What is the Reggio Emilia approach?
The Reggio Emilia approach to early childhood education originated in a town in northern Italy, Reggio Emilia, in the province of Emilia Romagna. The schools began as a parent initiative after WW2. The parents banded together with a vision of developing a preschool system where children were treated with respect and where parents would be actively involved in their child’s education. The Reggio Emilia schools have been described as one of the best practices of early childhood education in the world.
The approach encourages students’ natural curiosity and creativity. The children demonstrate their knowledge and understandings in a variety of creative ways. Key components of Reggio inspired learning include:
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Building on the strengths and competencies of children. This is called ‘the image of the child.’
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Encouraging, supporting and developing collaborative learning within the environment.
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Having carefully planned spaces. The environment and materials are described as ‘the third teacher’.
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Skilling of children in a variety of art media. This is called ‘the hundred languages.’
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Developing documentation which demonstrates the child’s understandings and knowledge.
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Encouraging parents as partners in their child’s education.
To find out more information about the Reggio Emilia approach, please visit North American Reggio Alliance at: http://reggioalliance.org/narea/
Why do we use Cork for some of our products?
Cork is 100% natural, biodegradable, and completely environmentally friendly. It is ideal for children's use since it is lightweight, waterproof, easy to clean and resistant to wear. Due to its tight cellular structure, it does not collect dust and is hypoallergenic.
Cork comes from the bark of the Cork Oak Tree. The extraction of the bark is a process that doesn’t harm the tree but in fact, prolongs its life. Every nine years there is new bark to be removed. These oak forests support one of the world’s highest levels of forest biodiversity, second only to the Amazonian Rainforest.
Why do we provide multi-cultural materials?
The preschool age is the optimal time to start introducing different languages and cultures to children. We provide multicultural materials that are educational and open-ended that appeal to both children and adults. Our city block sets (Paris, New York, London) provide real maps and city landmarks to introduce children to different places and concepts of spatial thinking. We also provide numbered cork sets in various languages (French, Italian and Spanish).
What are the benefits of Mio Reggio materials?
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Engages the child in a meaningful exchange that focuses on the process of learning versus the product
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Introduces children to different languages and a global world
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Promotes the arts
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Encourages openness and creativity through the use of open-ended materials
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Promotes nature and respect for the environment