Reggio Emilia in a Nutshell

     The Reggio Emilia Approach is an educational philosophy and pedagogy that began in Italy after World War II.  It is focused on preschool and primary education with the intent of having children learn through active engagement with their environment.
 

     The heart of the Reggio Emilia approach is that children are strong, capable, and resilient, rich with wonder and knowledge.  It is based on the principles of respect, responsibility, and community.  Learning takes place through exploration and discovery in a supportive and enriching environment.  The interests of children, as evidenced by their questions and curiosities, help to guide individual and collaborative learning on projects that are interesting, relevant and challenging to them.

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     Important to this approach is the role of parent/community involvement and teachers.  Teachers document children's development. For instance, displays of photographs and examples of children's work as well as teachers recordings and note taking of conversations provide records of children's development.  The classroom environment is considered the "third teacher" and should offer many resources and materials for children to express themselves.

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     Schools that adopt the Reggio Emilia approach encourage children's self-expression through multiple forms of knowing (writing, storytelling, drama, movement, drawing, sculpture, music, photography).  True comprehension and critical thinking are preferred rather than rote learning (regurgitation).  The fostering of creativity and imagination is encouraged.  As a result, Reggio Emilia schools have become world renowned and widely considered to be the best preschool model.

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