A picture is worth a thousand words and can be used to express a wide range of emotions — just ask the teachers and children at the Guild of St. Agnes, a Woo-Labs partner and the largest private nonprofit childcare agency in Worcester.
In the fall of 2023, three teachers provided 26 children between the ages of 8 and 12 with an opportunity to showcase their emotions through photos. The result was a one-of-a-kind learning experience that taught children how to cope with their emotions, take and edit photos, and more.
Fostering Social-Emotional Development
To kick off the project at Worcester's Quinsigamond School, teachers asked children the following: How can we express our emotions for others to see?
Each child chose two emotions and found a way to express them through photos of objects, according to Anibelka Reyes, the Guild's Assistant Director of School Age Programs. The children focused on taking photos of objects that reflected sadness, happiness, and many other emotions.
The children were divided into groups of three or four, and each group was given a camera. A teacher taught the children how to use the camera and photo-editing software as part of a project-based learning (PBL) experience.
"Our teachers got together and came up with the idea for the project, and the kids ran with it," Anibelka says.
Leveraging Project-Based Learning
With PBL, children develop knowledge and skills through projects based around real world problems. Research suggests this learning approach helps foster engagement, retention, curiosity, and creativity among children.
In the Guild's project, children learned how to use photos for self expression, Anibelka points out. At the same time, they learned how to take photos, edit them, and display them as part of a canvas and brochure with captions.
"Kids are learning how to express themselves and being able to express themselves," Anibelka says. "We strive to provide a safe place for kids to come and be who they want to be."
Teaching Children About Coping Mechanisms for Emotions
Dating back to the summer 2022 the Guild has launched six projects focused on social-emotional development and PBL. The Guild is currently hosting a summer music camp focused on different instruments, musical styles, and the many components of the music production process.
During the Guild's summer camp, musicians teach children about different instruments and how to play them. Meanwhile, children have opportunities to create instrumental songs to express themselves through music. Additionally, they are putting together a mixtape CD featuring all of their songs and preparing an album cover and booklet that describes each song.
Previously, the Guild's spring project centered around letting children create masks. Children could include marks and symbols on their mask that represent their emotions, culture, and other things that are important to them.
"We're giving kids the opportunity to express themselves without judgment," Anibelka says.
Show Your Support for the Guild of St. Agnes
The Guild's fall 2023 photo project was a success, as children learned how to use cameras and define and express their emotions through photography. On top of that, the project was presented at the Woo-Labs Project Based Learning Fair and received an award for “Best Display."
Edward Street proudly displayed the children's works as part of an installation in the Printer's Building gallery where hundreds of visitors paused to take in the powerful imagery. View the project booklet here .
The Guild is also searching for photographers, musicians, and other professionals who are happy to share their knowledge and insights with children. For more information or to volunteer, email Anibelka at areyes@guildofstagnes.org.
Edward Street continues to support the Guild of St. Agnes and other Woo-Labs partners. Read our blog and follow us on Facebook and LinkedIn to learn more about local early childhood programs and initiatives.