Where the children are the main focus and contributors of learning…

Loris Malaguzzi is the teacher that started the Reggio Emilia Approach, Emilia Romagna in Northern Italy, after world war II.

The Reggio Approach is a complex system that respects and puts into practice many of the fundamental aspects of the work of Dewey, Piaget, and Vygotsky and many others. It is a system that lends itself to: the role of collaboration among children, teachers and parent, the co-construction of knowledge , the interdependence of individual and social learning and the role of culture in understanding this interdependence. (Baji Rankin 2004).

Children are encouraged to realize and expand their potential; with great emphasis being placed on the value of their ability to socialize, learn about affection and trust, and satisfying their needs and desires to learn.

Project work is a large component of the Reggio Approach

A network of communication exists between the children, parents and teachers of Reggio. They work together interacting toward a common purpose; the building of a culture which respects childhood as a time to explore, create and be joyful. Each of these persons have rights within the school.

The Reggio teacher allows the children to:

•Ask their own questions, and generate their own hypotheses and to test them.

•To explore and generate many possibilities both affirming and contradictory. She welcomes contradictions as a venue for exploring, discussing and debating.

•She provides opportunity to use symbolic languages to represent thoughts and hypothesis

• She provides opportunity for the children to communicate their ideas to others.

• She is a keen observer, documenter, and partner in the learning process.

• She offers children, through the process of revisiting the opportunity to reorganize concepts, ideas, thoughts and theories to construct new meaning.

The curriculum is based on the interest of children; topics of studies are captured from the inquisition of children, through community or family events, as well as the main interest and fascinations of children. For example ; plants animals, bugs and colours. There are several other factors that contribute to a child's learning, they are as follows: the environment, long term projects and documentation.

What are the hundred languages of Children?

Symbolic languages, including drawing, sculpting, dramatic play, writing, painting are used to represent children’s thinking processes and theories. As children work through problems and ideas they are encouraged to depict their understanding using many different representations. As their thinking evolves they are encouraged to revisit their representation to determine if they are representative of their intent or if they require modification. Teachers and children work together towards an expressed intent.

The educators of Reggio Emilia view the school as a living organism. (Malaguzzi, 1994)The layout of the physical space in the schools encourages encounters, communication, and relationships. The arrangement of structures, objects and activities encourages choices, problem solving, and discoveries in the process of learning. In preparing the space, teachers offer the possibility for children to be with the teachers and many of the other children, or with just a few of the children, or even alone. Teachers are aware, however, that children also learn from their peers, especially when they can interact in small groups. (Gandini,1993)

This is used as a vehicle for learning. Educators and other individuals are normally fascinated by this complex method of learning. The western world is use to a predetermined thematic projects. However, the projects undertaken by Reggio educators may derive from both children’s and teacher’s ideas and interests, thoughts and theories in things worth knowing about. Teachers often work on projects with a small group of children while the rest of the classroom continues to involve itself in other self -selected activities and explorations.

•The process by which teachers gather information about children’s ideas and their thinking process.•Is done daily so teachers can discuss their curriculum, keep it fluid and emergent and develop rational for its course.•Is data for study.•Facilitates continuity across a given activity, because new activities evolve from earlier experiences.•Offers a research orientation to instruction.•Allows teachers to revisit with children.•Is concrete, active and reflective.•Provides the right amount of support to enable children to perform a task.•Is at the heart of each project or experience.•It serves as a lesson planner.•It defines the teacher as a facilitator.