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RICHLAND ACADEMY

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Being Reggio-Inspired

The Reggio Emilia Approach

The Reggio Emilia Approach dates back to post-war Italy, in the northern region of Reggio Emilia.  The people of Reggio Emilia came together to develop a meaningful way to educate their children and create a better future for their community. The Reggio Emilia Approach to learning engages children in questions that they develop and investigate. Just like the community of Reggio Emilia, the image of the child as a capable, curious and creative learner is at the heart of all we do at Richland Academy.

Reggio Emilia Education

The Reggio Emilia approach is based on the philosophy of “an image of a child”. All children are viewed as full of potential, with an innate sense of curiosity and endless imagination. They are creative, capable of constructing their own learning and they have a natural interest to explore. While they follow their own interests, they always stay connected with others. Adults nurture their learning by providing a rich environment and support.

Reggio Children promotes the Reggio Emilia Approach

Reggio Children is an international centre for the defence and promotion of children’s rights and potentials. It was created with the intention of valorising and safeguarding the experience of  Reggio Emilia’s Municipal Infant-Toddler Centres and Preschools, known in Italy and throughout the world as the Reggio Emilia Approach®. Visit Reggio Children website for more details: https://www.reggiochildren.it/en/

“The wider the range of possibilities we offer children, the more intense will be their motivations and the richer their experiences.”

Loris Malaguzzi, founder of Reggio Emilia’s Educational Philosophy

Reggio's Guiding Principles

Image of the Child

  • Children are respected as capable, innovative, and full of potential
  • Children are valued as individuals with unique ways of learning
  • Children develop a shared sense of ownership of the world and their place in it, along with abilities that exceed the curriculum benchmarks

Thinking Made Visible Through Documentation

  • Documentation is crafted to determine how each child learns, and to plan ways to further enrich the curriculum
  • Documentation is displayed that describes the group’s investigations, learning experiences in progress, children’s ideas and theories, and reflects profoundly on the learning process
  • Documentation is developed to make learning visible for parents and for the children themselves, who use it to revisit their feelings, ideas and understanding

Teacher as Researcher

  • Teachers support and enrich students’ work, empowering them to also follow their interests, and seek understanding
  • Teachers are committed to reflecting on their work and regularly collaborate to share information and mentor one another
  • Teachers use multiple strategies – visual, auditory, kinesthetic – to engage different styles of learners and help every child reach their full potential

Parents as Partners

  • Parents are respected as collaborators and advocates for their children
  • Parents are valued as part of the team responsible for preparing every child for the future
  • Parents are given meaningful opportunities for engagement

Environment as the Third Teacher

  • The environment is stimulating, dynamic, and designed to pique children’s interests, and engage them in the learning
  • The environment promotes a sense of well-being, exuding beauty and displaying children’s work to demonstrate the value of their ideas and abilities
  • The environment values relationships, the learning process and aesthetics