Power of the Reggio Emilia Philosophy in Early Childhood Education

Reggio Emilia is a city located in northern Italy, it is known for its innovative approach to early childhood education (also known as the Reggio Emilia philosophy or approach). The Reggio Emilia philosophy was created by a teacher called Loris Malaguzzi to help rebuild the town of Reggio Emilia which was destroyed during World War II. He believed to rebuild society children must come first (Malaguzzi, 1963). This educational philosophy is based on the idea that children are competent, full of intelligence and wonder. That children have the innate ability to learn and create thus allowing them to participate actively in their learning. This approach emphasizes the importance of collaboration between the child, caregivers, teachers and the community. The concept of a “hundred languages” was pioneered by this philosophy (Edwards, 1993). The hundred languages refer to the belief that children share through many mediums of expression not just language or written communication. Expressions such as music, dance, drama, storytelling, visual arts and more. Exploring these “languages” are a key part of the Reggio Emilia curriculum and how the classrooms are set up to allow the children to express their learning in varied ways. The Reggio Emilia approach has gained traction worldwide in part due to a 1991 Newsweek article bringing attention to the approach. Only schools in Italy are true Reggio schools, all other schools are considered Reggio inspired. Today there are 1,200 individual members (educators and advocates) of the North American Reggio Emilia Alliance. Organizations that use this approach in the United States are mostly private (Hobson, 2020). One such early childhood organization is Manhattan Schoolhouse (sister organization of We Skoolhouse) in New York City established in early 2013. After much research into the prevailing early childhood philosophies such as Montessori, Waldorf and Reggio Emilia (Edwards, 2002), Reggio Emilia was chosen by one of the founding partners Kamila Faruki as the optimal one for the organization. We Skoolhouse follows the same philosophy and curriculum. Top five aspects of the Reggio Emilia philosophy that inspired Ms. Faruki were:

 
1. The child at the center of learning.
2. Long-term orientation through introduction of projects.
3. Open-ended materials that foster creativity.
4. Activities to develop critical thinking skills.
5. Embracing the people and places within a community.

“Only schools in Italy are true Reggio schools, all other schools are considered “Reggio inspired.” Today there are 1,200 individual members (educators and advocates) of the North American Reggio Emilia Alliance.”