In this workshop, the presenters will share their experiences of using an owl puppet as a provocation for building community. The presentation will include dialogue around building community among learners and teachers through play as well as inviting learners to use and extend their imagination through storytelling.

Together, we will explore how to build a classroom culture that is collaborative and supportive. Using thinking routines, participants will identify ways in which persona dolls and puppets can act as a catalyst for developing a positive learning community and how the role of imagination fosters a growth mindset within learning communities. Participants will leave the presentation with a plan for implementing a persona doll or puppet or classroom tradition to further build community in their classroom.

Jessica Martin

Jessica Martin is originally from San Francisco, USA. This is her seventh year teaching the preschool group at the Anglo American School of Sofia.

Jessie has taught in Reggio Inspired, Early Childhood environments for 16 years! She facilitates the Sofia Early Childhood Collaborative and is co-founder of Revolution Tables, an architectural design lab.

Working as a teacher researcher, she creates learning communities in which meaningful project work emerges within environments whose structure reflects an image of all children as protagonists in their learning; expanding the natural curiosity and thirst for learning that all young learners possess.