The Reggio Emilia Approach

"…a hundred worlds to discover
a hundred worlds to invent
a hundred worlds to dream."

Loris Malaguzzi, founder of the Reggio-Emilia method

At the heart of the Reggio philosophy is the belief that children are full of curiosity and creativity; they are not empty memory banks waiting to be filled with facts, figures and dates.

Reggio-inspired curriculum is flexible and emerges from children's ideas, thoughts and observations. The Reggio goal is to cultivate within children a lifelong passion for learning and exploration.

The Reggio Emilia approach to early childhood education is based on over forty years of experience in the Reggio Emilia Municipal Infant/toddler and Preschool Centers in Italy. It places emphasis on children's symbolic languages in the context of a project-oriented curriculum. Learning is viewed as a journey; and education as building relationships with people (both children and adults) and creating connections between ideas and the environment.

International recognition of the Reggio preschools exploded in 1991, when a panel of experts commissioned by Newsweek magazine identified the preschools of Reggio Emilia as one of the "best top ten schools in the world" (Newsweek 1991).

The Reggio Approach is based on a comprehensive philosophy, underpinned by several fundamental, guiding principles.

• The child as protagonist, collaborator, and communicator
• The teacher as partner, nurturer, guide, and researcher.
• Cooperation as the foundation of the educational system.
• The environment as the "third teacher."
• The Parent as Partner
• Documentation as communication

Emergent Curriculum: An emergent curriculum is one that builds upon the interests of children. Topics for study are captured from the talk of children, through community or family events, as well as the known interests of children (puddles, shadow, dinosaurs, etc.). Team planning is an essential component of the emergent curriculum. Teachers work together to formulate the possible directions of a project, the materials needed, and possible parent and/or community support and involvement.

Project Work: Projects, also emergent, are in-depth studies of concepts, ideas, and interests which arise from the children.

Representational Development: Consistent with Howard Gardner's notion of schooling for multiple intelligences, the Reggio Emilia approach calls for the integration of the graphic arts as tools for cognitive, linguistic, and social development. Presentation of concepts in multiple forms -- print, art, construction, drama, music, puppetry, and shadow play -- are viewed as essential to children's understanding of experience.

Collaboration: Collaborative group work, both large and small, is considered valuable and necessary to advance cognitive development. Children are encouraged to talk, critique, compare, negotiate, hypothesize, and problem-solve through group work.

Teachers as Researchers: The teacher is a teacher-researcher, a resource and guide as she/he lends expertise to children. Within such a teacher-researcher role, educators carefully listen, observe, and document children's work and the growth of community in their classroom and are to provoke, co-construct, and stimulate thinking and peer collaboration. Teachers are committed to reflection about their own teaching and learning.

For more information on the Reggio Emilia approach to early childhood education, visit:

·         Official Reggio Emilia web site: www.reggiochildren.it

·         Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reggio_Emilia_approach

·         Details on Method: http://www.worldedreform.com/pub/reggio_approach.pdf