These same features characterize classroom interiors, where displays of project work are interspersed with arrays of found objects and classroom materials. This approach was developed after World War II by pedagogist Loris Malaguzzi and parents in the villages around Reggio Emilia, Italy. [11] This role also extends to that of a researcher. Revision of drawings (and ideas) is encouraged, and teachers allow children to repeat activities and modify each other's work in the collective aim of better understanding the topic. The result is an atmosphere of community and collaboration that is developmentally appropriate for adults and children alike.[14]. Documentation is a means to collect information, observations and learning. ... You need to consider whether the child will fit into the Reggio Emilia training methodology or the more carefully established learning programs. For example: Teachers' long-term commitment to enhancing their understanding of children is at the crux of the Reggio Emilia approach. The programme is based on the principles of respect, responsibility and community through … Everything is alive and connected. Parents who want their child to be a good citizen may choose a Reggio Emilia school or preschool. The Grand Rapids Child Discovery Center is inspired by the Reggio Emilia philosophy of education that originated in Northern Italy. Teachers partner with colleagues, students, and parents in the learning process. The second is the classroom teacher. (With Interactive Checklist) A Psychologist Shares 8 Key Tips She Learned by Raising a Child On The Autism Spectrum; East-to-Follow Tips to Help A Child with Handwriting & Pencil Grip For children to learn, their well-being has to be guaranteed; such well-being is connected with the well being of parents and teachers. Inspired by the educational philosophies of Reggio Emilia, the Spring Hill Early Learning approach focuses on empowering children to express themselves through the hundred languages that they possess. In 2003, the municipality of Reggio Emilia chose to manage the system and the network of school services and toddler centres by forming the Istituzione Scuole e Nidi d'Infanzia. Children must be able to learn through experiences of touching, moving, listening, and observing; Children must have endless ways and opportunities to express themselves. Teachers plan activities, studies and long term projects in the classroom based on their observations. All of the topics of interest are given by the children. Why parents choose Reggio Emilia. Environment: The classroom environment plays a huge role in a child’s educational experience. Long term projects connect core academic areas in and out of the classroom. Teachers intentionally organize, support and plan for various spaces for children. [5][6] As a result, the National Group for Work and Study on Infant Toddler Centers was formed. The parents and educators, as a community are there to support the learning process of the child over the time that they are there at a Reggio or a Reggio-inspired centre . By 1991, Newsweek reported that the schools at Reggio Emilia were among the top school systems in the world. Fu, A.J. The parents' role mirrors the community's, at both the school-wide and the classroom level. Projects provide the backbone of the children’s and teachers’ learning experiences. Reggio Emilia / Emergent This approach focuses heavily on documenting the children’s learning as well as allowing the children to really take on their interests. The Reggio Emilia approach is an early education or preschool philosophy that uses four key principles to focus on a child's natural development. [22], Community support and parental involvement, Long-term projects as vehicles for learning, Learn how and when to remove this template message, Reggio Children - Loris Malaguzzi Centre Foundation, "Reggio Emilia: From Postwar Italy to NYC's Toniest Preschools", "Friends of Reggio Children International Association", "Fondazione Reggio Children Centro Loris Malaguzzi", "Reggio Emilia: Some Lessons for U.S. Regardless of their origins, successful projects are those that generate a sufficient amount of interest and uncertainty to provoke children's creative thinking and problem-solving and are open to different avenues of exploration. One of the most challenging aspects of the Reggio Emilia approach is the solicitation of multiple points of view regarding children's needs, interests, and abilities, and the concurrent faith in parents, teachers, and children to contribute in meaningful ways to the determination of school experiences. Teachers ask questions and listen for the children’s ideas, hypotheses and theories. Reggio teachers place a high value on their ability to improvise and respond to children's predisposition to enjoy the unexpected. The curriculum is characterized by many features advocated by contemporary research on young children, including real-life problem-solving among peers, with numerous opportunities for creative thinking and exploration. The approach is both child-centered and directed, taking the philosophy that learning must make sense to the student (even the youngest students) in order to be effective and meaningful. That philosophy is reflected in an environment that encircles the child with three “teachers,” or protagonists. They are an active part of their children’s learning experiences and help to ensure the welfare of all the children in the school. It is not uncommon to see parents volunteering within Reggio Emilia classrooms throughout the school. Parents are expected to take part in discussions about school policy, child development concerns, and curriculum planning and evaluation. The Reggio Emilia approach is an educational philosophy and pedagogy focused on preschool and primary education. Recognising this, educators from the Reggio Emilia program in Italy refer to the environment as the ‘the third teacher’. The space within the school or the environment is considered the third teacher. The entire system is designed to be connected and in relationship. The projects that teachers and children engage in are different in a number of ways from those that characterize American teachers' conceptions of unit or thematic studies. The Reggio Emilia Approach was an early childhood education method that was