1225 Fulton Road, Santa Rosa, California 95401, United States
Curriculum
We are inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach to early childhood education. We use the term “inspired” because we see this Italian approach as a fascinating guide rather than a curriculum blueprint. We feel that our values of education, childhood, and community are deeply reflected in the Reggio Emilia approach and we hope to use that as a basis for our ever-evolving program. We are continuously learning with the children, with parents, and with other early childhood educators to gain a deeper understanding of education.
We offer an emergent curriculum that allows for flexibility, spontaneity, and in-depth exploration. It is most often child-directed and teacher-guided. This means that teachers offer provocations to stimulate the learning process, allowing children to investigate their own interests and theories. Sometimes these explorations turn into long-term projects where children experience the research process of questioning, hypothesizing, testing theories, learning from experts (ie: parents, community members, books), and exploring ideas through symbolic languages.
Through these child-initiated experiences, children learn a variety of concepts and skills that will stay with them throughout their lives. Not only do they develop skills in literacy, art, science, and math, but they also develop the ability to communicate, to collaborate, and to think critically. We believe that children have the right to an educational program that values and nurtures these skills.
Guiding Principles of the Reggio Approach
Social Constructivism
The Reggio Approach sees the child as protagonist, an active constructor of his or her own knowledge. The teacher is likewise seen as a protagonist who engages in the same processes with colleagues (co-teachers and others), making individual and collective interpretations. Social constructivism is shown in the teachers’ respect for the children’s need to generate their own questions and revisit their choices.
The Reggio Approach makes the connection between children as co-constructors of knowledge and the importance of reciprocal communication and as a key element of learning.
Education is based on communication within teacher-teacher, child-child, teacher-child, parent-child, parent-teacher and parent-parent relationships. This creates a very rich learning environment for all those involved. In the Reggio Approach the teacher is a researcher and the school is seen as a place of research—a place of participation and shared construction of value and meaning..
Image of the Child
All children have preparedness, potential, curiosity and interest in constructing their learning, in engaging in social interaction and in negotiating with everything that their environment brings to them.
Role of the Teacher
Teachers listen to and observe children closely in order to plan and proceed with their work with the children. They use the understanding they gain to act as a resource for the children. Teachers ask questions, discover the children’s ideas, hypotheses, and theories, stimulate thinking and provide occasions for discovery and learning. The role of the teacher is be a learner along with the children as they co-construct the learning experience and explore with the children. Teachers consider themselves researchers and partners in learning and enjoy discovering with the children.