Inquiring Minds is pleased to feature the work of Richland’s Studio Teacher, or Atelierista, Mrs. Josephine Sherman.  Mrs. Sherman shines in her role of Atelierista, and brings her personal experience as an artist to further enrich the children’s learning.  As a Reggio-inspired school, Richland’s classrooms each have mini-ateliers as well as a school Art Studio for the children to work in, providing them with access to authentic materials and a creative environment. If you are unfamiliar with the role of the Atelierista, here is a description from the North American Reggio Emilia Alliance:

• The atelierista or studio teacher has formal education in the arts, typically in the visual arts, and works collaboratively with other educators in the infant-toddler centers and preschools to further the educational project and objectives of the school community. The atelier, like the classroom, also supports the process of documentation, of making the learning and relationships of children, teachers and parents visible. This philosophical idea of exchange between fields, materials, experiences and people is so fundamental to the style of working, that each Reggio classroom also has a mini-atelier. To learn more about the role of the atelier and the atelierista, read The Hundred Languages of Children: The Reggio Emilia Approach-Advanced Reflections and In the Spirit of the Studio: Learning from the Atelier of Reggio Emilia.

Mrs. Sherman is a featured artist of the Richmond Hill Studio Tour this October.  Please enjoy this interview with Mrs. Sherman, as she shares her personal experiences and artistic inspiration.  Richland Academy is delighted to be a host venue for the Richmond Hill Studio Tour.  You are welcome to join us October 19 – 20, 2013.  For more information, contact Richmond Hill’s Art Supervisor at 905-787-1441, ext. 222, or email michelle.zikovitz@richmondhill.ca.