Although learning is a serious matter, the teacher must approach it in a spirit of playfulness as well as respect. The metaphor of “catching the ball that the children throw us, and then tossing it back to continue the game” is a favorite one in Reggio Emilia. Think-ing of teacher–child interaction as a badminton game was originally suggested to Malaguzzi by the Gestalt psychologist Max Wertheimer.1 Malaguzzi talked about how, “for the game to continue, the skills of the adult and child need appropriate adjustments to allow the growth through learning of the skills of the child” (Chap-ter 2, this volume)

[W]e need a teacher who is sometimes the director, sometimes the set designer, sometimes the curtain and the backdrop, and sometimes the prompter. A teacher who is both sweet and stern, who is the electrician, who dispenses the paints, and who is even the audience—the audience who watches, sometimes claps, some-times remains silent, full of emotion, who sometimes judges with skepticism, and at other times applauds with enthusiasm. (Loris Malaguzzi, quoted in Rinaldi, 2006, p. 8

The sheer magnitude of the Boulder Journey School Charter on Children's Rights should dispel any notion of young children as empty vessels waiting to be filled with adult ideas, including ideas about their rights.

Teachers are not considered protectivebaby-sitters, teaching basic skills to children but rather they are seen as learnersalong with the children. They are supported, valued for their experience and theirideas, and seen as researchers.

Education has to focuson each child, not considered in isolation, but seen in relation with the family, withother children, with the teachers, with the environment of the school, with thecommunity, and with the wider society.

trong conviction that learning bydoing is of great importance and that to discuss in groups and to revisit ideas andexperiences is essential to gain better understanding and to learn

The image of the child​. All children have preparedness, potential, curiosity; theyhave interest in relationship, in constructing their own learning, and in negotiatingwith everything the environment brings to them.