The Reggio Emilia Approach® is an educational philosophy based on the image of a child with strong potentialities for development and a subject with rights, who learns through the hundred languages belonging to all human beings and grows in relations with others.
This educational project, which has become a reference point throughout the world, develops and renews each day in Reggio Emilia’s municipal infant-toddler centres and preschools.
https://www.reggiochildren.it/en/reggio-emilia-approach/
What Does It Mean To Be “Reggio Emilia-Inspired?”
“Reggio-Inspired” is to adopt the core values and beliefs of this approach to educating young children. Such principles include:
The Image of The Child
We view every child as strong, capable, independent, curious, and full of imagination. We empower children to think, question, investigate, explore, and help navigate the journey of learning.
Emergent Curriculum
Educators observe and document the interactions, discussions, and fascinations of children. By developing learning opportunities from these observations, the curriculum “emerges” from children’s interests and ideas.
Project Work
Our educators deliver this emergent curriculum through project work, which allows children to explore these areas of interest in detail. Educators are thoughtful about introducing a broad range of opportunities, from art to music to early language, math, science, and nature experiences, in support of the project. By exploring projects of children’s interest in detail, children are excited by the learning process. This enthusiasm for knowledge, combined with the ability to experience project work in detail, fosters “life-long” learning.
The Role of The Educator
The Educator is a partner in learning, with the children. By listening, observing, and documenting children’s work, the Educator is equipped to guide children’s learning experiences, and “co-construct” knowledge.
The Role of Environment
Our Environment and layout are viewed as the “third Educator.” Our environment reflects the children, Educators, and parents who live and learn there. It is thoughtful, imaginative, enticing, and respect the image of the child.
Parental Involvement
Learning takes place not just within the school, but also at home and throughout the community. We encourage parents to participate in project work, special events, and the daily life of our centres. We seek an integrated learning community, where Educators and parents work together to meet the needs of the children.
Documentation
By documenting the children’s work through photographs, video, written word, displays, etc., Educators tell the story of the children’s early childhood experiences. Every child has their own portfolio, consisting of artwork, photographs, information related to developmental milestones, and more. Lesson plans, project boards, and daily highlights explain the work of the children and communicate the life of the school to the community at-large.
Key Elements of the Reggio Emilia Approach
There are 7 guiding principles of the Reggio Emilia approach.
These guiding principles are:
1. Children Are Capable to Construct Their Own Learning
In our approach of Reggio Emilia, children are the main initiators of the learning process. They are inspired by their own interest to know and learn, and as such they are endowed with a uniquely individualistic understanding of how to construct learning on their own. In other words, children should be treated as active collaborators in their education, as opposed to passive observers.
2. Children Are Collaborators and Learn Through Interaction Within Their Communities
Learning is based on interrelationships – in our approach to Reggio Emilia there is a close interaction between Educators, parents, and children. As indicated by the first principle, children are collaborators and work best when included in a community as opposed to working independently. Therefore, Reggio Emilia places an emphasis on working in small groups, which is based on the idea that we form ourselves through interaction with peers, adults, and the world around us.
3. Children Are Natural Communicators and Should Be Encouraged to Express Themselves However They Feel They Can
One of the most profound aspects of Reggio Emilia is known as The Hundred Languages of Children, written by the founder of the philosophy Loris Malaguzzi. The concept of The Hundred Languages is that children are natural communicators and should be encouraged to communicate through whatever means they can. This may include words, movement, drawings, paintings, buildings, sculptures, and more. Because of the many ways that children express, discover, and learn, children should be encouraged to use many materials for discovery, communication, and even demonstration of what they understand, wonder, question, feel, or imagine.
4. The Learning Environment: Environment Acts as The Third Educator
One of the most powerful and important components of our approach to a Reggio-style philosophy in our environment is to ensure that the learning rooms acts as a “living organism, a place of shared relationships among the children, the Educators, the parents, and a feeling of belonging in a world that is alive, welcoming, and authentic.” Because the Learning Environment acts as a living organism.
Learning Environments and common spaces are carefully integrated with one another, as well as with the outside community. Learning Environments also use natural furnishing to encourage real-life interactions.
5. Our Educators Are Partners, Nurturers, And Guides Who Help Facilitate the Exploration of Children’s Interests as They Work on Short and Long-Term Projects
Educators are partners in the learning process. They guide children’s experiences, open-ended discovery, and problem solving. The main goal for the Educator is to listen and observe the children, as well as question and listen for opportunities to encourage further exploration of a child’s interests. Children and Educators are expected to collaborate, but it’s the responsibility of the Educator to identify when a concept can be used to further discovery and learning. As a mentor, it also means that Educators are not planning projects or learning points in advance – they’re allowing projects to emerge based on the interests of the children.
6. Documentation Is a Critical Component of Communication
Educators, in addition to playing the role of a guide, are also responsible for documenting the learning process within the Learning Environment and transcribing the verbal language used by children. Educators take photos and even videos to better understand the children and assist parents in becoming more aware of what their child is doing. Documentation also provides Educators an opportunity to evaluate their own work and exchange ideas with others. Moreover, documentation demonstrates to children that their work is of value. Through documentation, a child may finish their preschool experience at a Reggio Emilia childcare center with a portfolio of projects, pictures, photos, scripts, and quotes that they make take great pride in, as it represents the steps they’ve made throughout their education.
7. Parents Are Partners in Education.
Our approach of Reggio Emilia sees parental participation in their child’s education as a critical component of the learning philosophy. It may take form in many ways, but parents are always be invited to play an active role in their child’s learning experiences as well as help to ensure the welfare of the children in the community around them. Parents, both their skills and ideas, are very valuable in our learning community. Our Educators recognise and respect parents as a child’s true primary teacher, and educators are positioned as advocates and learners alongside the children, also known as “the second Educator.” Parental involvement is critical to the creation of a learning community for children.
Within the Reggio Emilia approach, there is a saying: “A child has a hundred languages.” These languages are how the child communicates with his or her environment, and those within it. The Reggio Emilia teaching method works to unite and develop these languages, such as:
♦ Art ♦ Building ♦ Body ♦ Construction ♦ Dance ♦ Fantasy ♦ Innovation
♦ Music ♦ Nature ♦ Science ♦ Signing ♦ Soul ♦ Talking ♦ Writing
These “hundred languages” are used to help children learn and understand the world around them.
The Reggio Emilia method believes that the child is the center of his or her own learning universe. Parents, teachers, and the community are all collaborators throughout the child’s journey through learning.
Classrooms in Reggio Emilia schools are often designed to look more like homes. They are meant to be an inviting environment, as the environment is a critical part of the learning experience. They should be inviting and inspire the child to think outside the box.
This way of thinking also supports the rights and ideas of a child. The Reggio philosophy is based on the belief that children are natural researchers who are always ready for challenges.
Teachers and advocates for these schools believe there are many benefits of Reggio Emilia programs. They believe that, through this style of education, children are better able to:
♦ Build Social Skills ♦ Community Engagement ♦ Enjoy learning ♦ Expression with Confidence ♦ Instill Problem Solving Skills ♦ Welcome New Experiences