What is the Reggio Emilia Approach?

For many parents of preschool-aged children, the beginning of the school years can be scary. When your child starts going to school, it means less parent involvement in day to day learning, and more teacher-structured lessons; less play, and more work. But a growing form of early childhood education, called the Reggio Emilia approach, is turning heads with its unique take on teaching– one which makes parents, teachers, and children equal shareholders in the learning initiative.

The Reggio approach focuses on the educational importance of community and free inquiry as its primary values.

Parents and teachers will agree: it's never too soon to start giving your child a nose for knowledge and the tools to investigate the world.

Now who wants to go back to school?

Tuesday, April 16

The Image of the Child

Today's theme the image of the child, is possibly the root of the Reggio approach.

James Hillman, author of 'Politics of Beauty' said

"Each life is formed by its unique image, an image that is the essence of that life and calls it to a destiny."
In Reggio, they view the child in the womb as an already active and unique person, each with their own stamp of uniqueness; a potential to reveal something to the world that has never been seen before. It is therefore the Schools responsibility to give value to these blueprints entering through their doors. 


Children hold a natural curiosity and enjoy a often risky interrogation of the surroundings they find themselves in. In Italian they say that they are 'unbalanced towards challenge' meaning they lean towards challenge. This challenging being both to their environment and themselves. 

As educators we can hypothesis about how the children may respond to situations presented to them, however, through listening to the children they can show us the extraordinary in the ordinary. 

Together we have been doing a lot of wondering (and also wandering, reflecting and discussing), a question that came up, which would be interesting to get thoughts on...

Does the word 'allow' provoke a hierarchy? 

 We allow children to do certain things and does this work both ways?

On another note, I've got myself a new set a wheels but she doesn't have a name yet, suggestions welcome!

Name that bike!


  
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