As parents, we can derive some of our parenting styles from the work of early childhood education philosophers like Maria Montessori or Rudolf Steiner. In this post, we will explore how we can incorporate some elements of the Reggio Emilia influence into our homes. Reggio EmiliaReggio Emilia is a town in Italy. After the end of World War II, the city decided to reallocate its funds to enhance the early learning experience. They followed the guidance of psychologist Loris Malaguzzi who drew heavily from the community, geography, and families in his development of this program. This philosophy operates under the notion that early childhood is a vital time to develop distinct personalities and that children speak "one hundred languages." "The Reggio Emilia approach values the belief that children are strong, competent and capable citizens who are full of wonder and curiosity to learn. It believes that children have a natural drive that makes them want to understand and know about the world around them and how this world relates to them. Children are believed to be capable of constructing their own methods of researching and learning using everything from play to a variety of other hands-on-learning experiences." - Bear Park At HomeA Reggio Inspired home would include:
Process Oriented EngagementAs parents, we can be caught up in production. Are they meeting their milestones faster than average? Will my child get into the Gifted & Talented program? Did my child make Instagram-worthy art? A parent who shifts their focus to the process will start to appreciate the journey they are on instead of the end goal. You can do this observing more & practicing process art. In the words of Magda Gerber: "Observe more, do less. Do less, enjoy more." Through observation, you remove your expectations, emotions, hopes, and anxieties and you see your child for who they are. In that process, you might notice how they express frustration verses needing comfort. You'll notice their preferred ways of playing. You'll notice how they engage with others. For more information on observation, check out Janet Lansbury. Additionally, process art is engaging in the experience over the end product. In the words of Meri Cherry: "Process art is about the journey. It is about listening, connecting, empathizing, and wondering. Process art honors the individual in all of us. It values critcal thinking, exploration, thinking outside the box, and the developmental process of each individual" (Play, Make, Create, p.6) As an example, you might set out some materials for arts & crafts in your home. In a traditional art experience, you might set out the materials to create a fox and an example of what the fox looks like with the hopes of your child's looking similar. With process art, you could still frame the work experience with limits and specific materials; however, the priority wouldn't be on making something specific. You might set out some pegs, paint, brushes, twigs, flower petals, and glue and say "let's make animals." Design: The Third Teacher In the Reggio classrooms, the room is considered the third teacher so there is much emphasis in the design of the space. Your space should be considerate of:
DocumentationA Reggio Emilia influenced room would have space to show off the work done by your child through photos of your child engaging in materials or a process art project you set up as well as the actual products (regardless of their instagram-worthiness). Displaying photos of your child engaging helps reinforce your value on the process as well as the natural world. Similarly, displaying your child's products shows you value their expressions and creativity which helps them build a sense of confidence, ownership, and accomplishment. If you enjoy Reggio Emilia, I hope this gives you some good ideas on how to engage the philosophy in your own home.Please note that this post contains affiliate links and any sales made through such links will reward me a small commission - at no cost for you. For more information, click here.
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Emily BarstadMaster's in Family Education Archives
March 2020
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