What are the Implications for Early Childhood Teachers?
When it comes to early childhood centres that have incorporated the Reggio Emilia Approach into their philosophy and curriculum, there are several implications for educators to ensure that their planning, practice and assessment is aligning with the fundamental principles of Reggio Emilia.
Curriculum
In order for an early childhood centre to be united with the
principles of Reggio Emilia, the curriculum must :
- provide unlimited possibilities for the child.
- be carefully planned yet allowing room for flexibility dependent on the children’s responses and interactions.
- be child-directed. This means building on the child’s interests and including both short-term and long-term projects.
- include resources and activities that both challenge and communicate children’s thinking processes and understandings.
- emphasise processes of communicating and thinking.
(Martalock, 2012).
principles of Reggio Emilia, the curriculum must :
- provide unlimited possibilities for the child.
- be carefully planned yet allowing room for flexibility dependent on the children’s responses and interactions.
- be child-directed. This means building on the child’s interests and including both short-term and long-term projects.
- include resources and activities that both challenge and communicate children’s thinking processes and understandings.
- emphasise processes of communicating and thinking.
(Martalock, 2012).
Image of Teacher
The view of the teacher in relation to the child must also be
re-evaluated in light of the Reggio Emilia principles. The Reggio Emilia teacher is not authoritative or controlling, rather
he/she:
- listens to the child and recognises their interests and their ideas.
- seeks to uncover children’s theories and their ways of
understanding.
- interprets possible meanings and big ideas related to the interest of children and reflects on them.
- challenges children to extend on their understandings and supports them through this.
- enables information to be shared between children and teachers.
- views himself/herself as both a researcher and a learner.
(Martalock, 2012).
re-evaluated in light of the Reggio Emilia principles. The Reggio Emilia teacher is not authoritative or controlling, rather
he/she:
- listens to the child and recognises their interests and their ideas.
- seeks to uncover children’s theories and their ways of
understanding.
- interprets possible meanings and big ideas related to the interest of children and reflects on them.
- challenges children to extend on their understandings and supports them through this.
- enables information to be shared between children and teachers.
- views himself/herself as both a researcher and a learner.
(Martalock, 2012).
Environment as Third Teacher
The Reggio Emilia Approach states that the environment is the
third teacher, however it is all very well to say that, but actually turning that idea into a reality involves a deliberate and thoughtful effort. Educators need to view the environment not simply as what one sees around them, but what they cannot see also, and to view that from a child’s perspective. In order to allow the environment to be the third teacher, it is important that:
- educators maintain a gentle balance between providing structure of the environment while allowing
children’s free exploration.
- educators explore and are aware of the many ways in which open spaces can be used and invite children to interact.
- educators carefully select materials and resources (such as buttons, fabric, natural materials,
wrapping paper) in such a way that encourages and invites exploration.
- educators listen closely to children’s conversations as they explore their surroundings and document them in order to aid further understanding and planning.
- educators allow the walls of the centre to ‘speak’ of children’s learning by presenting work, stories and information on the walls for both parents and children to enjoy.
(Ellis, 2009).
third teacher, however it is all very well to say that, but actually turning that idea into a reality involves a deliberate and thoughtful effort. Educators need to view the environment not simply as what one sees around them, but what they cannot see also, and to view that from a child’s perspective. In order to allow the environment to be the third teacher, it is important that:
- educators maintain a gentle balance between providing structure of the environment while allowing
children’s free exploration.
- educators explore and are aware of the many ways in which open spaces can be used and invite children to interact.
- educators carefully select materials and resources (such as buttons, fabric, natural materials,
wrapping paper) in such a way that encourages and invites exploration.
- educators listen closely to children’s conversations as they explore their surroundings and document them in order to aid further understanding and planning.
- educators allow the walls of the centre to ‘speak’ of children’s learning by presenting work, stories and information on the walls for both parents and children to enjoy.
(Ellis, 2009).