To understand how a Reggio Emilia classroom works, we need to take a step back and define the Reggio Emilia learning approach. Reggio Emilia is an educational philosophy focused on early childhood education and experiential learning. Per the Reggio Emilia philosophy, children are in control of their learning and exploration. Emphasis is placed on the child’s “voice,” actions, passions, and wonder as they self-direct their learning to understand the world around them. In the Reggio Emilia classroom, educators are encouraged to observe, listen, and provide their students with the space, time, and materials needed to express themselves and actively engage in their education.
The Reggio Emilia philosophy emphasizes using the “hundred languages of children,” which can include writing, drawing, building, sculpting, and dramatic play. These languages are how children interact and create experiences, individually and with other students, allowing them to grow within their learning environment.
At WIS, we believe there are three integral teachers in a child’s life. The first is the class teacher, the second is the environment, and the third is the parent.
All our teachers are highly qualified and internationally trained Reggio teachers working towards one main goal, which is to create a safe and enjoyable learning experience for children by facilitating the adventures and activities they wish to pursue.
Our teachers are facilitators, which means they encourage and observe children rather than direct them. They are there to support any child’s individual process that enables them to experiment, solve problems, make mistakes and work-out solutions.
The environment is considered one teacher at Willow as it plays a role that cannot be underestimated. We recognize its impact on the learning process and have created a space which offers continuous connection to the outside environment. Such access works to improve children’s self-esteem, confidence, and creativity amongst other learning advantages.
The Willow environment is set in a way that allows children to explore their interests, collaborate with other children openly, and learn from experiences inside and outside the classroom. A free flow space where the indoor and outdoor is immersed into one creative space allows easier interaction with nature and children learn to transition elements in unique ways. This mitigates restrictions associated with the use of resources available to them.
Our environment reflects our values for children. Our purpose-built & Reggio-inspired classrooms are designed to encourage learning from experiences & play while promoting relationship-building skills & collaboration with other children. Classrooms are brimming with materials – from musical instruments to seashells and pinecones – thoughtfully incorporated to spark creativity, develop problem-solving skills, and engage in experimentation & exploration.
Parents are key characters in a child’s development and performance. We coach parents so that our approach can be extended to the home environment for a well-balanced experience for the child. Their input is most valuable to our teachers to assess the approach that’s the best fit for any child. Supporting and training parents is part of our goals as it ensures prevalence of the Willow values beyond the school.
The participation of parents in the school is an essential component of the educational experience at WIS. We want parents to be a part of their child’s learning, not just through receiving teacher feedback but also by providing training opportunities and active engagement in decisions about the school community.
Documentation through observation is a pillar of the Reggio Emilia approach. It allows children the freedom to interact with their environment and is enlightening for teachers to witness not only what a child is learning but also the process which helps them reach a conclusion. It gives visibility by shedding light on the process of learning and creates awareness for all the different ways that children may reach the same goal; or even different perspectives. Documentation includes sampling their work, transcribing their commentary as well as taking photographs of them engaged in work. This process is another way to also promote parents’ involvement in their education.