Formulas? There are none. There are only possible strategies.

Our intent was to drive the school in richer, more complex, and rigorous directions, and toward new anthropological and cultural paths.

national law passed in 1968 that established free education for all children from 3 years to 6 years of age

He needed to make a statement to the citizens of Reggio Emilia about the importance of preschools, and offer proof of his beliefs. The was 1966

rather than child-minding they have to open up to observation, research and experimentation by teachers who, together with children, participate in constructing a new culture of education.

sothat their"whys"orientour searchfor thereasons

Weshouldlistentothechildren,sothattheycanexpresstheirfearsbut alsofor themlo giveusthecourageto faceour fears,for themandwith them.

A discussion should go on until a solution or next step becomes appar-ent; then tension dissipates and a new, shared understanding provides the basis for future joint activity or effort

Rather, they are moments of cognitive disequilibrium, containing positive possibilities for regrouping, hypothesis testing, and intellectual comparison of ideas.

The teacher also observes and documents her own words and actions.

Although learning is a serious matter, the teacher must approach it in a spirit of playfulness as well as respect.

“Listening” means being fully attentive to the children and, at the same time, taking responsibility for recording and documenting what is observed and then using it as a basis for decision making shared with children and parents.

Children should never be thought about in an abstract, generalized way, disconnected from a con-crete reality.

Instead, they begin holistically

148 2edwaRdsit is not easy to give a complete outline of the teacher’s task,”

sweet and stern

infants have a right to experience their environments despite their lack of mobility

free speech

and parents have aright to check their teeth

Children have a right to sleep when they are tired, or not to sleep when they are not tired, like just resting

Children have a right to run or walk, to choose which one, if it's safe

"What is a right?

Those who have the image of the child as fragile,incomplete, weak, made of glass gain something fromthis belief only for themselves. We don’t need that asan image of children.

It’s important for the teacher who works with youngchildren to understand that she knows little aboutchildren.

When the child sees that theadult is there, totally involved with the child, thechild doesn’t forget.

School can never be alwayspredictable. We need to be open to what takes placeand able to change our plans and go with whatmight grow at that very moment both inside thechild and inside ourselves

Children are not at all like this, predictable. Butsometimes schools function as if they were; these areschools with no joy

This theory within you pushes you to behave incertain ways

Theycanlastfromafewdaystoseveralmonths

Theyseelearningnotasalinearprocessbutasaspiralprogressionandconsiderthemselvestobepartnersinthisprocessoflearning.

theyareseenaslearnersalongwiththechildren

co-responsiblepartners

WhatarethedistinguishingfeaturesoftheeducationofyoungchildrenwithregardtotheoryandpracticethathavemadetheReggioEmiliaapproachsonotable?

onasenseofcommunityandofsolidarity

literallygroupsofparentsbuiltthemwiththeirownhandsattheendofWorldWarII.

The first of the proposed experiences -feelings of belonging and feeling welcomed -is included to suggest that, on most days, a young child should feel welcomed and included as a member of a group.

Some even refer to child care and early childhood programs as an industry, rather than as a service.

But, the increasing efforts to adopt standards for the wide variety of early childhood provisions we have raises some troubling questions about their appropriateness, and perhaps also their potentially damaging effects.