is this profound way of teaching that minimizes behavioral issues in the classroom and strengthens children’s attention span.

According to one of the Basic Principles of the Reggio Emilia Approach (The Image of the Child) teachers are deeply aware of their children’s potentials and construct all their work and the environment of the children’s experience to respond appropriately. This effective engagement between the teachers and children contribute to the children’s exploration, creativity, and allows the children to construct their ideas without anyone hindering this process freely.

Orange County Head Start was able to support Vidya with allowing her to take time off, and send many well wishes.  Vidya, a past Head Start parent said, “In a million years she would not have ever imagined attending such trip with such a diverse group of highly educated professionals.