St. Michaels Episcopal Day School. A Reggio-Emilia Inspired Preschool Based in Austin, TX
In line with the Reggio Emilia philosophy, our atelierista opens the doors to the atelier, an artistic haven where children are encouraged to explore their innate creativity and communicate their thoughts and emotions through various art forms. With a deep appreciation for the arts and a genuine enthusiasm for nurturing young artistic minds, our atelierista provides a supportive environment where children are free to embrace their artistic expressions. The atelier, or art studio, is the home of our atelierista, who welcomes children into the space using a rich background in the arts and a readiness to engage with children in their desires to communicate through artistic expression.
The atelier is a place of research and experimentation, where children encounter various mediums with which to express themselves. The work done in our atelier is focused on artistic processes rather than the creation of products, taking into consideration the care of materials, the many theories being tested, and the expression of creativity.
We recognize the impact technology has on the lives of children and the importance of preparing them to become responsible consumers of technology. Children begin their investigation of technology in the atelier by interacting with light and projection as passive observers, discovering how these mediums impact the space around them. They later move into manipulating the sources of light and projection to fulfill their creative visions.
Our atelier shifts focus from year to year depending on the needs and interests of the children present. Our child identity project is one that has spanned the last few years. Each child takes a series of portraits, choosing their favorite image of themselves. The image is then printed on paper and offered back to the child with a paint medium. The child is encouraged to paint their image as they see themselves. Some choose an image where they feel sad or frustrated, some choose an image they deem 'silly.' Whichever image they choose, the child has total creative control over the outcome. These portraits are the first documentation board you will encounter while visiting St. Michael’s.