Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/250321
FEATURE "It's a constant learning experience," says student Monessa Hernandez, here with Tom Chiaromonte and Patricia Green. The school's philosophy is based on the Reggio Emilia Approach developed in Italy, which promotes nature-based learning and a constructivist curriculum determined by children's interests. "Nothing is prepackaged. We have evolving curriculum that changes regularly," says Chiaromonte of learning activities that include "art in the atelier," music, gardening, cooking, and construction in the building studio. At one time there was a special room with a oneway mirror for adults to observe children, but that was turned into a room for children to experiment with light and shadow. "The benefit to college students is that our lab is part of our department and a place where they can take what they learned from theory to application to practice," says Pappas. "It helps us turn out successful teachers. Some school districts have told us that we produce the most effective teachers they've had." "I think it works out very well," says Monessa Hernandez, a Fullerton College student who plans on teaching preschool. "It's a constant learning experience." Lab tech and California Mentor preschool teacher Karin Pavelek enjoys teaching both children and college students simultaneously. She doesn't mind explaining things as she goes along, because there is no better preparation for teaching preschool than hands-on practice, says the California School Employees Association member. CSU Fullerton child studies associate professor Kate Bono received permission to observe children for a study on the role that language and speech play in a preschooler's "self-regulation," defined as the ability to control one's behavior or emotions in response to situational demands that influences academic success. "They were very accommodating and supportive of the research I conducted here," says Bono, a California Faculty Association (CFA) member whose own children attended the Lab School. "Without schools like these, it would be difficult for researchers to get our work done." "Without schools like these, it would be difficult for researchers to get our work done," says CSU professor Kate Bono. 26 Educator 02 Feb 2014 v2.1 int.indd 26 FE B RUARY 20 14 PHOTOGRAPHY BY SCOTT BUSCHMAN 1/27/14 3:52 PM