The Reggio Emilia Approach_______________
Reggio Emliia Town Square (Twinovate, 2008)
Below is an essay piece I have written for another assignment. This gives some information on the Reggio Emilia approach to learning. I found the research on this essay very interesting, and it stimulated many ideas for my own future career as an educator.
Reggio Emilia practices and pedagogies promote a community approach to learning by involving children, parents and teachers as active partners rather than giving the children the role of being purely instructed participants. In Reggio Emilia teaching children are encouraged to engage in personally meaningful projects, reflect on their learning, and then do it again. Teachers are thought of as researchers trusted with making decisions that benefit children with assistance from parents and the community. Students are respected as capable human beings, not just empty vessels to be filled with information.
Brunton & Thornton (2007), through their research, suggest that children are innately creative and should be encouraged and given the time and space to develop their creativity freely. The Reggio Emilia approach promotes the idea that children’s creativity can develop unabated by restrictions and boundaries. By giving children time and space to explore materials, freedom to test things out and varied opportunities to learn and develop new skills, children will inevitably employ their natural creativity and curiosity to make meaningful connections between their experiences and the wider world. Children provided with the right resources, such as toys that have more than one use, natural fibres and items such as glass and fabrics, have been given the tools to explore their creativity. They can then reflect upon how their projects connect to their learning and life experiences.
Reggio Emilia philosophies have, at their core, a community value. They place specific emphasis on the relationships adults develop with children. Through actively listening to the ‘hundred languages of children’ (Malaguzzi, 1998) adults can support the development of cognitive skills and creativity of children. Malaguzzi argued that‘Creativity becomes more visible when adults try to be more attentive to the cognitive processes of children than to the results they achieve’ (1993). The way children learn and express themselves can be as individual as the children themselves. Visual, auditory, read-write and kinesthetic learners will all display their creativity in their own way. A child may express themselves through drawing, painting, storytelling, sculpture, music or dance, and within the Reggio principles no method is given more value than another. It is the responsibility of the adults to assist the children to feel they are respected and heard members of the community who are free to express themselves creatively with confidence.
The environment which the children are given is of great importance to the child’s ability to be creative. The environment, in turn, becomes the ‘third teacher’ (Brunton & Thornton, 2007 p.39) Every space must have a purpose. There should be a bright, cheerful and calm atmosphere, with carefully laid out resources that entice the children's minds as if to say ‘come play with me’ There must also be social areas, as social interactions provide invaluable opportunities for each child’s development, and quiet areas for personal reflection. Importantly the work of each child should be displayed beautifully, with care and respect. There should also be a safe space for unfinished work which children can come back to and finish at a later time.
The Reggio approach promotes the ideal of adults as learners alongside children (Kinney, Wharton, & Rinaldi, 2008). By involving children, teachers and parents in a learning triangle, children become equally important in the learning process. Children with disabilities are seen as having ‘special rights’ rather than ‘special needs’ (Brunton & Thornton, 2007). This shows, through example, that all people should be valued, heard and respected. ‘No child should be excluded or disadvantaged because of ethnicity, culture or religion, home language, special educational needs, disability, gender or ability.’ (Brunton & Thornton, 2007)
Reggio Emilia practices and pedagogies focus on relationships, community, continuity and creativity as a core starting point for learning. Children are seen as respected, equal members of society and the learning process and are given a safe and beautiful environment in which to be creative and explore of the world around them.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
References
Brunton, P., & Thornton, L. (2007). Bringing The Reggio Approach to your Early Years Practice. Oxon: Routledge: Retrieved from ebrary database. Edwards, C., Gandini, L., & Foreman, G. (1993). The Hundred Languages of Children: The Reggio Emilia Approach to Early Childhood Education. Westport, CT, USA: Ablex Publishing. Jones, J. K. (2007). Notes from Unpublished Masters Thesis. University of Southern Queensland, QLD, Australia. Kinney, L., Wharton, P., & Rinaldi, C. (2008). An Encounter With Reggio Emilia. Oxon: Routledge : Retrieved from ebrary database. Preschool, European Networking. (n.d.). About The Reggio Emilia Approach. Retrieved from The Reggio Emilia Approach to Pre-school Education: http://www.reggioemiliaapproach.net/about.php Rinaldi, C. (2006). Early Childhood Education in Reggio Emilia. Oxon: Routledge : Retrieved from ebrary database.
