Preschool: Reggio Emilia approach?

Since the girls just turned two, I figured I'd start looking at preschools and get us on a waiting list

I found a local school that based on their website sounds like a great place! I'd obviously go and check it out, but first impressions and all...

They use a Reggio Emilia approach and I'm just wondering if anyone on here has any experience with this type of school.

Have your kids attended a school with this approach, did you like it? If they're old enough to have transitioned to a traditional public school was it hard?

It seems to be a more "alternative" learning style than traditional schooling, but looking at the website for the Emerson School seems to make a lot of sense to me. And the teachers seem a little more involved than they would traditionally with a Montesorri type school.

Anyway, thoughts?

 

I have no experience with Reggio Emilia approach to eduation, but wow - it looks great. The Emerson School website is especially wonderful. I would definately take a tour!

 

I don't have any personal experience with that type of school but I did have to study it during my childcare qualification. I remember thinking what a great approach to childcare it is, I'd have jumped at the chance to work in that kind of daycare.

I say go and look round, it looks really good from the website. I think I would be like you and worry about the transistion to school but maybe the teachers will be able to address those concerns with you.

 

It is very self directed from what I can gather. Montessori runs on some of those same principles. Might be a good segway for them if you wanted them to pursue that type of education. I personally think it takes a very particular child/student to flourish in the long term with a self directed education but in preschool I am sure it would be a blast for them!

 

Reading from the new posts link.

I've been working in the Reggio Emilia curriculum for years. Basically it boils down to child directed, teacher led. The teachers observe what the children are interested in and plan their programming around it. If the children are expressing an interest in the snow outside, then we plan for snow. If they are expressing an interest in the construction site down the street, we talk about construction. We can do swimming in January or snow in July, At the end of the week an evaluation is done as to how the theme went and if it should be continued or if it should be changed. A theme can run for a week or it can run for 4 weeks.

It is a fun curriculum for the children but a little frustrating for the teachers (especially when you are in after school care when you could plan for a year on Hannah Montana if you went directly by their interests) but thats our job!

 

QUOTE(Kendra @ Dec 30 2008, 05:45 PM) [snapback]1126949[/snapback]
Reading from the new posts link.

I've been working in the Reggio Emilia curriculum for years. Basically it boils down to child directed, teacher led. The teachers observe what the children are interested in and plan their programming around it. If the children are expressing an interest in the snow outside, then we plan for snow. If they are expressing an interest in the construction site down the street, we talk about construction. We can do swimming in January or snow in July, At the end of the week an evaluation is done as to how the theme went and if it should be continued or if it should be changed. A theme can run for a week or it can run for 4 weeks.

It is a fun curriculum for the children but a little frustrating for the teachers (especially when you are in after school care when you could plan for a year on Hannah Montana if you went directly by their interests) but thats our job!


Kendra, sounds like a constructivist approach to education. I think that is great for early childhood education!

 

QUOTE(Kendra @ Dec 30 2008, 05:45 PM) [snapback]1126949[/snapback]
Reading from the new posts link.

I've been working in the Reggio Emilia curriculum for years. Basically it boils down to child directed, teacher led. The teachers observe what the children are interested in and plan their programming around it. If the children are expressing an interest in the snow outside, then we plan for snow. If they are expressing an interest in the construction site down the street, we talk about construction. We can do swimming in January or snow in July, At the end of the week an evaluation is done as to how the theme went and if it should be continued or if it should be changed. A theme can run for a week or it can run for 4 weeks.

It is a fun curriculum for the children but a little frustrating for the teachers (especially when you are in after school care when you could plan for a year on Hannah Montana if you went directly by their interests) but thats our job!


Thanks Kendra! I could see how it could be a little (a lot sometimes!) frustrating for the teachers. Do most of your kiddos go to on to schools with a similar curriculum or more "mainstream" (for lack of a better term)?

The girls will most likely end up in our public school system, and I'd hate for them to have to do a 180-ish* degree turn in their thinking/processing, kwim?

QUOTE
It is very self directed from what I can gather. Montessori runs on some of those same principles. Might be a good segway for them if you wanted them to pursue that type of education. I personally think it takes a very particular child/student to flourish in the long term with a self directed education but in preschool I am sure it would be a blast for them!


Sarah, I too think it takes a particular type of child to flourish in this setting and I worry about whether that will impact future decisions, because for all that I'd like it to, sometimes the world doesn't reward doing your own thing when you want to. You have to play the game. I hope this is making sense...I don't feel like I'm articulating it very well.

We'll see, I've got about two years, before it even really matters ! Their cut off date is September 30 and since the girls were born in Dec, I doubt there's a way I could get them in this coming year.

I also love that they have scheduled outside time every day. I think this is sooo important.

QUOTE
I think I would be like you and worry about the transistion to school but maybe the teachers will be able to address those concerns with you.


I bet you're right about the teachers, I can't be the only one with these questions!

