Community Connections and Outreach
CNS is dedicated to giving back to our community and sharing our educational tools as a resource for the larger community.
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Connect and Learn More about the Wonder of Learning, Boston, on Facebook.
In 2018, CNS was a leader in bringing the Wonder of Learning Exhibit to Boston.
The arrival of this exhibit to our city opened up so many doors for our Boston Area Reggio Inspired educators. Our city, our programs, our educators heard the voices of the Reggio children through this exhibit and connected professional development.
With our educational history, values, and priorities so strongly rooted in Boston’s identity, it is no wonder Boston has had a longstanding appreciation for the Reggio Emilia approach. Our two cities have been in dialogue for over 30 years.
As a host community, we collaborated with NAREA (www.reggioalliance.org) and Reggio Children (http://www.reggiochildren.it) in the ongoing organization and management of the exhibit. “The Wonder of Learning–The Hundred Languages of Children,” included traces of work in progress from the municipal infant-toddler centers and preschools of Reggio Emilia.
In Boston, The Wonder of Learning welcomed over 20,000 visitors across settings and communities. In this experience, we offered a variety of professional development initiatives aimed at advancing knowledge and action with regard to early childhood education. Like Reggio Emilia, Boston has a history in which the vision of democracy, social justice, and fulfillment has always been tied to educational opportunity.
In Boston, The Wonder of Learning welcomed over 20,000 visitors across settings and communities. In this experience, we offered a variety of professional development initiatives aimed at advancing knowledge and action with regard to early childhood education. Like Reggio Emilia, Boston has a history in which the vision of democracy, social justice, and fulfillment has always been tied to educational opportunity.
Post exhibit, we are working with the Boston Area Reggio Inspired Network to continue the partnerships, professional development, and pedagogical leadership. We continue to share a dedication to access and availability of this approach to all children.
Additional Commuity Outreach
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Our umbrella project is Charlestown’s Promise which allows us to share resources, articles, events and activities with parents, educators and providers across centers and communities. We believe that every child should be afforded the same educational opportunities and we work with other providers to improve early childhood experiences for all children in Boston and beyond.
As an extension of CNS and Charlestown’s Promise, we support professional development, community screenings, parent lectures, community concerts for children, and many resources including
- Charlestown Promise
- CNS Reading and Reflections
- CNS Playful Extensions
- CNS Recipes for Children and Families
- CNS Good Reads
Additionally, we embed many community connections and service projects as part of our curriculum of “care for self, care for others and care for environment”. We have been involved in
- Intergenerational exchanges at the Zelma Lacey house including sing alongs, crafts and board games
- Little Free Library site for lending libraries
- Charlestown Mother Association community events and activities
- Clean Streets and Park Clean-Ups with Neighborhood Watch, Charlestown Business Association and Mayor’s Office.
- Food Drives for Harvest on Vine, Clothing Drives for Room to Grow and Toy Drives for the Kennedy Center.
- Screenings of Consuming Kids, Forks over Knives, Play Again, Rethinking Dyslexia and Race to Nowhere.
- Performances with Karen K and the Jitterbugs, Charlestown Working Theater and Playtime Puppet Pals.
- Lectures with Liz Warrick and Vicki Hoelfe in collaboration with CHaD .
- Community Trainings in First Aid and Nutrition.
We are increasing opportunities for family service as well though Doing Good Together and we hope that our attention to gratitude, optimism and acts of kindness in the curriculum will foster empathy and compassion as a way of being for all our children as they embark as citizens of the world.