The environment as the third teacher, part of the Reggio Emilia philosophy

Welcome to our blog! We worked very hard this weekend and yesterday preparing the school for this new year. As part of the Reggio philosophy which we embrace we believe that the environment is the third teacher which is why our environment is constantly evolving and why we put so much thought and intentionality in the way we design our spaces.

 The educators of Reggio Emilia view the school as a living organism. A place of shared relationships among the children, the teachers, and the parents. The school produces for the adults, but above all for the children, a feeling of belonging in a world that is alive, welcoming and authentic. (Malaguzzi, 1994, p.58)

The layout of the physical space in the schools encourages encounters, communication, and relationships. The arrangement of structures, objects and activities encourages choices, problem solving, and discoveries in the process of learning. In preparing the space, teachers offer the possibility for children to be with the teachers and many of the other children, or with just a few of the children, or even alone. Teachers are aware, however, that children also learn from their peers, especially when they can interact in small groups. Gandini (1993 p.6)

Please enjoy the photos from today of the children exploring our new space