Quite often I see the question of “what reggio curriculum should I purchase?” and usually very quickly the comments of “the child is the curriculum, you don’t purchase one” comes next.  And this is very true but I’m sure it leaves the OG commenter more confused because that statement isn’t easily understood.  Especially when you come from a traditional style that is theme based or highly adult led.  What might also be said is, “The Reggio Emilia Approach is a pedagogy not a curriculum. “ Again true, but it’s probably making it even more confusing.

Now, full honesty here; it took me a long time to even be able to pronounce the word, pedagogy and pedagogical.  So don’t be intimidated by the words, it’s more important to understand their meaning and reflect on how it is impacting your practice.

In this post we’re going to break all of this down and by the end you’ll feel confident in knowing what pedagogy means, what The Reggio Emilia’s approach to curriculum is, why we say, “the child is the curriculum” and what “reggio inspired” means.

All of this will help take away any confusion, create more clarity and hopefully inspire you to learn more and reflect on how the Reggio Emilia Approach aligns with your practice (or what you’re looking for!)

The Reggio Emilia Approach is a Pedagogy Not A Curriculum

First off, let’s define what pedagogy even means.

According to the Oxford dictionary, pedagogy is “the method and practice of teaching.”  

And curriculum is defined as, “course components of the school curriculum.”  This means the actual content (math, writing, language, etc.)

Cristina D. Vintimilla, also writes in the blog, What is Pedagogy, “Pedagogical thought lives within the tension between theory and practice, between what happens and the reflection on what happened.”

This is why having guiding posts, or known as your values, is so important because your values help you curate your method and practice of teaching.  And guide you in your reflective practice to make sense of what has happened.

To go a little deeper into this, Dr. Diane Kashin, writes about the differences between models and approaches to teaching.  She describes an approach as, “less rigid than a model and relies on the teachers to make decisions based on context and ethical practice.”

Your ethical practice is directly from knowing your values and these guide you in making decisions about your interactions, materials you introduce, how you build relationships and respond to the children.

Pedagogy is the direct result of knowing what kind of educator you want to be, your values and beliefs about all protagonists.

This is why The Reggio Emilia Approach is a pedagogy not a curriculum.

The Child is the Curriculum – Pedagogy in Action

Reggio educators have the core value that teachers and children are seen as partners in learning AND having an image of the child.

Believing that children are strong, capable, competent and valued learners.

Alongside with a strong image of the educator, the learning that occurs in your setting is co-constructed.

It is not solely adult led or imparting our knowledge onto children.

Rather seeing, believing and interacting with children in ways that value them as citizens of the now, they have rights and are trusted to learn what they need and want to learn.

When you have this image of the child and educator, again this impacts how you observe, interact and respond in your practice.  This is your pedagogical views in action.

Children have never ending ideas and our role is to value them, nurture them and genuinely engage alongside them.

This means moving away from adult led, highly instructed routines and moving towards emergent curriculum, projects and the essence of play.

Trusting that children are capable of being in control of their own learning.

So when an educator is beginning their journey to embracing The Reggio Emilia Approach, and ask, “Is there a curriculum to buy?”

Instead of only answering with the child is the curriculum, maybe include…

“The Reggio Emilia Approach has core values, one of those is having a strong image of the child and educator where both are seen as equals and co-learners.  Believing that children are capable of controlling their learning.  The curriculum comes from the child as we observe, research and respond to nurture their interests.”

Or however you would write it!

Why we say, “Reggio Inspired”

We can never operate our programs the exact same way as the inspirational and transformational educators do in Reggio Emilia. We can learn from them and apply their philosophies and ways of working with children and families into our own context.

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.

Lella Gandini writes, 

“Educators in Reggio Emilia have no intention of suggesting that their program should be looked at as a model to be copied in other countries; rather, they consider their work as an educational experience that consists of reflection of theory, practice, and further careful reflection in a program that is continuously renewed and readjusted.

Considering the enormous interest that educators show in the work done in the Reggio schools, they suggest that teachers and par-ents in each school, any school, anywhere, could in their own context reflect on these ideas, keeping in focus always the relationships and learning that are in process locally to examine needs and strengths, thus finding possible ways to construct change.”

This is why knowing YOUR WHY to embrace this way of thinking is so important.  So that we don’t just copy.  Because that will probably only bring more frustration.  Because what you believe impacts every aspect of your role.

Your beliefs are your values and your everyday practice is guided by them which makes up your pedagogy, otherwise known as your practice of teaching.

What’s Next?

There is so much to learn from the Reggio educators and building a strong foundation of this history and values is the first step.  To support you with this, you can follow the framework inside the free guide, Reggio Inspired Practice, that I’ve curated for you.

Then to help you implement your new way of thinking into your own context, join the waitlist for the Getting Started With Your Reggio Inspired Practice course! Together, I’ll guide you to creating your images of all protagonists, starting your reflective practice, engaging in meaningful dialogue and beginning to curate your third teacher.

Resources Mentioned

Reggio Inspired Practice – Free Guide

Getting Started With Your Reggio Inspired Practice – Course

What is Pedagogy? – Blog by Cristina D. Vintimilla

Models & Approaches by Dr. Diane Kashin

Values & Principles of The Reggio Emilia Approach by Lella Gandini