Reggio Emilia practices and pedagogies promote a community approach to learning by involving children, parents and teachers as active partners rather than giving the children the role of being purely instructed participants. In Reggio Emilia teaching children are encouraged to engage in personally meaningful projects, reflect on their learning, and then do it again. Teachers are thought of as researchers trusted with making decisions that benefit children with assistance from parents and the community. Students are respected as capable human beings, not just empty vessels to be filled with information.
Brunton & Thornton (2007), through their research, suggest that children are innately creative and should be encouraged and given the time and space to develop their creativity freely. The Reggio Emilia approach promotes the idea that children’s creativity can develop unabated by restrictions and boundaries. By giving children time and space to explore materials, freedom to test things out and varied opportunities to learn and develop new skills, children will inevitably employ their natural creativity and curiosity to make meaningful connections between their experiences and the wider world. Children provided with the right resources, such as toys that have more than one use, natural fibres and items such as glass and fabrics, have been given the tools to explore their creativity. They can then reflect upon how their projects connect to their learning and life experiences.
Reggio Emilia philosophies have, at their core, a community value. They place specific emphasis on the relationships adults develop with children. Through actively listening to the ‘hundred languages of children’ (Malaguzzi, 1998) adults can support the development of cognitive skills and creativity of children. Malaguzzi argued that‘Creativity becomes more visible when adults try to be more attentive to the cognitive processes of children than to the results they achieve’ (1993). The way children learn and express themselves can be as individual as the children themselves. Visual, auditory, read-write and kinesthetic learners will all display their creativity in their own way. A child may express themselves through drawing, painting, storytelling, sculpture, music or dance, and within the Reggio principles no method is given more value than another. It is the responsibility of the adults to assist the children to feel they are respected and heard members of the community who are free to express themselves creatively with confidence.
The environment which the children are given is of great importance to the child’s ability to be creative. The environment, in turn, becomes the ‘third teacher’ (Brunton & Thornton, 2007 p.39) Every space must have a purpose. There should be a bright, cheerful and calm atmosphere, with carefully laid out resources that entice the children's minds as if to say ‘come play with me’ There must also be social areas, as social interactions provide invaluable opportunities for each child’s development, and quiet areas for personal reflection. Importantly the work of each child should be displayed beautifully, with care and respect. There should also be a safe space for unfinished work which children can come back to and finish at a later time.
The Reggio approach promotes the ideal of adults as learners alongside children (Kinney, Wharton, & Rinaldi, 2008). By involving children, teachers and parents in a learning triangle, children become equally important in the learning process. Children with disabilities are seen as having ‘special rights’ rather than ‘special needs’ (Brunton & Thornton, 2007). This shows, through example, that all people should be valued, heard and respected. ‘No child should be excluded or disadvantaged because of ethnicity, culture or religion, home language, special educational needs, disability, gender or ability.’ (Brunton & Thornton, 2007)
Reggio Emilia practices and pedagogies focus on relationships, community, continuity and creativity as a core starting point for learning. Children are seen as respected, equal members of society and the learning process and are given a safe and beautiful environment in which to be creative and explore of the world around them.
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
References
Brunton, P., & Thornton, L. (2007). Bringing The Reggio Approach to your Early Years Practice. Oxon: Routledge: Retrieved from ebrary database. Edwards, C., Gandini, L., & Foreman, G. (1993). The Hundred Languages of Children: The Reggio Emilia Approach to Early Childhood Education. Westport, CT, USA: Ablex Publishing. Jones, J. K. (2007). Notes from Unpublished Masters Thesis. University of Southern Queensland, QLD, Australia. Kinney, L., Wharton, P., & Rinaldi, C. (2008). An Encounter With Reggio Emilia. Oxon: Routledge : Retrieved from ebrary database. Preschool, European Networking. (n.d.). About The Reggio Emilia Approach. Retrieved from The Reggio Emilia Approach to Pre-school Education: http://www.reggioemiliaapproach.net/about.php Rinaldi, C. (2006). Early Childhood Education in Reggio Emilia. Oxon: Routledge : Retrieved from ebrary database.