Ideas of Reggio Emilia: Kids Are Energetic Contributors
By Stephanie Rino, Director of Curriculum and Studying
Stroll right into a thoughtfully designed Reggio Emilia preschool, and one factor turns into instantly clear: kids usually are not sitting quietly ready to be advised what to do subsequent. They’re shifting, questioning, questioning, constructing, negotiating, experimenting, and—sure—generally making a multitude.
This isn’t unintentional. It’s foundational.
As Director of Curriculum and Studying at Little Sunshine’s Playhouse, one of many core beliefs that guides my work day-after-day is the Reggio Emilia precept that kids are energetic members in their very own studying. Kids usually are not empty vessels ready to be stuffed with data. They’re succesful, curious people who assemble data by way of expertise, relationships, and exploration.
At Little Sunshine’s Playhouse, this perception isn’t just one thing we discuss in idea. It’s one thing you possibly can see, hear, and really feel in our lecture rooms each single day.
What Does “Energetic Contributors” Actually Imply?
In additional conventional fashions of training, studying typically appears to be like like this:
An grownup plans the lesson, delivers the data, and youngsters are anticipated to soak up it.
The Reggio Emilia strategy flips that script.
Kids are seen as:
- Curious investigators
- Pure problem-solvers
- Considerate collaborators
- Which means-makers
Being an energetic participant means kids:
- Ask questions and pursue solutions
- Make decisions about supplies and experiences
- Check concepts by way of hands-on exploration
- Be taught with others, not simply from adults
In a Reggio Emilia preschool, studying isn’t one thing that occurs to kids. It’s one thing that occurs with them, and that distinction issues deeply.
Why This Precept Issues So A lot in Early Childhood
Younger kids are biologically wired to study by way of motion. They study by touching, shifting, testing boundaries, and revisiting concepts repeatedly.
When kids are handled as energetic members:
- Studying turns into significant, not memorized
- Confidence grows as a result of kids see their concepts valued
- Crucial considering develops early
- Kids study how to study, not simply what to study
At Little Sunshine’s Playhouse, we frequently say that studying sticks when kids assist construct it themselves. This perception shapes how our lecture rooms are designed, how our educators interact with kids, and the way initiatives unfold over time.
What This Seems to be Like at Little Sunshine’s Playhouse
In a Reggio Emilia preschool like Little Sunshine’s Playhouse, you received’t discover inflexible lesson plans taped to the wall dictating precisely what occurs hour by hour.
As a substitute, you will notice:
- Open-ended supplies deliberately positioned to ask exploration
- Educators observing and listening earlier than stepping in
- Initiatives that evolve primarily based on kids’s pursuits
- Conversations that matter simply as a lot as outcomes
From a curriculum standpoint, this implies flexibility with function. Our educators are deeply intentional, however they continue to be conscious of kids’s concepts, questions, and curiosities.
Following Kids’s Curiosity
Let’s say a bunch of kids turns into fascinated by shadows after noticing them stretch throughout the playground.
In a standard mannequin, that curiosity may be acknowledged briefly earlier than shifting on.
Within the Reggio Emilia strategy, that curiosity turns into the curriculum.
At Little Sunshine’s Playhouse, educators would possibly:
- Herald mild tables, mirrors, and flashlights
- Ask kids what they discover and surprise
- Doc their concepts and revisit them collectively
- Lengthen the training by way of artwork, storytelling, and outside exploration
The kids usually are not passive recipients of a “shadow lesson.” They’re co-researchers, growing theories, testing concepts, and revising their considering alongside the way in which.
The Function of the Educator: Information, Not Director
Some of the misunderstood facets of the Reggio Emilia strategy is the position of the educator.
Our educators usually are not hands-off. They’re extremely intentional.
At Little Sunshine’s Playhouse, our educators:
- Observe intently
- Ask considerate, open-ended questions
- Introduce supplies at simply the appropriate second
- Encourage reflection and collaboration
Quite than saying, “Right here’s tips on how to do it,” an educator would possibly ask:
- “What do you assume would occur if…?”
- “How might we remedy this collectively?”
- “What does this remind you of?”
These questions invite kids to take possession of their studying, whereas figuring out a supportive, educated grownup is correct there beside them.
What This Means for Households
For households, this precept may be each thrilling and reassuring.
When kids are energetic members of their studying:
At Little Sunshine’s Playhouse, households are true companions on this course of. By means of documentation, conversations, and shared experiences, dad and mom can see how their little one’s considering grows and evolves over time.
It isn’t about producing good initiatives. It’s about nurturing assured, curious learners.
Why This Precept Units the Basis for Lifelong Studying
When kids study that their concepts matter, that questions are welcome, and that studying is one thing they assist create, they carry that mindset with them.
The Reggio Emilia strategy doesn’t simply put together kids for kindergarten. It prepares them for all times.
At Little Sunshine’s Playhouse, I see the affect day-after-day:
- Kids who ask considerate questions
- Kids who persist by way of challenges
- Kids who collaborate with confidence
- Kids who genuinely love studying
And actually, what extra might we hope for?
Coming Up Subsequent in Our Reggio Emilia Sequence
This precept is only the start. In our subsequent put up, we’ll discover one other core perception of the Reggio Emilia strategy and the way it involves life in our Reggio Emilia preschool lecture rooms at Little Sunshine’s Playhouse.
As a result of when kids are trusted as succesful learners, unbelievable issues occur, and we’re honored to be a part of that journey. ✨
If this text sparked your curiosity, there’s a lot extra to discover. Our About web page dives deeper into how distinctive early training can nurture a toddler’s pure curiosity, confidence, and love of studying. You possibly can even expertise this strategy for your self at a Reggio Emilia preschool and daycare close to you. We’re glad you’re right here. Let’s continue learning collectively.