practiced in Reggio Emilia, Italy, from just after WWII. [1] The programme is based on the principles of respect, responsibility and community through exploration, discovery and play. The role of early childhood education and care in the social and political life of our nation has never been more apparent. The name of the approach therefore derives its name from the city. Teachers trust themselves to respond appropriately to children's ideas and interests, they trust children to be interested in things worth knowing about, and they trust parents to be informed and productive members of a cooperative educational team. The Teacher’s Role Teachers play a dual role in the Reggio Emilia classroom. In most preschools, your child will learn a wide range of cognitive, social, and language skills. They compensate for the meagre pre-service training of Italian early childhood teachers by providing extensive staff development opportunities, with goals determined by the teachers themselves. An example of documentation might be a book or panel with the student’s words, drawings, and photographs. Projects begin with teachers observing and questioning children about the topic of interest. In its most basic form, it is a way of observing what children know, are curious about and what challenges them. The role of Reggio educators is considered as a program researcher and innovator, based on co-creation and learning, exploring young children, and working with colleagues. Throughout the school, there is an effort to create opportunities for children to interact. [17], Using a variety of media, teachers give careful attention to the documentation and presentation of the thinking of the students. “Influenced by this belief, the child is beheld as beautiful, powerful, competent, creative, curious, and full of potential and ambitious desires. In addition to the larger Studio, Mini-studios are found in every Discovery. Children, teachers and families join together to continually improve the system that supports our school community. Some implementations of the Reggio Emilia approach self-consciously juxtapose their conception of the teacher as autonomous co-learner with other approaches. Often, teachers listen to and observe children in the classroom and record their observations to help plan the curriculum and prepare the environment and teaching tools to support the student's interests. 4-8, and L. Gandini, “The Story and Foundations of the Reggio Emilia Approach in V.R. By making learning visible, the student's thinking and feeling can be studied while the documentation serves to help with evaluation of the educators' work and refinement of the curriculum. [13] They are taught that respect for everyone else is important because everyone is a “subjective agency ” while existing as part of a group. The aim of the Reggio approach is to teach children how to use these symbolic languages (e.g. This approach is a student-centered and constructivist self-guided curriculum that uses self-directed, experiential learning in relationship-driven environments. The topic of investigation may derive directly from teacher observations of children's spontaneous play and exploration. Community involvement is also apparent in citizen membership in La Consulta, a school committee that exerts significant influence over local government policy. This in turn impacts schedules, groupings and routines. For example, teachers in Reggio Emilia assert the importance of being confused as a contributor to learning; thus a major teaching strategy is purposely to allow mistakes to happen, or to begin a project with no clear sense of where it might end. We have long known about the importance of the environment in supporting children’s learning and development and construction of knowledge. Much of what occurs in the class reflects a constructivist approach to early education. Their primary role is to learn alongside children, becoming involved in group learning experiences as a guide and resource. In Reggio Emilia, the infant/toddler and pre-primary program is a vital part of the community, as reflected in the high level of financial support. [4] This resulted in the introduction of the Reggio approach to early education, which was supported by parents and the community. Teachers are encouraged to facilitate the child's learning by planning activities and lessons based on the child's interests, asking questions to further understanding, and actively engaging in the activities alongside the child, instead of passively observing the child learning. Project ideas come from experiences of the children and teachers, a chance event or problem posed. They discuss their observations with them, as part of an ongoing dialogue and continuing evolution of their ideas and practices. Children are considered to be “knowledge bearers”, so they are encouraged to share their thoughts and ideas about everything they could meet or do during the day. "As partner to the child, the teacher is inside the learning situation" (Hewett, 2001). This philosophy does not end when the child leaves the classroom. Stremmel, and L. Hill (eds) Teaching and Learning: Collaborative Exploration of the Reggio Emilia Approach (Upper Saddle River Valley, NJ:Merrill/Prentice Hall, 1997) Skills learned Relationships are at the very heart of the Reggio Emilia philosophy. In the Reggio approach, the teacher is considered a co-learner and collaborator with the child and not just an instructor. [10] In this approach, there is a belief that children have rights and should be given opportunities to develop their potential. The teacher needs to maintain an active, mutual participation in the activity to help ensure that the child clearly understands what is being "taught". As the national conversation about changing the date of Australia Day accelerates—and, at least in some quarters, becomes a topic of lively and respectful debate—early childhood educators are participating and many are pausing for deep reflection. Nothing is left to sit in isolation. Teachers record these observations to reflect on developmentally appropriate ways to help children expand their academic and social potentials. Teachers use their interpretations, intentions and goals (social, emotional and academic) to make choices that they share with children. The education of young children in Reggio is viewed as a shared responsibility, and parents are valued as having a central role in their child's education and development. The single dress-up area is in the center piazza; classrooms are connected with telephones, passageways or windows; and lunchrooms and bathrooms are designed to encourage community.