|
The Reggio Emilia Approach (REA)
The Reggio Emilia Approach
(REA) was conceived in a bid to create spaces that
would cater for the cognitive and physical development of
children, in harmony with the environment and educational
guidance for their teachers. Kiddies Patch™''s
programme takes into account the Malaysian cultural context
and places real importance on the child's ability to evolve
naturally, within structural guidelines that prepare them
for formal academia upon graduation.
The Reggio Emilia Approach is an educational
philosophy focused on pre-school and primary education. It
was started by the parents of the villages around Reggio
Emilia in Italy after World War II. The destruction from the
war, parents believed, necessitated a new, quick approach to
teaching their children. They felt that it is in the early
years of development that children are forming who they are
as an individual. This led to creation of a programme based
on the principles of respect, responsibility and community
through exploration and discovery in a supportive and
enriching environment based on the interests of the children
through a self-guided curriculum.
The city of Reggio Emilia in Italy is recognised worldwide
for its innovative approach to education. Its signature
educational philosophy has become known as The Reggio
Emilia Approach which many American pre-school
programmes have adopted. The Reggio Emilia philosophy is
based upon the following set of principles:
- Children must have some control over the direction of
their learning;
- Children must be able to learn through experiences of
touching, moving, listening, seeing and hearing;
- Children must have a relationship with other children
and with material items in the world;
- Children must have endless ways and opportunities to
express themselves; and
- Children must be allowed to explore and
experience.
The Reggio Emilia approach to teaching
young children puts the natural development of children as
well as the close relationships that they share with their
environment at the centre of its philosophy. Early childhood
programmes that have successfully adapted to this
educational philosophy share that they are attracted to
Reggio because of the way it views and respects the
child.
Parents are a vital component to the Reggio Emilia
philosophy. Parents are viewed as partners, collaborators
and advocates for their children. Teachers respect parents
as each child's first teacher and involve parents in every
aspect of the curriculum. It is not uncommon to see parents
volunteering within Reggio Emilia classrooms throughout the
school. This philosophy does not end when the child leaves
the classroom. Most parents who choose to send their
children to a Reggio Emilia programme incorporate many of
the principles within their parenting and home life. Even
with this bridge between school and home, many people wonder
what happens to Reggio children when they make the
transition from this style of education to a non Reggio
Emilia school. The answer is that there is some adjustment
that must take place. In most school environments,
intellectual curiosity is rewarded, so students continue to
reap the benefits of Reggio after they've left the
programme.
In the Reggio approach, the teacher is considered a
co-learner and collaborator along with the child and not
just an instructor. Teachers are encouraged to facilitate
the child's learning by planning activities and lessons
based on their interests, asking questions to further their
understanding, and to actively engage in the activities
right along side of the child, they just don't sit back and
observe the child learning.
While working on projects with the child, the teacher can
also expand their learning by collecting data such as
photographs, notes, videos, and conversations that can be
reviewed at a later time. The teacher needs to maintain an
active role in the mutual participation of the activity to
help ensure that the child clearly understands what is being
"taught".
Essence of Reggio Emilia Approach:
- Belief that the child is capable of being
protagonist, collaborator and communicator
- Believe that the child is competent
- Belief that parents' collaboration and partnership
are vital
- Belief that teacher is partner, nurturer, guide,
researcher and learner
- Believe that environment is third teacher
- Belief in proper and detailed documentation and
child's work
- Belief that child project-based learning improves
learning rate
|
|
