HISTORY OF THE REGGIO EMILIA APPROACH

Before we dive into the core values of the Reggio Emilia Approach®, it’s important to have a clear and solid understanding of where this transformative pedagogy to early childhood education comes from.

Reggio Emilia is a municipality in Italy and after World War II the community wanted something different for their children. 

After being under fascist rule, the women of “Italian Women’s Union (UDI) opened and ran 60 self-managed preschools in the province of Reggio Emilia. Eight of these schools were in the municipality of Reggio Emilia itself, the province’s main town, and formed a cultural and social legacy that would become integral to the identity of Reggio Emilia’s future educational project, foundational for processes and forms of participation developed over the years.”

“Reggio Emilia became the theatre of rich debate on education and childhood, with several different opportunities for formative and professional growth.” 

To read and gain a detailed history of The Reggio Emilia Approach®, Reggio Children have a detailed timeline HERE.

{Quotes sourced from: https://www.reggiochildren.it/en/reggio-emilia-approach/timeline-en/}

LORIS MALAGUZZI’S IMPACT ON THE REGGIO EMILIA APPROACH®

Loris Malaguzzi graduated with a degree in pedagogy and over his career was a psychologist, teacher, Director and I think it’s safe to say an innovative thinker and mentor.

Reggio Children writes,“He personally witnessed the evolving of self-managed education in the Reggio Emilia countryside, run by the Italian Women’s Union (UDI), and starting with the Villa Cella school which opened 1947. The widespread participation and solidarity of people of all kinds, and the great attention given to childhood had profound effects on his future choices and thinking.”

Malaguzzi had many interests, not only in education and “he travelled widely in Italy and Europe, finding suggestions and ideas, and always holding the different levels together, interweaving several kinds of knowledge.”

The relationships Malaguzzi built and the expanded knowledge integrated into the schools in Reggio Emilia is what makes this a transformative approach which resulted in, “making the schools places of experimentation and innovation.”

{Quotes sourced from: https://www.reggiochildren.it/en/reggio-emilia-approach/loris-malaguzzi/}

CORE VALUES OF THE REGGIO EMILIA APPROACH®

There are many key elements that come together within this approach that are deeply intertwined and ever evolving in the Educator’s journey to embracing this way of thinking and learning alongside the children and families.

Start by building your foundational practice of learning about their values and principles and making your own.

The Reggio Emilia Approach® is a way of thinking. This we can do. We can change the way we think about children, educators and families; use their inspirational stories and teachings to infuse it into our own individual contexts, programs and communities.

Use the resource HERE to dive into each of these core values of The Reggio Emilia Approach® to build your strong foundation of the reggio philosophy.

RIGHTS OF ALL PROTAGONISTS

What makes this pedagogy so transformative and different is the value of believing that children, educators and families HAVE RIGHTS. 

Instead of the traditional authoritative and conveyor belt-like educational system, all protagonists in the community have rights. 

This is what makes this a transformative approach to education in general.  Imagine how you as a child would feel coming into a setting each and everyday that valued you as the human being you are that day.  And as a parent being seen as the primary teacher and valuing your family values.  And of course, you as the educator being respected, valued and appreciated for the massive impact you have on all protagonists.

Having this mindset about children, educators and families would be the beginning of changing everything.  

Reggio educators have put together a bill of rights, you can check that out HERE.

WHAT’S YOUR NEXT STEP?

Are you inspired yet?  I hope so!  But it can be a little daunting to know where to begin your reggio inspired practice.

Here’s your next step…

Use the FREE guide, and work through the 4 sections to build a strong foundation of WHY you want to embrace this way of thinking and begin to learn about the educational philosophy from specially curated resources from reggio educators.

MORE REGGIO INSPIRED BLOG POSTS & RESOURCES

Getting Started With The Reggio Emilia Approach

Reggio Inspired Third Teacher

Reggio Inspired Practice – FREE GUIDE

REGGIO INSPIRED BEGINNER COURSE