[21]. During the post-World War II era in Italy, the country was overcome with a “…desire to bring change and create anew",[2] brought on by significant economic and social development, including in education. Learning is seen not as a linear process but as a spiraling progression. The term "hundred languages of children" refers to the many ways that children have of expressing themselves. Early learning is a unique advantage of preschool. Teacher autonomy is evident in the absence of teacher manuals, curriculum guides, or achievement tests. The importance of the environment lies in the belief that children can best create meaning and make sense of their world through environments which support "complex, varied, sustained, and changing relationships between people, the world of experience, ideas and the many ways of expressing ideas."[20]. [9] The foundation of the Reggio Emilia approach lies in its unique view of the child: to foster education in the youngest learners to promote the best possible integration among children’s "100 languages". painting, sculpting, drama) in everyday life. Reggio Emilia's approach does challenge some conceptions of teacher competence and developmentally appropriate practice. In each classroom there are studio spaces in the form of a large, centrally located atelier and a smaller mini-atelier, and clearly designated spaces for large- and small-group activities. The GRCDC does not intend to duplicate this philosophy because the children, families and teachers of Grand Rapids, MI offer a different culture, location and perspective. This allows them to be flexible in their plans, preparations, and teaching approaches. They are based on the strong convictions that learning by doing is of great importance and that to discuss in group and to revisit ideas and experiences is the premier way of learning. The Studio teacher (or Atelierista) works closely with other teachers and the children through the Studio, an intentional space containing materials and tools to pursue thinking and concepts. Educators", "Learning to Document in Reggio-Inspired Education", "Inspired by Reggio Emilia: Emergent Curriculum in Relationship-Driven Learning Environments", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Reggio_Emilia_approach&oldid=1002205939, Wikipedia articles needing page number citations from July 2019, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Educators. Reggio Emilia's tradition of community support for families with young children expands on a view, more strongly held in Emilia Romagna and Tuscany, of children as the collective responsibility of the local community. Despite the benefits derived from play for both children and parents, time for free play has been markedly reduced for some children. It may take form in many ways, but parents should 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. In the right program, your child will learn plenty of academic and pre-academic skills. Children, parents and teachers have rights; the right to safety, care and welfare, the right to be involved and the right to grow professionally. Project topics are also selected on the basis of an academic curiosity or social concern on the part of teachers or parents, or serendipitous events that direct the attention of the children and teachers. Reggio Emilia's approach to early education reflects a theoretical kinship with John Dewey, Jean Piaget, Vygotsky and Jerome Bruner, among others. Based on children's responses, teachers introduce materials, questions, and opportunities that provoke children to further explore the topic. Teachers get to know children (strengths, needs and personality) because children stay with the same teacher and the same peer group for two years. The following principles guide the practice and decisions made at the Grand Rapids Child Discovery Center and are borrowed from Foundations of the Reggio Emilia Approach by Lella Gandini. Time is influenced by the interests and activities that the children bring to life within the school. [3] An account described how a 1976 opposition to the primary education policy of the municipality of Reggio Emilia opened up the preschools to public scrutiny. [3], As children proceed in an investigation, generating and testing their hypotheses, they are encouraged to depict their understanding through one of many symbolic languages, including drawing, sculpture, dramatic play, and writing. Teachers often work on projects with small groups of children, while the rest of the class engages in a wide variety of self-selected activities typical of preschool classrooms. Play also offers an ideal opportunity for parents to engage fully with their children. Because curriculum decisions are based on developmental and sociocultural concerns, small groups of children of varying abilities and interests, including those with special needs, work together on projects. In its most basic form, it is a way of observing what children know, are curious about and what challenges them. Children are viewed as competent, curious, full of knowledge, potential, and interested in connecting to the world around them. [12] Children are also viewed as social beings and a focus is made on the child in relation to other children, the family, the teachers, and the community rather than on each child in isolation. Teachers record these observations to reflect on developmentally appropriate ways to help children expand their academic and social potentials. [15] The lack of externally imposed mandates is joined by the imperative that teachers become skilled observers of children in order to inform their curriculum planning and implementation.