Reggio Emilia Philosophy
The philosophy is focused on the image of the child. We believe that children are strong and capable individuals that posses rights. That children learn and grow as they develop relationships with other. The vision was developed by a young teacher, Loris Malaguzzi after World War II, in the City of Reggio Emilia, Italy. He promoted that children were active participants in their own learning. That they should have a unique reciprocal relationship with their Teachers. That learning is an active process, not a transmission of prepackaged knowledge . Rather, that the child has 100 languages, children have multiple ways to express themselves. “The Educator” is considered to be 3 different things, the teacher, child and the environment. Teachers are given non-contact time to reflect together their observations of children and come up with different ways to implement materials and support creativity. Teachers value and encourage child initiated activities. Teachers welcome and provoke ideas through open ended questions. They respect the child’s own ideas. They allow the child to make their own mistakes and learn from them. Teacher’s observe children’s progress and intervene during appropriate times. Reggio environments are welcoming, nurturing, homelike, and inspiring. A place where children will encounter and make connections with materials and other individuals. A space where they will interact and have a dialogue with other children and Teachers.
WONDER,CURIOSITY,CAPABILITY
"The pleasure of learning, of knowing, and of understanding is one the most important and basic feelings that every child expects from the experiences he confronts alone, with other children, or with adults. It is a crucial feeling which must be reinforced so that the pleasure survives even when reality may prove that learning, knowing, and understanding involve difficulty and effort. It is in this very capacity for survival that pleasure is transformed into pure joy."
-Loris Malaguzzi
The Reggio Emilia philosophy is rooted in the idea that children should have a role in guiding their own education. Children are strong, interested, capable and curious. They learn from their environment - they need beautiful, orderly space where everything has a purpose and where they can develop the skills and freedom to explore with confidence. Children are capable of long-term, sustained learning when the topic is of interest to them. Teachers listen to and observe children closely, ask questions, and explore the children's ideas. Teachers provide experiences that provoke children's thinking and learning, while respecting the child's personal artistic development. They pay close attention to and record each child's processes. The teachers' observations and documentation help create a narrative that allows both children and grown-ups to better understand the child's progress.