CHILD-LED LEARNING

Unlike Montessori, the Reggio Emilia approach is not well known in the UK. Pioneered in Emilia Romagna, northern Italy after World War II, it is now gaining popularity worldwide. Reflections Nursery and Small School is an early adopter – one of the only Reggio School settings in the UK.

Loris Malaguzzi was a young teacher when he met a group of women determined to build a school. It grew from a shared ethos that the next generation, their children, would grow up as free thinkers who would fight against injustice and inequality. Malaguzzi joined the women and became instrumental in the development of the Reggio Emilia approach. It is a democratic educational construct where educators and children are partners in the learning process. At its core was Malaguzzi’s belief that social learning precedes cognitive development, so environment has a key role to play in the process of learning, as well as creativity. The seven key principles include an ‘emergent curriculum’ based on the child’s individual experiences and interests. There is a focus on community and teachers are partners. Children’s learning is documented, and parental participation is vital.

At Reflections, our approach is rooted in Malaguzzi’s belief that all children are capable thinkers and learners as well as creative communicators and conversationalists. The possibilities for their ‘languages’ include drama, painting, dancing, playing, questioning, singing, dreaming and experimenting.

The environment is our third teacher, a space for providing numerous opportunities and experiences. In one of our Ateliers you may find resources such as light boxes, digital overhead projectors and ‘provocations’, in the form of objects that inspire children to question and create theories between themselves. We allow the children to follow a self-guided curriculum. The principles of respect, responsibility and community are promoted. Children work in small groups and the adult will o er open- ended questions or discussions – allowing the children to teach each other. This develops children’s ability to research, listen to opinions and develop confidence in sharing their own ideas.

Children develop their own theories to make sense of the world and we explore these theories together. We listen to their ideas and take them seriously – and facilitate their research through ‘project work’. Whereas topic work is planned by adults, and with a determined outcome, project work is guided by children’s own interests and questions. We document these projects with notes and photos to show the children, other educators, and parents. This tells the story of the project and gives the children authorship of their work.

At Reflections, we see the Reggio Emilia philosophy during these early childhood years as an approach that can embed the foundations for learning and, in turn, shape how children proceed through their educational journey.

These foundations enable them to become capable and curious learners for life.

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