[16]. In February 2006, the Loris Malaguzzi International Centre was established in Reggio Emilia, Italy, as a meeting place for professional development and a research hub for the Reggio philosophy. [4], The approach was based on Malaguzzi’s method, which became known to and appreciated by many educators thanks to a touring exhibition titled, "A Child has 100 Languages. Teachers respect parents as each child's first teacher and involve parents in every aspect of the curriculum. They work together toward the resolution of problems that arise. All families are members of the Family Team. This enabled municipal schools and preschools to have independent Reggio-inspired programmes and activities with support from the Italian government. Classrooms open to a center piazza, kitchens are open to view, and access to the outside and surrounding community is provided through courtyards, large windows, and exterior doors in each classroom. While some of these teacher provocations are anticipated, projects often move in unanticipated directions as a result of problems children identify. Emergent Curriculum is a way of teaching and learning that requires teachers to observe and listen to the children. [7] In November 2002, during the annual conference of the National Association for the Education of Young Children in Chicago, the North American Reggio Emilia Alliance was formally established.[3]. This page was last edited on 23 January 2021, at 09:35. [19] One of the aims in the design of new spaces - and the redesign of existing ones - is integration of the classroom space with the surrounding environment: the rest of the school, and community the school is a part of. On September 29, 2011, the nonprofit Reggio Children-Loris Malaguzzi Centre Foundation was established at the Loris Malaguzzi International Centre to foster “education and research to improve the lives of people and communities, in Reggio Emilia and in the world”.[8]. Much of the instruction at Reggio Emilia schools takes place in the form of projects where they have opportunities to explore, observe, hypothesize, question, and discuss to clarify their understanding. Cohorts or groups of students stay with one teacher for a three-year period, creating consistency in environment and relationships. What is done with the materials is not art per se, because in the view of Reggio educators the children’s use of media is not a separate part of the curriculum but an integral part of the whole cognitive symbolic expression process of learning. Teachers use documentation to identify strengths, ideas, and next steps to support learning. The goal is for the adults and children to better understand one another. Reggio Emilia Approach: Begun in Italy after World War II in the city of Reggio Emilia, this preschool teaching style is based on children’s symbolic language and the context of project-oriented curriculum. They can last from a few days to several months. Rather than following standardized assessments, the teacher inquires and listens closely to the children. So, let’s look at the pros and cons of the Reggio Emilia environment. Each child’s voice is heard in order to promote a balance between a sense of belonging to the group and a sense of self. While working on projects with the child, the teacher can also expand the child's learning by collecting data that can be reviewed at a later time. The Reggio Emilia approach is an educational philosophy and pedagogy focused on preschool and primary education.This approach is a student-centered and constructivist self-guided curriculum that uses self-directed, experiential learning in relationship-driven environments. On Creative Pedagogy at Public Kindergartens in Reggio Emilia, Italy", which opened in 1981 at the Modern Museet in Stockholm, Sweden. "[2] The child is viewed as being an active constructor of knowledge. Teachers are deeply aware of children’s potentials and construct all of their work and environment of the children’s experience to respond appropriately. Entries capture the attention of both children and adults through the use of mirrors (on the walls, floors, and ceilings), photographs, and children's work accompanied by transcriptions of their discussions. In each case, the environment informs and engages the viewer. [18], Malaguzzi believed the physical environment to be of fundamental importance to the early childhood program; he referred to it as the "third teacher", alongside adults and other students. Teachers foster children's involvement in the processes of exploration and evaluation, acknowledging the importance of their evolving products as vehicles for exchange. Thus, curriculum planning and implementation revolve around open-ended and often long-term projects that are based on the reciprocal nature of teacher-directed and child-initiated activity. This can give them a leg up when they start school. Parents are a vital component to the Reggio Emilia philosophy; they are viewed as partners, collaborators, and advocates for their children. At the core of this philosophy is an assumption that children form their own personality during the early years of development and that they are endowed with "a hundred languages", through which they can express their ideas. The image of the child shapes the role of the teacher and involves four major components. Reggio Emilia influences in the classroom can be found in schools across Canada, including The Bishop Strachan School, Richland Academy, Urban Academy, and Vinci School. The Wonder Project design reflected the Reggio Emilia approach, in particular the idea of the child as collaborator and the environment as third … Reggio Emilia sees parental participation in their child’s education as a critical component of the learning philosophy. The Reggio Emilia philosophy is an approach to teaching, learning and advocacy for children. Copyright 2018 All Rights Reserved, Grand Rapids Child Discovery Center. It can be in the form of observations, photography, video, conversation transcripts and/or visual mediums like paint, wire, clay or drawing materials. The curriculum and independent learning style is something important to consider when looking at the pros and cons of Reggio Emilia. This Is What the Reggio Emilia Approach to Early Childhood Education Is Like; How Do You Know If Your Child Has A Learning Disability and What Can You Do? [1], On May 24, 1994, the nonprofit organization Friends of Reggio Children International Association was founded to promote the work of Loris Malaguzzi and to organize professional development and cultural events around the approach.
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