Inquiry Project – Model of Murdoch
Inquiry is a way of harnessing the child’s voice and is a key component of the Reggio Emilia philosophy.
What does ‘inquiry’ look like at Nurture Early Learning?
- Observations of the children whilst they are playing and interacting with experiences
- Conversations with children about their life outside of Nurture
- Holistic partnerships with families to build meaningful relationships
- Creation of mind-maps and use of anecdotal records to record the children’s voices
- Invitations to play and provocations to spark children’s interest
- Themed experiences to explore children’s topics of interest
A feature of our Murdoch service are beautiful, large windows which overlook the surrounding Health and Knowledge precinct of Murdoch, providing a 360-degree view and being on the 5th floor, we have a perfect view of the city around us. Whilst in our Atelier space, the children were consistently engaged in conversation about what they could see through these windows – buildings, construction cranes, planes, helicopters, a hospital and so much more. They then decided to create what they saw.
Using primarily recycled and recyclable loose parts and materials from our sustainability shelf, the children then started their independent project – creating the Health and Knowledge precinct that surrounds our centre in Murdoch.
Our Atelierista provided guidance for our children during their inquiry project, setting aside time each week for the children to add to their model whilst also inspiring the children with suggestions relating to colour, shape, form and structure. Over time, the project expanded with our Bedbrook (Kindy) children leading the way. They began to add finer details (such as traffic lights and insects) and discuss features which should and should not be included. The conversation which blossomed amongst the children during the model creation was not only insightful, but reflective of the inquiry process.
Once completed, the Mayor of the City of Melville visited our centre to view the model, providing the children with the opportunity to showcase their learning, engage public speaking skills, instil pride in their creation and ensure closure to their inquiry project. This was also a fantastic opportunity to connect with our local community, adding to the children’s overall sense of belonging.
Inquiry occurs across all classrooms at Nurture Early Learning Murdoch, with projects of varying length, depth and inspiration.