Reggio Emilia: "Image of the Child"

What is your Image of The Child?

When I began researching and learning more about play-based, inquiry learning, emergent curriculum and Reggio Emilia, I felt a deep connection to Reggio Emilia's "Image of The Child."

The Image Of The Child

Educators of Reggio Emilia believe that children walk in the door with knowledge as opposed to an empty vessel that needs filling.  They believe that children are competent and capable of constructing knowledge, and that they need to be active participants in their learning.  They see children constructing their knowledge through their relationship with the environment, with other children and with adults.  They believe that children are naturally full of wonder and curiosity. They listen to the voices of children and recognize that children ask questions to learn about the world around them.  They see children as explorers, investigators and active discoverers. They place value in all the different ways children show their learning (The children have a 100 languages).  They observe, listen and honor the children's voice.

The Role of The Teacher

The Educators role in Reggio Emilia schools is a multitude of things-supporter, negotiator, co-planner, listener, researcher, observer, reflector, challenger, designer, provocateur, extender, documenter, collaborator, investigator etc...  The role is ever-changing based upon the needs of the children.  Teachers provide a rich, stimulating environment to provide many opportunities for the children to learn, transform materials, ask questions and think. They encourage children to use many different ways to express their thoughts and ideas (i.e. sculpture, paint, drawing, writing etc...).  The teachers listen carefully to the conversations of children, their ideas and they too participate in the learning.  Teachers document the learning process and place weight on the process of learning.  They make flexible plans and negotiate the curriculum with the children.  They support and help the children build their knowledge.

After reading about the children and educators in Reggio Emilia and the classrooms that are Reggio-Inspired, I felt so connected, so at home. It spoke to me as a teacher, a learner, an individual and a parent.  This is how I saw children and how I saw learning to be.  It prompted me to reflect on whether I was teaching in a way that actually fit my beliefs as an educator.  If I believed that children were competent, full of wonder, curiosity, capable of learning and knowledgeable, why was I relying so heavily on teacher-directed lessons and explicit teaching?  Why wasn't I allowing more opportunity for voice in the classroom?  Why was I choosing everything and how learning must look (i.e. worksheets, writing templates, the math manipulatives to use to show a concept)?  Were my students having authentic learning experiences?  There was a clear disconnect between what I believed and my practice. Hence, the changes were made.  I felt inspired!  It made me want to provide a better learning environment for my students.  It made me want to feel, see and hear more joy in learning.  Today, I continue down this path- always growing, changing my role, researching, observing and learning from the children.  With each experience (with children, professional reading, summer institute at Acorn), I develop a greater sense of self, a greater sense of what learning is, what is authentic and how I would like to be as a mother and a teacher. What is your image of the child?  What is your role?  How do you feel about your classroom environment?  Are there any areas for growth?