Every Child a Champion
	Watch your child shine when you bring home the ideas of Reggio Emilia. by Lynne S. Dumas

Recently some teachers at a preschool in Knoxville, Tennessee, overheard a group of 4-year-olds discussing how to get from one part of their city to another. This led the teachers and students to talk about all the rivers in the city, which led to talking about bridges, which prompted building a model of Knoxville from boxes, tubing, aluminum foil, and other materials. As their creation took shape, the excited kids wondered how tall some of their model buildings should be, so the teachers took them to the top of the Sunsphere at the 1982 World's Fair site to see the city from above. For months the children crafted their model, honing math skills through measuring, literacy skills through labeling buildings and bridges, and motor skills through cutting and pasting.

It's pretty amazing to think that 4-year-olds could be persistent and capable enough to pull off a project of such complexity. But that's the kind of response the Reggio Emilia approach to learning draws from kids. No wonder educators the world over are buzzing with excitement about Reggio's unique philosophy, one that profoundly respects children's interest in the world around them and honors their innate ability and creativity. The Reggio result: a preschool-education method with a flexible curriculum, teachers who shape their work around children's ideas, and kids who are caught up in a constant state of enthusiasm about learning because their curiosity gets such a workout.

The Roots of Reggio Emilia
Ironically, this lively method of learning literally arose from the rubble of World War II. Sick of war, the citizens of the town of Reggio Emilia in northern Italy used the money from the sale of old tanks to invest in their future by building quality preschools. A young educator named Loris Malaguzzi was impressed by the community's commitment to its children and worked with the people to develop this child-honoring approach. Although global recognition was in no way part of the plan, Reggio Emilia's preschools eventually gained a reputation for being among the best in the world. more>>

PAGE |

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8

E-mail this URL to a friend
Printer-friendly version