Karyn Callaghan, President

In addition to working as an early childhood educator with children and parents for several years, I was a faculty member in the ECE program at Mohawk College and in the Bachelor of Early Childhood Studies program at Charles Sturt University for a total of 30 years. Since 1997, I have been exploring the philosophy that has guided the early education programs in Reggio Emilia, Italy. I co-founded and coordinated the Reggio-inspired Artists at the Centre – Making Thinking Visible project throughout its 15 year history. In addition to my role as president of the Ontario Reggio Association, I am a board member of the North American Reggio Emilia Alliance, and represent Canada on the Reggio Children International Network. I have authored and co-authored articles published in international journals, and have been a keynote speaker at conferences across Canada and in the United States, Asia, Australia, and the U.K. I consulted with the Ministry of Education as they developed the “Think, Feel, Act” and “How Does Learning Happen?” documents, and participated in preparing support materials for the Ministry website. I have also had the pleasure of co-authoring a book entitled “Documenting Children’s Meaning: Engaging in Design and Creativity with Children and Families” with Carol Anne Wien and artist Jason Avery, published by Davis Publications. I am grateful for opportunities to be with others who are taking up the challenge of the complex philosophy that is generated in Reggio Emilia.