27.12.20 Provocation in Early Years settings
In Reggio Emilia-inspired preschools you will often hear about teachers creating provocations for students. What does that mean?
'(P)rovocations provoke! They provoke thoughts, discussions, questions, interests, creativity and ideas. They can also expand on a thought, project, idea and interest....Ultimately, the intention of provocations is to provide an invitation for a child to explore and express themselves. It should be open-ended and provide a means for expression where possible.' (Roots and Wings, 2017)
I see some of my socially engaged projects as provocations in this sense; not there to shock, but to 'provoke thoughts, discussions, questions, interests, creativity and ideas.'
In fact, all my socially engaged projects are provocations of this kind and do seem to stimulate thought, discussion, and, hopefully sometimes action. They are 'open-ended and provide a means for expression where possible'.
I realise that I seem to have facilitated one major socially engaged project a year, since I started, over the last 5 years. Sometimes I have repeated an idea in a different situation.
Here is the documentation of my social engagement:
The Wishing trees (2020),
Tethering our thoughts, (2019),
Living sculptures, (2018),
Safety net (2017),
Don't wash your dirty laundry in public (2016)
Do you mind if I write that down? (2015)
Roots and Wings (2017) What is a provocation? Available at: https://www.rootsandwingsfc.com/blog/2017/3/27/what-is-a-provocation (Accessed: 27 December 2020)
'(P)rovocations provoke! They provoke thoughts, discussions, questions, interests, creativity and ideas. They can also expand on a thought, project, idea and interest....Ultimately, the intention of provocations is to provide an invitation for a child to explore and express themselves. It should be open-ended and provide a means for expression where possible.' (Roots and Wings, 2017)
I see some of my socially engaged projects as provocations in this sense; not there to shock, but to 'provoke thoughts, discussions, questions, interests, creativity and ideas.'
In fact, all my socially engaged projects are provocations of this kind and do seem to stimulate thought, discussion, and, hopefully sometimes action. They are 'open-ended and provide a means for expression where possible'.
I realise that I seem to have facilitated one major socially engaged project a year, since I started, over the last 5 years. Sometimes I have repeated an idea in a different situation.
Here is the documentation of my social engagement:
The Wishing trees (2020),
Tethering our thoughts, (2019),
Living sculptures, (2018),
Safety net (2017),
Don't wash your dirty laundry in public (2016)
Do you mind if I write that down? (2015)
Roots and Wings (2017) What is a provocation? Available at: https://www.rootsandwingsfc.com/blog/2017/3/27/what-is-a-provocation (Accessed: 27 December 2020)