THE REGGIO EMILIA APPROACH
Through the vision and accomplishments of Loris Malaguzzi, the Reggio Emilia approach took shape in the 1960’s and 70’s in the small city of Reggio Emilia, located in Northern Italy.
Malaguzzi was an educator, pedagogue and psychologist, influenced by other well-known philosophers and educators of his time, such as Lev Vygotsky, John Dewey, Jean Piaget, Howard Gardner, and Jerome Bruner.
Though originated in Italy, the flexibility of the approach makes it adaptable to any situation and culture. Since the 1980’s, it has been successfully adopted by schools in many different countries throughout Europe, North America, and the world.
The Reggio Emilia Approach is focused on fundamental pillars, where the child is held in the center, the teachers and environments support the hundred languages of children, the family works in harmony with the teaching team, and our students, school, and work permeate into our community, making the learning and valuable discoveries of our students visible and meaningful to others.
The Reggio Emilia Approach values children as curious, creative, competent protagonists of their education.
Relationships with teachers and peers foster and challenge the children’s innate curiosity. Teachers respect and value each child, supporting their physical, intellectual, emotional, and social development.
An emergent curriculum, teachers guide students through investigation. Together, they generate and test hypotheses, engage in conversations, hands-on activities, and take field trips into the community.
They consult books and experts, and the rich resources of their community…nurturing the ability to learn.
The Reggio Emilia Approach values children as curious, creative, competent protagonists of their education.
THE IMAGE OF THE CHILD
I’MMAGINE DEL BAMBINO
The most innovative feature, particularly for that time period, is that children of all ages, including those younger than 6 years, should be considered as young, active citizens with their own rights, individuality, and abilities to thrive within their community. This community is one that goes beyond the school, involving their families, as well as teachers, peers, the surrounding environment and other local players, all considered partners in a student’s education and development.
Children are naturally curious, creative, and competent protagonists of their learning. Naturally driven by their wonder, they explore the world around them, and learn through investigation.
“The child is made of one hundred. The child has a hundred languages, a hundred hands, a hundred thoughts, a hundred ways of thinking, of playing, of speaking. A hundred, always a hundred ways of listening, of marveling, of loving, a hundred joys for singing and understanding, a hundred worlds to discover, a hundred worlds to invent, a hundred worlds to dream.” (Il Cento c’e’, Loris Malaguzzi)
EMBRACING THE "HUNDRED LANGUAGES" OF CHILDREN
The Reggio Emilia approach embraces the idea that there are 100 languages of children. “What is the language of paint, of clay, of mathematics, of magnetism? We’re looking for all of those languages all of the time, and Italian is thoughtfully integrated throughout,” SIEF Director, Amy Ewaldt says. SIEF’s specialty music classes, body movement classes, and ateliers are at the center of the curriculum, available for students to gain numerous means to express themselves and understand the world around them in meaningful ways.
ROLE OF THE ATELIER
Within the Reggio Emilia Approach, the teacher is considered as the child’s partner in the process of learning. The instructor’s role includes the creation of an engaging classroom environment, fueled by asking students provoking, open-ended questions as well as designing long term projects. Congruent with the innovation of the approach, teachers are viewed as researchers and learners alongside the student. Steeped in the process of learning, the teacher is able to respond to and further stimulate a child’s curiosity.
The Reggio Emilia approach attributes a fundamental role to visual art, as well as other forms of expression, hence, the atelier, a dedicated space in the classroom for projects, where tools, colors, and other materials are used to create. The space is managed by an Atelierista, an instructor with a specialization in the arts.
With the intention of monitoring and projecting a child’s pedagogical progress, a teacher’s role also includes the essential task of recording each child’s activity, through observation, photos, and other documents. Parents are considered as co-responsible partners in their child’s process of learning. Documents and observations are shared and presented regularly to the student’s parents, keeping them abreast of their child’s development and growth.
ROLE OF THE TEACHER
UNDER CONSTRUCTION: Documentation / observation tools —We are currently working to best update these sections in meaningful ways for our families.
UNDER CONSTRUCTION: Assessment —We are currently working to best update these sections in meaningful ways for our families.
ENVIRONMENT AS "THE THIRD TEACHER"
The Reggio Approach assigns a very important role to the environment. If children are to learn through relations and “provocation” intended as stimulus, teachers must create an environment in the classroom that will stir a child’s curiosity and engage a discussion. This may happen with the introduction of new objects at opportune times, intended to surprise children and spark curiosity.
Simultaneously, children need to feel that the classroom is their space, their environment, one in which they have ownership. The classroom represents one of their first interactions with the outside world, offering students the possibility to explore as well as to express themselves in an environment that cultivates strong autonomy and self-development.
The student must perceive the classroom as a secure place, able to provide specific areas for various activities and moments throughout the day. A cozy corner exists for reading or other quiet activities. A more open space provides for active games and also for “la piazza”, the Italian square, or central gathering place. Here, children congregate each morning at a specific time for a communal experience with their teachers and peers. As a team, they organize the day, sing, and discuss various topics.
With these imperatives in mind, the environment is not considered a neutral space, but rather, the “third teacher”, providing and supporting safe and active inquiry in the classroom.