Reggio Emilia Curriculum Model

Overview

The Reggio Emilia approach is a creative and innovative way to teach children. It takes into account that children are unique people with boundless curiosity and the ability to learn from everything around them. Reggio Emilia approach was originated in an Italian educational reform movement that Loris Malaguzzi started after WWII (Baghershahi, 26). This ideology places an emphasis on how a kid grows up in relation to their family, peers, and the world around them.

The core principle of the Reggio Emilia approach is the conviction in the inherent strength and capacity of each child to learn and grow, as well as their readiness to participate in and have a positive impact on the world. The importance of the environment as a “third teacher” in promoting learning is highlighted in Reggio Emilia approach (Baghershahi, 27). It incorporates play as an integral part of the curriculum since it finds play to be an important means of learning. What make the Reggio Emilia Approach unique are its guiding principles:

• The 100 languages of expression: From the time they are very young, children employ a wide variety of verbal and nonverbal cues to communicate with their environment, take in information, and develop relationships with others.
• Active Protagonist: Every child has tremendous untapped potential for learning.
• Environment: Spaces both indoors and outdoors are designed to inspire discovery.
• Involvement: Every individual plays a role in a child’s educational path.
• Listening: Children, adults, and the surrounding environment, all benefit from listening to one another.
• Learning: Students are encouraged to actively participate as co-constructors in their educational journey both individually and in groups.
• Research: Childhood and adulthood are interdependent in the research process.
• Documentation: A clear and useful way to comprehend the learning paths of individuals and groups.
• Progettazione: This Italian word means “active process” and it highlights the dynamic nature of how things are always evolving.
• Organization: Thorough deliberation is required for each component of the strategy.
• Continuous evaluation: This is an ongoing procedure that involves both official and informal evaluations.
• Professional Development: All employees are encouraged to participate in professional development activities (İnan, 72).

Goals and Objectives

The Reggio Emilia method seeks to steer children’s learning and development in the early years by providing them with varied experiences that allow them to express themselves and grow their thinking (Kaynak-Ekici et al., 703). Learning and communicating involves encouraging children to use several “languages” to convey their thoughts and knowledge. Among these languages are visual arts, performing arts, music, and role-playing.

Learning Environment

The Reggio Emilia method places an emphasis on creating visually beautiful and intellectually engaging learning spaces by making thoughtful use of natural light, structure, and aesthetics. Instead of using commercial posters and plastic furnishings, Reggio Emilia classrooms include natural materials and light (Baghershahi, 28). Emphasis is placed on materials that are open-ended and adaptable. Children can play with ordinary household items like paper, scissors, and pencils while also exploring the natural world with things like leaves, sand, and stones.

Curriculum Content

Reggio Emilia Curriculum content is based on students’ passions and areas of interest. In this approach to education, teachers engage in collaborative observation and family talks to identify each student’s strengths, areas for improvement, and unique set of experiences. The teachers then incorporate them into classroom instruction, extracurricular activities, and play (Kaynak-Ekici et al., 705).

Teaching Methods

In the Reggio Emilia model, teachers and students work together as equals in the classroom. In order to direct the lessons, they record and monitor the students’ work. Teachers take on the roles of researchers (studying and watching the students), documenters (taking notes on what the students do and say), and managers (directing, supporting, and resolving issues) while implementing an emergent curriculum.

Assessment

Using documentation panels and portfolios to document and reflect on children’s learning journeys, Reggio Emilia’s evaluation is qualitative and takes the shape of a narrative. Teachers are able to better engage their students when they are able to gauge their interests and use that information to design engaging activities (Kaynak-Ekici et al., 706). Through projects, teachers can record students’ accomplishments, reflect on their growth, and communicate their findings to colleagues and family.

Benefits and Limitations

By letting their own interests and inquiries shape the curriculum, children in the Reggio Emilia approach take an active role in their own learning. They are prepared for success in all aspects of life by cultivating emotional intelligence, empathy, and a strong sense of self via this strategy. Children acquire lifelong valuable skills in cooperation by participating in cooperative activities, group projects, and conversations. As kids learn to think critically—that is, to assess, question, and solve issues both alone and in groups—their creative capacities also flourish (Senent et al., 269). In this way, children can learn to bounce back from setbacks, be flexible, and have a development attitude. They learn to see setbacks as steppingstones to greater achievement and to see adversity as a chance for personal development.

