Reggio Emilia

In this educational approach, children are viewed as unique, strong, and full of potential. Rather than passive recipients of knowledge, they actively construct their own understanding through exploration, self-expression, and collaboration. Their role in the classroom involves working closely with both teachers and peers, developing skills and knowledge through hands-on activities and interactions that cater to their individual needs and interests.

A central aspect of this approach is symbolic representation, where a wide variety of creative media and activities are introduced to enhance children's cognitive, social, and creative development. Children are encouraged to express their thoughts, feelings, and ideas through diverse "languages" such as spoken and written words, visual arts, drama, and movement. This enables them to better represent their internal experiences and communicate more effectively, further strengthening their learning process.

Education is viewed as a continuous interaction within the school community. Collaboration is a cornerstone of this model, occurring not only between children and teachers but also among peers, across different teachers, between families, and within the wider community. This interconnectedness fosters a dynamic learning environment where all members contribute to the educational process, providing children with a rich network of support, ideas, and resources.

The Project Approach emphasizes long-term, interest-driven projects where children work together with their peers and teachers. These projects follow the children's curiosities and evolving understandings, with creative arts serving as a central tool. As they engage in these projects, children enhance their problem-solving skills, learning to think critically and creatively while making connections between their interests and the world around them.

Time plays an essential role in this approach. Projects are designed to build upon each other, with children revisiting and refining their work over time. This allows for deeper exploration and the development of ideas through new experiences, activities, and forms of expression. Additionally, this extended timeline fosters sustained collaborative relationships, helping both children and adults grow together in a learning community. This ongoing process ensures that children's learning is not fragmented but instead integrated and evolving.