The Reggio Emilia Approach promotes freedom and creativity focusing in the intrinsic and spontaneous need of young learners for inquiry and nurturing the many different interests and abilities every child has.
A child has three educators:
a) the parent is the primary teacher, a companion, partner and supporter who is actively involved in the learning process not only of his/her child but also of her classmates;
b) the teacher is the child’s co-learner and partner who facilitates learning by designing learning engagements based on the child’s interests and whose role is to take active part in the learning process, rather than being a know-it-all observer, aiming at enhancing the child’s understanding of the world while respecting the latter’s learning styles, needs, questions and pre-existing knowledge at all times; and
c) the environment, the importance of which lies in the principle that children learn and understand the world better through exploration, play, relationships and hands-on experiences. The kindergarten classrooms are designed to encourage inquiry: they are aesthetically pleasing, filled with indoor plants and ablaze with natural light, and merge into a central “square”, the piazza, where children meet to play, discuss and explore.The classroom interior aims at making the learning process engaging, providing an abundance of stimuli to the children. Moreover, their artworks are permanently displayed around the classroom to make their learning progress visible to them and boost their creativity and confidence.
