Bringing Reggio Home Moriah Stegall September 2008

The Reggio Emilia Approach? An educational philosophy focused early childhood education. After World War Two, families from the community came together to provide quality child care which would enhance learning and eliminate fascism. These families asserted that it is in the early years of development that children are forming who they are as a person. This led to creation of a program based on the principles of respect, responsibility, and community through exploration and discovery in a supportive and enriching environment.

Where is Reggio? Reggio Emilia is an affluent town in Northern Italy, in the Emilia-Romagna region. It has about 167,013 inhabitants and is the main municipality of the Province of Reggio Emilia.

What we can learn from Reggio Children must have some control over the direction of their learning. Children must be able to learn through experiences of touching, moving, listening, seeing, and hearing. Children have a relationship with other children and with material items in the world that children must be allowed to explore. Children must have endless ways and opportunities to express themselves.

Image of the Young Child The natural development of children and the relationships children share with the others and their environment. Belief that the central reason that a child must have control over his or her day-to-day activity is that learning must make sense from the child's point of view. To make learning meaningful, it also must be of interest to the child. That is one way children have control over their learning.

Families Parents are viewed as partners, collaborators and advocates for their children. Teachers respect parents as each child's first teacher and involve parents in every aspect of the curriculum. Families actively volunteer in the classroom and “behind the scenes” Many families who choose to send their children to a Reggio Emilia program incorporate many of the principles within their parenting and home life.

Community Support Children are the collective responsibility of the local community. The parents' role mirrors the community's, at both the school wide and the classroom level. Parents are expected to take part in discussions about school policy, child development concerns, and curriculum planning and evaluation.

Teachers as Learners Teachers' long-term commitment to enhancing their understanding of children is at the crux of the Reggio Emilia approach. They are provided with extensive staff development opportunities, with goals determined by the teachers themselves. Teacher autonomy is evident in the absence of teacher manuals, curriculum guides, or achievement tests.

Teachers as Observers Teachers become skilled observers of children in order to inform their curriculum planning and implementation. Teachers routinely divide responsibilities in the class so that one can systematically observe, take notes, and record conversations between children. Observations are shared with other teachers and a specialized teacher called the atelierista Parents are also involved in curriculum planning and evaluation. Teachers of several schools often work and learn together under the leadership of the pedagogista as they explore ways of expanding on children's spontaneous activities..

The Environment The third teacher Plants and natural light Center piazza Open kitchens Wall-size windows, courtyards, and doors to the outside in each classroom Documentations and project work Storage Atelier

Long-term projects a vehicle for learning Contemporary research on young children, including real-life problem-solving among peers, with numerous opportunities for creative thinking and exploration. Teachers often work on projects with small groups of children, while the rest the class engages in a wide variety of self-selected activities typical of preschool classrooms. 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. Enjoy the unexpected.

The hundred languages of children 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. They work together toward the resolution of problems that arise. Teachers facilitate and then observe debates regarding the extent to which a child's drawing or other form of representation lives up to the expressed intent. 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. Teachers foster children's involvement in the processes of exploration and evaluation, acknowledging the importance of their evolving products as vehicles for exchange. »Loris Malguzzi

How it ties in John Dewey, Jean Piaget, Vygotsky, Jerome Bruner Constructionist approach Challenge teacher competence and DAP The importance of negotiation

The challenges Solicitation of multiple points of view regarding children's needs, interests, and abilities. The concurrent faith in parents, teachers, and children to contribute in meaningful ways to the determination of school experiences. 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. To create an atmosphere of community and collaboration that is developmentally appropriate for adults and children alike

Sites for more information

How are meal times arranged to signify our respect for one another and the joy of gathering?

What opportunities do we allow the children to participate in community keeping and how does it contribute to their self worth? Demonstrate the importance of respect, community, and responsibility. What does this look like in the classroom?

What choices can children make to make this time more intrinsically rewarding?

What can children do on their own? What can children help each other do?

Art ٯ Why the process is more important than the product!!! ٯ What constitutes as art? ٯ Children are new people- how to recognize and appreciate individual expression.

Why can’t Infants have paint?

Multiple experiences with the same and similar mediums with extended time allows for individual and group creativity as well as content scaffolding of schemes…

Ability to explore the same medium in different ways makes learning more meaningful & it provides a multitude of sensory experiences to build upon.

Projects with Infants and Toddlers Making group time meaningful and manageable ٯ Where do you start…and where do you go? ٯ Specifically made for individuals and the group. ٯ What does it look like? ٯ What does it sound like? ٯ Have some identifiable and flexible goals. How the Construction Zone came about at Lucy Brock

Seeing construction during walks on campus. How did this project come about?

Created a construction area inside the classroom. What to do first?

Worker Men on Campus -Watching worker men in classroom. -Visiting construction sites around campus.

Opened up Construction zone in the atelier. -Dramatic Play Props -Wood for sanding -Used real materials: screwdrivers sandpaper, etc. -Construction felt pieces

Food for Thought: ٯ Not every child does everything, or does it every day. ٯ Small steps make BIG changes.

Q & A: ٯ What is the most stressful part of your day? ٯ What can be done to make it flow? ٯ What are your classrooms’ priorities and goals? ٯ Efficiency ٯ Independence ٯ Sense of community