Are you looking for a preschool for your child? There are many daycares and preschools that are inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach to education. This approach developed during the post World War Two era in the Reggio Emilia area of Italy.
Reggio education is deeply respectful of children as individuals who are learning and growing in their environment. While our society often thinks of preschoolers as people who are very new to the world and need to learn, the Reggio approach gives credit to preschoolers as individuals who have unique learning needs and interests. Teachers watch the children and provide materials that will help facilitate exploration. In our preschool, the teacher might note a child’s interest in cooking and provide a chance for the children to bake or experiment with baking materials.
A Reggio Emilia-inspired teacher will help facilitate the children’s learning by responding to the interests of the children. The teacher will also encourage children to learn through all of their senses. While some children learn well by listening and watching, many children and even adults need to learn by touching and participating. The Reggio approach is particularly good for these children. The physical environment is very important in Reggio Emilia education, and classrooms are full of plants, animals, and objects to explore.
The Reggio Emilia approach also gives children the chance to develop relationships with other children and with adults and to express themselves in the classroom. This means that there are long-term projects in the classroom or child care center as children work on learning over time. In our play-based preschool that is also Reggio-inspired, there are numerous experiments that the children have started. These are gathered on shelves throughout the room. Some of the science experiments have become year-long endeavours.
Do you have experience in a Reggio Emilia-inspired child care center or preschool?
(Image courtesy of iamlm at stock exchange)