Founded by Loris Malaguzzi, the Reggio Emilia Approach is a popular pedagogy for early childhood education that features numerous attractive benefits. Originating in Reggio Emilia, Italy, following the destruction caused by World War II, the Reggio Emilia Approach is a child-centred educational movement designed primarily for infants to preschool children.
At the centre of this idealogy is the positioning of a child’s right to learning. Children are empowered to pursue their interests freely, working in collaboration with their environment and peers. Instead of being forced to sit and listen during each lesson, a child in a Reggio Emilia classroom is encouraged to express themselves and take charge of their education. Teachers thus become facilitators to the children’s own learning plans, safeguarding their growth within this open-ended, project-based and interest-led environment.
Benefits of the Reggio Emilia Approach
Supporters of the Reggio Emilia classroom argue that this approach provides an ideal environment for a young child to boost their self-esteem. With greater power over their decisions, children will be able to develop healthy social, emotional and cognitive abilities. The cooperation that ensues within a Reggio Emilia classroom also fosters the children’s openness to others, problem-solving capacities and trust in their own strengths. Through expert research, the Reggio Emilia Approach has also been shown to promote keen expressions of creativity, collaboration, and a committed curiosity in young children.
Necessity of Structure in Early Childhood Education
However, a challenge often faced by Reggio Emilia educators is the uncertainty of day-to-day classes as there is no telling what the children may be most interested in working on that day. As classes are spaces of shared education, it will also be a taxing and difficult task to ensure that everyone is happy with what they are learning that day. Such issues may translate into an unfulfilling learning circumstance for some children. Furthermore, parents will not be able to gauge what learning has been done in school, which may cause anxiety and worry about their children lagging behind future peers.
Thus, while the Reggio Emilia Approach to early childhood education may place emphasis on open-ended learning, structure in the classroom still remains an undeniable necessity for a more balanced experience that prepares children for further education.
Early Childhood Education as Foundation for Success
This is because the educational experiences during a child’s early years are not only critical for brain development but also serve as a foundation for them to grow and develop as individuals. With multiple studies showing the lasting positive effects of having a supportive and stimulating early childhood education, it is natural for parents and teachers to work towards creating a healthy and productive environment for their children.
Bring Out the Champion in Your Child with MindChamps PreSchool
At MindChamps PreSchool, we understand this need for quality early childhood education. Therefore, we use an enquiry-based approach to teaching and learning that encourages children to ask questions and embrace their curiosity. With well-designed curriculums and meticulous lesson plans, we ensure a balance between structure and flexibility.
Taking heed from the Reggio Emilia Approach’s focus on the school’s environment, our centre facilities are also built to allow children a safe space to explore, interact, engage and be inspired. In these conducive private spaces of our classrooms, children are thus continually empowered to learn and collaborate with each other while absorbing necessary information and skills from our experienced teachers.
Through this genuine focus on enabling a holistic learning experience, we help children to develop critical thinking skills and learn how to find answers for themselves. We believe that this approach not only helps children to learn more effectively but also fosters a love of learning that will stay with them for a lifetime.
Book a centre visit to the MindChamps PreSchools near you for an experience of our lessons and space today.