Emergent curriculum, on the other hand, could make students seem disorganized and teach them at a different pace than traditional educators. Since Reggio Emilia emphasizes students’ active participation in their own learning, it is demanding on instructors to be very perceptive and imaginative. The Reggio Emilia approach is a philosophy, which allows for many interpretations by educators. Since there are no set standards or regulations to adhere to, the level of instruction is dependent on the enthusiasm and originality of the educators providing it.

Part 2

Comparison of Curriculum Models

Montessori

Dr. Maria Montessori developed the Montessori Method of teaching in the early 20^th century in Rome, Italy. In the Montessori approach, the role of the teacher is that of a facilitator of the child’s learning and growth as an individual. The presentation of concrete objects is central to the Montessori approach. Making sure the student is learning about things that really interest them is a major focus of the curriculum. In this curriculum, the teacher’s job is to act as a guide for pupils who can manage themselves (Solati Asl et al., 1904). Teachers in a Montessori classroom listen to their students’ reactions as they work to build physical and mental competence with the items, rather than relying on standard paper and test evaluation techniques.

Waldorf Education

In 1919, the German philosopher Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925) established Waldorf Education in Stuttgart. A child’s autonomy and well-rounded growth are the major concerns in this curriculum. The kid is shown in the curriculum as an evolving person, expanding his or her perception of what constitutes beautiful. According to Waldorf education, children’s physical development, linguistic skills, and curiosity are fostered by the use of tales, songs, high-quality materials, and exemplary behavior ((Solati Asl et al., 1907). One way to characterize the Waldorf approach is as an open curriculum. Natural art activities are an important part of the Waldorf curriculum because they help children become more attuned to their spirituality and the environment around them. One non-traditional way that curricula are evaluated is via direct observation.

Reggio Emilia

Following WWII, the visionary Loris Malaguzzi established Reggio Emilia as an early childhood curriculum for the children of Reggio Emilia, Italy. The Reggio Emilia approach to education has three main goals: respect for children’s rights, the value of the educator’s position as a researcher, and the necessity of community involvement in the learning process. The Reggio model defines Progettazione as a way of thinking that incorporates chance or, more accurately, the space of other people ((Solati Asl et al., 1910). The idea of the in-depth project is central to the Reggio Emilia approach. The students’ project work is observed, recorded, read, and interpreted by the teachers.

My Own Reflection

As a teacher, I think it is crucial for lessons to help students think critically and find solutions to real-world situations. Instead of passively receiving information from teachers, students would benefit more by actively participating in class and gaining knowledge via doing real-world tasks. I believe it is crucial for educators to remind their pupils that classroom knowledge has real-world applications.

While it is true that all preschool programs have many positive effects on children, I find the Reggio Emilia method to be the most appropriate. Its emphasis on good citizenship is perfect for today’s children since it prepares them for the more social environment in which they will grow up. Reggio Emilia method promotes autonomous learning and the development of individual skills by using a project-based learning strategy that is customized to each child’s interests.

Works Cited

Baghershahi, Soraya. “Presenting a model of preschool growth curriculum with Reggio Emilia

approach.” New Approach in Educational Sciences 3.4 (2021): 26-37.

İnan, Hatice Zeynep. “Understanding the Reggio Emilia-inspired literacy education: A meta-

ethnographic study: Reggio Emilia-inspired literacy education.” International Journal of Curriculum and Instruction 13.1 (2021): 68-92.

Kaynak-Ekici, K. Büşra, H. Merve İmir, and Z. Fulya Temel. “Learning invitations in Reggio

Emilia approach: A case study.” Education 3-13 49.6 (2021): 703-715.

Senent, Isabela Garcia, Kendra Kelley, and Mona M. Abo-Zena. “Sustaining curiosity: Reggio-

Emilia inspired learning.” The Influence of Theorists and Pioneers on Early Childhood Education. Routledge, 2022. 262-273.

Solati Asl, P., Hoseinikhah, A., & Kian, M. (2022). Preschool Educational Approaches: A

Comparative Study. Iranian Journal of Comparative Education, 5(2), 1898-1928.