The Reggio Emilia approach was named after a town in Northern Italy recognized for its innovative and ground-breaking approach to preschool and kindergarten education. Word spread about this novel approach after World War II when a local teacher named Loris Malaguzzi developed it. Today, the Reggio Emilia approach has been adopted as an early year’s educational standard in some of the Best Private Schools. So, what is the Reggio Emilia approach?
Basis of the approach
The Reggio Emilia approach redefines the role of the child in their education and focuses on their innate, natural abilities. This includes noting the child’s natural curiosity and their need to communicate their desires and needs. Educators that use ‘symbolic languages’ like painting, role-playing, and other art forms that children happily engage in, in the curriculum they teach. Educators of Reggio Emilia see the child as a partner and collaborator in their own education, view education more holistically, and redefine the role of the teacher and parents as well.
Artistic tools
Importance is placed on art as a large part of a child’s development. The creative nature of the child is used to guide their education. Teachers at Best Private Schools will observe a student enjoying and excelling at a particular art form, and research ways to incorporate it into that child’s education. Drama, painting, puppetry, music, or any other artistic tool is used to increase a child’s understanding of the world around them. The integration of the arts into education is used as an explanatory and exploratory tool to help illustrate concepts, experiences, and feelings.
Daily classroom experience
Under the Reggio Emilia approach, the school day is broken up into projects, lessons, and activities created from conversations and interactions with children that reflect their interests and natural curiosities. The projects have no time limit, they can last for an hour or an entire school term. Collaboration is a large part of this project-based curriculum. It helps children increase their communication, cognitive, and social skills, as well as understand the concept of empathy and respecting differences of opinion.
If you are looking for the Best Private Schools, a Reggio Emilia education can be a good option for your children. It is an approach that focuses on the students first and educates them in a very loving way.