History Of The Reggio Emilia Approach

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Recommended: Implications of Piaget and Lev Vygotsky's theories in teaching

The Reggio Emilia Approach is an ideology and program that is practiced to this day in Italy. It has a deep rooted history in their culture and has inspired the American “Emergent Curriculum;” a program which uses a lot of the same philosophy, principles, and practices (Bertrand, 2012, pp 52). The Reggo Emilia Approach bases its practices on five very influential men and theorists; Jean Piaget, John Dewey, Lev Vygotsky, Urie Bronfenbrenner, and Hugh Gardner (Bertrand, 2012) and has a very respectful view of the child and how they learn. (Bertrand, 2012; Edwards, Gandini, & Forman, 1998).
History of Schools in Reggio Emilia Romagna
Reggio Emilia is a region in Italy with the known lowest unemployment and crime rate. With honest and effective …show more content…

The infant-toddler centers were for infants of working mother and these were set up by industrialists in their factories (Edwards, Gandini & Forman, 2012, pp. 18). Nearby were “centers for dispending medical instruction” that educated mothers on childcare and with this was a goal of a lower infant mortality rate. In 1971, the Law 1044 was introduced “social and educational services for children under age 3 years…(pp. 19).”
Philosophy of Reggio Education
Loris Malaguzzi is the man behind the philosophy of Reggio Education. He was focused on children and that the program was to be “child centered” and to be a “place where children, teachers, and families feel at home (Edwards, Gandini, & Forman, 1998, pp. 64). In an interview, Malaguzzi was the “first to argue that children’s education should be handled with professional expertise, strategies of care, and environment appropriate and unique to the developmental level. (pp. 61)”
The philosophy of Reggio education is based on 5 principles stated in Bertrand & Gestwicki’s Essentials of Early Childhood …show more content…

96). In an interview with Gandini, Malaguzzi mentioned that “Piaget’s constructivism isolates the child;” noted that constructivists have realized the importance of social interaction and cognitive development;” (Edwards, Gandini, & Forman, 1998, pp. 82) and he emphasized that children also construct knowledge through all their social relationships in their lives via peers, family, and teachers (Hewett, 2001, pp. 96). In regards to Lev Vygotsky, whom more theories were drawn, Malaguzzi quoted, “Vygotsky reminds us how thought and language are operative together” (Edwards, Gandini & Forman., 1998, pp. 83). Lev Vygotsky’s theory about communication and language in learning (Hewett, 2001, pp. 96) was elaborated on in Edwards, Gandini & Forman as a way to help children learn “within …context” how to collaborate, negotiate, and cooperate (cited by Hewett, 2001, pp. 96) with those around

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