I am a preschool teacher and soon to be first time mother. I wanted to write a blog that was for parents to use as a tool in communicating, educating and raising their children. I work at a preschool in Nashville, TN that uses the Emergent Curriculum inspired by the schools in Reggio Emilia, Italy. The Emergent Curriculum style of teaching embraces the creative thought process of children and forms the classroom curriculum around what the children are currently interested in. I believe children are complete in whatever developmental stage they are in. I don't think children are empty buckets that need to be filled by adults. Children are capable of asking big questions and working hard to find out the answers. As I get closer to motherhood I am constantly thinking about what type of parent I want to be. The knowledge I have learned about children through studying the schools in Reggio Emilia is shaping how I plan on raising my child. It occurred to me that other parents might find that knowledge helpful too.
You might be asking yourself what and where is Reggio Emilia, Italy and why are their schools important? Well, the ideas and practices coming out of the schools in Reggio Emilia are currently impacting Early Childhood Education all over the world. Reggio Emilia is a small town in the northern part of Italy. After WWII the town had been heavily bombed and many of the buildings needed to be rebuilt. The town came together to build new schools for their children. During this time of rebirth the town took this opportunity to not only build a new school house but also redesign how their children were being taught. They created a whole new approach to teaching where the child was seen as a capable member of society who should be nurtured, supported and included in their adult world. This was pretty revolutionary considering it was a time when children were often over looked and under valued. As the schools flourished the theories and practices coming out of these schools bloomed into the Emergent Curriculum approach. Today schools across the world are looking at the schools in Reggio Emilia as a beacon on how to further Early Childhood Education.
To better understand the practice of Emergent Curriculum it is important to talk about the principles of the Reggio Emilia schools and how they relate to raising young children. There are seven main principles that form the foundation of the teaching approaches at Reggio Emilia schools. Each principle gives new insight into teaching and raising children.
The first principle is "the child as protagonist". This principle means that children are viewed as strong, capable full of curiosity and are ready to build their learning by experimenting and challenging everything in their world. Children are naturally born scientists. they want to solve problems and find answers to their questions. Too often adults want to give children the answers. We think that is what we are suppose to do, that by giving them the answers we are teaching them. However, children gain much more insight if they produce the answer themselves. If a child asks me a question for example, "What is ice?", instead of saying "Ice is frozen water" I say "Let's find out". I would then let the ice melt and show the child that the ice turns into water. The answer to their question has more meaning now, they saw it turn into water. They are left feeling confident and excited to learn more. If your child is asking you questions instead of just giving them a quick answer take a moment to help them solve it on their own. Use language like "That's a good question what do you think?" or "I like that question, let's figure it out when we get home". By including your child in the process of answering their own questions you are supporting their critical thinking skills.
The second principle is "The child as collaborator". This principle shows that children should be taught not in isolation but be included in their community, family and be with other children. Often adults tune out children, especially when they are talking to other children. However, there is so much growth and knowledge being exchanged in children's dialogue. Together children are capable of making great discoveries, by exchanging ideas. Take a second and listen to your child, whether they are playing with friends or family members, really listen to what your child is saying, you will learn something.
The third principle is "the child as communicator". I think this idea is easy for parents understand. Children communicate in more ways than just words. Children need multiple materials to express themselves. They express themselves through paint, play dough, blocks, collage and other materials. It's important that we value these efforts and support our children's need to create. Next time your child hand you a scribble drawing take a minute and ask them what they drew. Open a dialogue with them, get them to share. Even if they can't give you much of a verbal answer the fact that you showed interest gives them confidence and a sense of importance.
The fourth principle is "the environment as a third teacher". The classrooms in Reggio Emilia are organized to be beautiful and are designed to encourage encounters, communication and relationships. I think the best thing for parents to get out of this principle is being aware of the spaces your child uses. Are they set up in a way that promotes child creativity? Is your child comfortable? Are they engaged? Mainly I think this principle should apply to their bedrooms and playroom (if you have one). Often parents decorate these spaces in a way that is pleasing to adults. If these are your child spaces they should be geared toward what works best for your child. Add some greenery, child sized furniture, toys and aesthetically pleasing objects.
The fifth principle is "the teacher (or parent) as researcher". As a teacher I am constantly observing, documenting and analyzing my data to better understand my students. I work with colleagues to better understand how to best educate my students. I think parents can do the same. Talk to other parents about what your child is learning. Ask their teachers for ideas on how to keep the learning going while your child is at home. Document activities (take photos or jot down a couple of notes about what you see and hear) that your child is doing and work on taking that activity to the next step so they stay engaged.
The sixth principle is "the documentation as communication". Documentation is a way to archive all the growth and learning your child is experiencing. At school, we use documentation to communicate to the parents, fellow teachers, the students as well as the community. Documentation is a way for adults to understand the learning process that the children are exploring. As parents, you can keep a record of all the learning you see your child conducting outside of school. The information you gather can be shared with your child's teachers. By continuing the practices that the teachers are doing at school you are creating a bridge of learning for your child. Often I ask parents to take pictures or record when they see their child investigating certain topics, because that is what they are doing in class. I want the child's knowledge to grow and be supported with at school and at home. So next time you see your child plating in the mud or looking at a bug, go ask them questions, take a picture. The next time you drop them off at school share what you observed with their teacher, they will really appreciate it. Your child will too.
The last principle is "the parent as partner". Parent participation is considered essential in the schools of Reggio Emilia. Parents who support their children and give them attention make their child feel confident, strong and capable of taking on the world. I have addressed the involvement in your child's continuing education in the previous principles. I want parents to think school as a 24 hour thing not just a place to send children while they are at work. The whole world should be your child's classroom. Whether they are at home or in school they are always learning. get involved as much as possible with your child's school. Your presence their is invaluable. Children need the support of their parents.
Each month I will post more about the ideas and practices of Reggio Emilia and how they can be beneficial to parenting. Parents are super stars, it is one of the hardest jobs on the planet. Hopefully this blog will be helpful and give parents some inspiration on how to educate and communicate with their children.
