The Approach and Inspiration from the schools in the Municipality of Reggio Emilia, Italy
Resources for Further Information:
-"The Hundred Languages of Children", Carolyn Edwards, Lella Gandini, George Forman
-"From Teaching to Thinking", by Ann Pelo and Margie Carter
-"Introducing Malaguzzi" by Sandra Smidt
- "Bringing Reggio Emilia Home", by Louise Boyd Cadwell
- "Working in the Reggio Way: A Beginner's Guide for American Teachers", by Julianne Wurm
This philosophy is based on the principles of respect, responsibility and community through exploration and discovery. This is supported by an enriching environment based on the interests of the children. We use our environments as the "third teacher", enabling children to create meaning and make sense of their world through their discoveries and experiences.
In the "atelier" children create, and sometimes develop long-term projects as vehicles for extended learning. Children work with clay, wire, light and shadows, paints, multi-media and a variety of materials that are always accessible to them. We use real tools and provide quality materials that are well organized -- so children know their work is valued. The teacher is a resource and a guide often working along side children to co-research, provoke, co-construct and stimulate thinking. At the core of the Reggio Emilia approach is the assumption that children form their own personality during early years of development and are endowed with "a hundred languages", through which they can express their ideas.
At Children's Enrichment on the Cape, our educational philosophy is that young children learn best by doing. This requires them to be active thinkers and to experiment with materials and to learn first-hand about the world we live in. We encourage them to be creative with their ideas. Our goal is to help children become confident, inquisitive learners.
Through formal documentation and observation, teachers gather information that allows us to partner with parents in planning an appropriate early childhood learning experiences that promotes school readiness.