reInterpret’s LOOSE pARTs Workshops inspire creativity! We are proud to offer a unique environment where ideas spring to life with a palette of salvaged metal, plastic, fabric, wood, ceramic and paper in myriad colors and textures. The possibilities are endless, but our teaching artist Joan Green provides us plenty of focus!

Enjoy some samples of LOOSE pARTs art…..

See our “Workshops” tab for more information about LOOSE pARTs Workshops. We look forward to seeing you!

A TEACHER’S DAY OFF WORKSHOP – Bring a Friend!

Take some time for yourself this summer before the school year starts. We welcome teachers and all those wanting to tap into their creativity in a supportive environment thats celebrates self expression.

Join reInterpret and our guest teaching artist Joan Green, of Green Art Labs, to discover the unique beauty of loose parts art. During this 3 1/2 hour workshop you will explore loose parts from an artist’s perspective and  construct a work of art  reflective of your creativity. Register now!

WHEN: Sat, August 29, 2015, 9:00am to 12:30pm (Registration and breakfast at 8:30am)

WHERE: reInterpret Studio at 10250 Magnolia Ave, Santee  92071

COST: $50

A light breakfast will be served and participants will receive a discount on an annual reInterpret membership. Register now!

reInterpret is proud to bring you our latest workshop:

CROSSROADS is a three hour workshop for novice and seasoned child development professionals who would like to refine the art of presenting a constructivist classroom supported by open-ended materials. Register now!

WHEN: Sat, April 11, 2015, from 8:30am to 12pm

WHERE: reInterpret Studio at 10250 Magnolia Ave      Santee  92071

COST: $25

A light breakfast will be served and participants will receive a discount on an annual reInterpret membership. Register now!

WHAT ARE OPEN-ENDED MATERIALS ?

Open-ended materials are objects that have no prescribed or predetermined use or function. They are loose parts—the raw materials to build or create something…and then be recombined to make something new. Open-ended materials can be big or small, round or square, rough or smooth, stiff or pliable, heavy or light,….and they can be stacked, combined, manipulated, collaged, measured, and arranged in infinite ways.

Blocks are open-ended materials. Sand, gems, bottle caps, string and paper are open-ended materials. Almost anything can be a raw material to create something else!

Open-ended materials provide endless possibilities for learning and creativity.

WHY OPEN-ENDED MATERIALS ?

Open-ended materials empower children to make reality of the concepts they imagine. Children observe that the materials can be used for many different things and open themselves to possibilities…not just in the classroom but in their own lives as well.

   Open-ended materials provide decision making and problem solving opportunities. They challenge us to explore, observe, analyze, compare. As we play with the materials we discover the properties of each material and understand the benefits and drawbacks of each. We notice similarities, differences and patterns. Open-ended materials stimulate our senses and develop our large and fine motor skills.

 WHAT WILL CHILDREN DO WITH OPEN-ENDED MATERIALS ?

Children enjoy the opportunity to rearrange and transform materials. They become designers, engineers, architects, artists, innovators, collaborators and explorers, often using materials to represent other things.

Children may not consciously think, “What can I make with these materials?”, but they will explore the materials’ sensory qualities that stimulate and inspire them. Children will build, collage, sort, pattern, make designs, and recreate objects and places from their lives. They will add things like signage, labels, and toys from home to further personalize and explain their creations. They will create objects that replicate and explain topics of interest to them.

Children will play with open-ended materials to understand them. “There is no correct way of understanding anything even though the world wants us to believe it, it’s not true.”* The open-ended materials will become a reflection of a child’s life—interests, dreams, culture, family, neighborhood, all of the things that make her feel significant. Open-ended materials allow a child to use whatever frame of reference is her own. Ask a child, “Tell me about your creation” …and you will learn a lot about that child!

 *Keri Smith, author of Wreck This Journal and How To Become An Observer Of This World

On March 1st, reInterpret hosted a workshop for early child development teachers. As the workshop progressed, we quickly realized the teachers were well versed in open-ended materials…they basically just needed a little reInspiration! Take a look at how the teachers interacted with our activities:

We presented teachers with various materials to describe: a length of wire, a black plastic cap and a solid rectangle of wood. Teachers concluded that materials each have some unique attributes and may have some attribute in common. Recognizing differences and similarities help children with language development, pre-reading skills and pre-math skills.

After interacting with our activity stations, our reflective participants made the following comments:

Here are some of their creations:

Here are some of the ideas for presenting materials to 2-6 year olds:

The teachers reflected on what they learned about each other:

Teachers made these resolutions:

Thank you to all of the teachers of Rancho Bernardo Community Presbyterian Church Preschool!

reInterpret has wood in many shapes and sizes -squares, rectangles, sticks, triangles and random polygons.

Children love working with wood. It feels real, solid, permanent, sturdy. It lends itself nicely to building and experimenting with different types of structures.

-What type of house can you build? Who lives there? Children will naturally create a story with characters and, often, themselves at the center. Would the children like to write or retell a story based on their building creation? Can they use their creation to illustrate the story?

-Can you build to the ceiling? (Provide a ladder). Be prepared for many failed attempts that provide opportunities to learn about structures and stability. Lead children in reflecting about what could be done differently to get an improved result. Is it only the foundation the affects stability? What type of planning should take place? Children will discover the many effective ways to create stability and go “higher”.

Wood can be used to create a two-dimensional plan of any space or environment.

-Can you use the shapes two-dimensionally to map your neighborhood? Where does your neighborhood intersect with your classmate’s neighborhood? Inspire children to collaborate with classmates. They will work out solutions to spacial challenges and get excited about “connecting” to their friends’ neighborhood map.

How else can wood be used in your classroom? Does it fit in with math or science? What about art? How can the pieces be used over and over in multiple ways?

What ideas do the children have for using wood? Can they describe their ideas using drawings or text? How will the planning influence the outcome of the project?

After projects, allow time for children to participate in picking up and organizing the wood in the classroom. By doing so, they will view the wood pieces as valuable and meaningful materials.