 

QUOTE(Chillers @ Dec 31 2008, 12:03 AM) [snapback]1127359[/snapback]
Sarah, I too think it takes a particular type of child to flourish in this setting and I worry about whether that will impact future decisions, because for all that I'd like it to, sometimes the world doesn't reward doing your own thing when you want to. You have to play the game. I hope this is making sense...I don't feel like I'm articulating it very well.


I totally get that! But I think in early childhood ed, it doesn't matter much. This would be chance to see what your child excels in (usually their interests will express that) and you can expand and build on those in their outside activities when they go to primary school with the routine and the "less chosen" lessons.

 

QUOTE(Sarah© @ Dec 31 2008, 12:18 AM) [snapback]1127373[/snapback]
I totally get that! But I think in early childhood ed, it doesn't matter much. This would be chance to see what your child excels in (usually their interests will express that) and you can expand and build on those in their outside activities when they go to primary school with the routine and the "less chosen" lessons.


Another duh moment from me and a thanks for a better perspective

I think I'm a *little* hypersensitive to it...my kid brother is smart as a whip (way smarter than me), but got lost in the system and now even though college would be really good for him (like the Marines were, but different, lol!) he won't go, because I think he believes it's just going to be more of the same BS he had to deal with in high school. Holy run on sentence Bat-man!

ETA: Completely OT, but I was peeking through your blog and saw you got your M.Ed from Lesley, congrats! I'm pretty sure that's where my bff forever got hers from She got her own classroom a year ago

 

I taught using the Reggio Emilia approach for 10+ year. My oldest son is now in a program that uses the same approach. He has done so well this year, has a lot of confidence, and learning so much. Just because it is a child's interest approach doesn't mean there are not things in the environment that will prepare them for kindergarten. Everything in the classroom is labeled, everything they make has their words on it, there are writing materials EVERYWHERE for them to draw or write what they see. It is really hard to explain. Just go check it out. You will know if it is the right place for your kids.

 

There are three main types of "alternative" education that have a lot in common: Montessori (the most well known), Reggio Emilia, and Waldorf.

Here's a website with a good summary of each: http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/article.jsp?id=1367

Reggio Emilia is relatively new. Waldorf and Montessori have been around since the 1920s. All are child-centered. There's a Reggio Emilia preschool where I live, and I hear good things about it. But we chose the Waldorf route. And I'm so pleased. It's the most gentle teaching method available - the classrooms are beautiful and even smell good; the teachers are very child-focused, not just on the class as a whole, but on each individual child; and the curriculum is entirely age appropriate, which is more than I can say for most mainstream preschools.

As for future adjusting, I don't plan to leave Waldorf anytime soon. My DD (who is 5) will continue through 8th grade. And if you ever have the pleasure to meet a Waldorf graduate, you'll know that they'll succeed at whatever they do. Waldorf fosters more than self confidence - it gives children a true sense of who they are. And that's the most helpful tool when navigating through life. Waldorf graduates are so bright! (By the way, Jennifer Anniston is one herself )

I think it's great you're not just jumping into the mainstream automatically. Many parents don't even realize there are options. If there's a Waldorf school near you, I highly recommend you visit it before making a decision. If not, I have to say that I'd probably go with the Reggio Emilia approach myself.

 

All of the kids go on to public school or Catholic school (the same curriculums here since both are publically funded) I can only think of 2 kids who went to another school and that was as day students at a private boarding school.

Compairing RE to Waldorf and Montessori, RE is very much eccectic in the way that most "non branded" programs are. There isn't really any specific teaching methology beyond following the children's interests. In our programming there are all the traditional elements of play, its just that the theme is directed to the interests.

RE is very play based and now our preschool programs are actually moving to an even more play based program called Play To Learn (Toronto YMCA page about it, ours will be fully implemented in September. They are doing tons of training on it now)

 

QUOTE(Kendra @ Dec 31 2008, 11:53 AM) [snapback]1127864[/snapback]
Compairing RE to Waldorf and Montessori, RE is very much eccectic in the way that most "non branded" programs are. There isn't really any specific teaching methology beyond following the children's interests. In our programming there are all the traditional elements of play, its just that the theme is directed to the interests.


Not to start a huge debate here, but I just had to respond to the "no specific teaching methodology" comment...
In Waldorf, at least, that's absolutely not true. The approach - and the curriculum - is very specific, not just child-led.
My DD's Kindy class follows a daily and a weekly "rhythm" of activities and seasonal festivals that don't vary much from year to year. The idea is that young children thrive on routine and familiarity. It makes them feel safe so that they can explore and grow freely. And in a Waldorf Kindergarten, the teachers strive to make the classroom feel like an extension of the home, where adults do their "work" of organizing and accomplishing tasks, and children do their "work" of play and learning through imitation, imagination and responsibility.

I'm not a Waldorf teacher, but I know the the teaching methodology is very intensive. Teachers have to go through a special Waldorf training/certification program that can take 3-4 years to complete. It explores teaching strategies, curricula and child development.