The reggio emilia approach is a(n)

The Reggio Emilia Approach values the child as strong, capable and resilient; rich with wonder and knowledge. Every child brings with them deep curiosity and potential and this innate curiosity drives their interest to understand their world and their place within it. Reggio Emilia schools are based on the highly successful preschools developed by the townspeople of Reggio Emilia, Italy during the 1940s. Classrooms can be comprised of same-age or multi-age children groups—a sense of community is the most important aspect of the classroom, as classmates will stay together for years.

Students take the lead in learning—the curriculum consists of projects that reflect the interests of the students. Teachers observe the spontaneous curiosity of their students, and then guide them to create projects that reflect their pursuits. Children are expected to learn through mistakes rather than correction, as parents, students, and adults are considered equal learners and able to choose their learning paths. Their play and projects are documented in photographs and records of their own words, which allows teachers and parents to follow each student’s progress and helps children see their actions as meaningful. Reggio Emilia schools emphasize creativity and artistic representation.

Children in a Reggio Emilia program are seen as naturally eager for knowledge and capable of initiating learning in a supportive, thoughtfully prepared learning environment. It is an approach that values the human spirit and the development of the whole child—physical, social, emotional, and cognitive. Reggio Emilia learning environments are aesthetically pleasing and meticulously arranged to help children embrace the joy of learning.

Teachers and the learning environment play similar, critical roles in a Reggio Emilia program. Teachers are the guides, scribes, and advocates that foster an inviting, interesting, community-based learning environment. The environment is viewed as the “third teacher,” in addition to the parent and the caregiver, and is thoughtfully arranged to foster creative exploration while encouraging interaction and communication. The classrooms display project work, both completed and in-progress, to tell the story of those that share the space.

You will not find worksheets, workbooks, or textbooks in our classrooms; we learn through natural exploration and hands-on play. Reggio Emilia uses a project-based approach to expand on learning and reach the ten learning domains (reading, writing, language, speech, gross motor, fine motor, math, science, social and emotional, and art) each month. Teachers introduce materials, concepts, and mediums that allow children to express their ideas and interests.

For instance, if the monthly discovery topic is zoo animals and a student becomes interested in zebras, we will create a lesson involving zebras to help the child expand their knowledge and interest in the animal. For math, we could use blocks to create a zebra’s black and white pattern or count the stripes in a toy zebra. To tie in reading and language we would fill the reading area with books about zebras and learn new vocabulary such as savannah, adaptations, and camouflage. For science, we would talk about the environment that the zebra lives in, and research what zebras eat. During fine motor and art exploration we could use ink to draw on white paper, write in our journals about zebras, and paint a picture of a zebra. The student’s interest can tie into every learning area to help them retain the information and enjoy learning each day!

The Reggio Emilia Approach to Early Childhood Education is named after the town of Reggio Emilia in the Emilia Romagna province of northern Italy. In Reggio Emilia, publicly funded schools provide education for children from birth to six years. These schools have been described as among the best in the world.

The schools of Reggio Emilia began as a parent initiative. With the end of World War II, parents in Italy banded together and founded the town’s first pre-school. They had a vision for a new kind of school where children would be treated with respect and parents would be active participants in their children’s education.

The parents sought the help of educator Loris Malaguzzi (1920 – 1994) to set up schools that reflected their vision. From the start, the Reggio early childhood approach reflected openness and responsiveness to new ideas and developed a curriculum that differs from the rigidity of public schools. His approach was to stimulate long-term in-depth research projects as the primary path to learning, which is one of the fundamental features of Reggio that inspires and sets it apart from conventional settings. Throughout his whole life and work, Malaguzzi inspired and guided educational reforms to early education across the entire globe.

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). Also, this innovative educational approach has made an impact quickly worldwide through the Hundred Languages of Children exhibits. This display is a traveling exhibition that has been telling the story of the Reggio Emilia educational experience worldwide to thousands of visitors for over twenty-five years.

Today, leading corporations and institutions are increasingly adopting the Reggio Emilia approach for their preschool programs. Google and the World Bank, for example, have become prominent users and advocates for this approach to early childhood education. Today the Reggio Emilia Approach is used by them and over 5,000 other schools worldwide.

The following video, “The Hundred Languages Of Children,” shows a wonderful view of the Reggio Emilia philosophy in a modern classroom environment.

Is the Reggio Emilia approach a theory?

What is Reggio Emilia known for?

Why is it called the Reggio Emilia approach?

Is the Reggio Emilia approach DAP?