The Reggio Emilia Approach
In the Reggio Emilia Approach, there is a strong focus on community, small group work, and project-based learning. Much like the Montessori Method, the adult is not the giver of knowledge. Children search out knowledge and learn through their own experiences and investigations of the world around them.
The environment is a very important part of the Reggio Emilia philosophy. The environment must be filled with natural light, order and beauty. Open spaces are free of clutter and every material selected for the classroom has a purpose.
The role of the guide in a Reggio Emilia-inspired classroom is to determine what interests the children through observations and provide them with opportunities to explore these interests further. The projects and curriculum are not planned in advance, they emerge based on the interest of the children in the class which varies with each new cohort.
There is also a large emphasis on documenting children’s thoughts. Documentation is done through photographs, work created by the children, transcripts of the children’s thought and ideas, and written observations of the guides.
In the Reggio Emilia Approach, there is a strong focus on community, small group work, and project-based learning. Much like the Montessori Method, the adult is not the giver of knowledge. Children search out knowledge and learn through their own experiences and investigations of the world around them.
The environment is a very important part of the Reggio Emilia philosophy. The environment must be filled with natural light, order and beauty. Open spaces are free of clutter and every material selected for the classroom has a purpose.
The role of the guide in a Reggio Emilia-inspired classroom is to determine what interests the children through observations and provide them with opportunities to explore these interests further. The projects and curriculum are not planned in advance, they emerge based on the interest of the children in the class which varies with each new cohort.
There is also a large emphasis on documenting children’s thoughts. Documentation is done through photographs, work created by the children, transcripts of the children’s thought and ideas, and written observations of the guides.
