Philosophy

Our preschool follows the Reggio Emilia philosophy of education and we build our program on the following principles.
*An emergent curriculum that builds upon the interests of the children. Our teachers have prepared an environment rich in materials and possibilities. The teachers observe and listen to the children in order to know how to proceed with their work.
*In-depth projects that are built upon the concepts, ideas and interests of the group. The project provides the narrative and structure to learning experiences. Learning by doing is of great importance and that to discuss in groups and to revisit ideas and experiences is essential to gain better understanding and to learn.

*Representation in multiple forms (print, art, construction, drama, music, puppetry and shadow play) as tools for development.
*Documentation of children’s work into portfolios. Transcriptions of children’s remarks and discussions, photographs of their activity and representation of their thinking and learning are carefully studied. These documents help to determine the direction in which the work and experiences with the children will go.
*Collaboration among home, school and community. Education has to focus on each child, not considered in isolation, but seen in relation with the family, with other children, with the teachers, with the environment of the school, with the community, and with the wider society. The parent is an essential component of the program; a competent and active part of their child’s learning experience.
*Teachers seen as learner, researcher, resource and guide. Teachers are not considered protective babysitters, teaching basic skills to children but, rather, they are seen as learners along with the children.

*An environment that plays a crucial role as the third teacher. This is a place where adults have thought about the quality and the instructive power of space. The layout of physical space fosters encounters, communication and relationships.

In recent years, a learning approach employed by preschools in the city of Reggio Emilia, Italy has captured the attention of educators from many countries. These schools have been held in high regard internationally, and were cited by Newsweek as one of “The Ten Best Schools In The World”. Looking at the approach more closely, educators learned that this approach is an elegant blend of many complementary theories about child development and learning theory. One can see the influence of progressive education, Piaget’s theories about a child’s construction of knowledge, Vygotsy’s theories of social constructivism, Howard Gardners’ theory of Multiple Intelligences, etc. Early childhood educators have held many of these theories, if not all, in high regard for many years. The foundation of the Reggio Approach is rooted in sound theory and research.The Reggio Approach places importance on the relationships between the children, with the family and with the teachers “with the environment of the school, with the community, and with the wider society” (Gandini, 1993). It is a philosophy of early education that emphasizes documentation, emergent curriculum, community collaboration, the environment and respect for a child’s pace of learning.

Reggio Principles

The Image of the Child - Adults see children as competent, full of potential and active in constructing their own knowledge through interactions with others. Adults try to understand as fully as possible the child’s point of view and abilities (the child’s “culture”).

Symbolic Representation - The Reggio Emilia approach can be seen as an extension of the “whole Language” approach as well as an entire array of creative media that are considered as “other languages”. It is a way of using children’s many ways of expressing themselves to enhance their creative, social and cognitive development.

The Role of the Environment - Through conscious use of space, color, natural light, displays of children’s work, and attention to nature and detail, the environment serves as another teacher. The environment serves as an initiation to enter and participate.

The Role of the Teacher - Teachers facilitate children’s ability to represent what they know and imagine. Teachers mediate between children’s current understanding and what they are on the threshold of understanding.

The Importance of Time - In Reggio schools, time is not set by the clock, but by the child’s needs and interests. There should be sufficient time for a child to express, learn, explore, extend and revisit a given project.

The Role of the Parents - The education process involves three equally important participants: children, teachers and parents. The schools welcome parent involvement in a wide range of ways. The ideas and skills that the parents bring to the school and, even more important, the exchange of ideas between parents and teachers, favor the development of a new way of educating.

The program is based on the philosophy that all children are equal and each of them are individuals. We have to facilitate them according to their own rate of development. We aim at providing a warm, safe and nurturing environment which will cultivate children's optimal social and emotional growth as well as their physical and intellectual skills. Not only will feelings of confidence and success be promoted, we will also encourage children to learn to be creative and independent.