The Role of the Pedagogista in Reggio Emilia offers unparalleled insight into dialectic encounters between teachers, pedagogistas, and atelieristas in the world-renowned municipal early childhood services of the city of Reggio Emilia. It sheds light on the system and culture that cares for and sustains an enduring educational experience, for the common good. Emerging from a collaborative research project with Reggio Children and the Preschools and Infant-toddler Centres – Istituzione of the Municipality of Reggio Emilia, this book features in-depth observations of pedagogistas, teachers, and atelieristas, as well as interviews with key figures in Reggio Emilia. Children’s learning is thoughtfully emphasised, as the authors render the inextricable connection between theory-practice-research, framing documentation and progettazione as artful collective experimentation. The authors illuminate how Reggio Emilia’s system sustains reciprocal professional formation through progettazione, contesting dominant marketplace discourses of early childhood education as a commodity and re-imagining settings driven by values of reciprocity, artistry, culture, and the common good. By troubling conventional views on education and care, professionalism of teachers, and educational leadership, this book will appeal to all those who long for something different and hope to shift the field of possibility for early childhood education culturally, socially, pedagogically, and politically. It will be a key resource for teachers, leaders, policy makers, and scholars in the whole field of education.

Reggio Emilia’s educational services for 0-6 year olds are widely acclaimed as one of the best systems in the world. Now in an updated second edition, In Dialogue with Reggio Emilia offers a collection of the most important articles, lectures and interviews given by Carlina Rinaldi, who was President of Reggio Children for a decade, and pedagogical director of the Reggio Emilia Infant-toddler Centres and Preschools after working closely with Loris Malaguzzi, Reggio Children founder and inspirer of the Reggio Emilia Approach. She is currently President of Fondazione Reggio Children – Centro Loris Malaguzzi. With a full introduction contextualising each piece of work, it offers a unique insight into many of the themes that characterise the early childhood curriculum of Reggio Emilia: participation, documentation and assessment; professional development; organisation; research; creativity; spaces and environments in education, and more. This second edition includes brand new chapters exploring the role of the Loris Malaguzzi International Centre; the natural complexity of becoming children; Rinaldi’s speech on receiving the LEGO prize; and Jerome Bruner’s friendship with the schools of Reggio Emilia and the author. A deeply personal book, this is an invaluable resource for practising teachers, students and researchers. It is essential reading for anybody looking to further their understanding of the Reggio Emilia philosophy and pedagogical practice.

This book explores the contribution of and art and creativity to early education, and examines the role of the atelier (an arts workshop in a school) and atelierista (an educator with an arts background) in the pioneering pre-schools of Reggio Emilia. It does so through the unique experience of Vea Vecchi, one of the first atelieristas to be appointed in Reggio Emilia in 1970. Part memoir, part conversation and part reflection, the book provides a unique insider perspective on the pedagogical work of this extraordinary local project, which continues to be a source of inspiration to early childhood practitioners and policy makers worldwide. Vea’s writing, full of beautiful examples, draws the reader in as she explains the history of the atelier and the evolving role of the atelierista. Key themes of the book include: • processes of learning and knowledge construction • the theory of the hundred languages of childhood and the role of poetic languages • the importance of organisation, ways of working and tools, in particular pedagogical documentation • the vital contribution of the physical environment • the relationship between the atelier, the atelierista, the school and its teachers This enlightening book is essential reading for students, practitioners, policy makers and researchers in early childhood education, and also for all those in other fields of education interested in the relationship between the arts and learning.

Explores the roles of the pedagogista in the Reggio Emilia Municipal preschools, the supervisor throughout the history of traditional American public schools, and adult development as it applies to teacher development and the teacher/supervisor relationship.

Laurie Kocher is a Faculty member in the Department of Early Childhood Care and Education, Capilano University, Canada. Catherine Patterson is Senior Lecturer at the Institute of Early Childhood, Department of Educational Studies, Macquarie University, Australia.

Why does the city of Reggio Emilia in northern Italy feature one of the best public systems of early education in the world? This book documents the comprehensive and innovative approach that utilizes the "hundred languages of children" to support their well-being and foster their intellectual development. Educators in Reggio Emilia, Italy, use a distinctive innovative approach that supports children's well-being and fosters their intellectual development through a systematic focus on symbolic representation. From birth through age six, young children are encouraged to explore their environment and express their understanding through many modes of expression or "languages," including verbal communication, movement, drawing, painting, sculpture, shadow play, collage, and music. This organic strategy has been shown to be highly effective, as the children in Reggio Emilia display surprising examples of symbolic skill and creativity. This book describes how the world-renowned preschool services and accompanying practical strategies for children under six in Reggio Emilia have evolved in response to the community's demographic and political transformations, and to generational changes in both the educators and the parents of the children. The authors provide the reader with a comprehensive introduction to the Reggio Emilia experience, and address three of the most important central themes of the work in Reggio in detail: teaching and learning through relationships; the hundred languages of children, and how this concept has evolved; and integrating documentation into the process of observing, reflecting, and communicating.

‘Linda Thornton and Pat Brunton have been immersed in the field for many years and write authoritatively, with understanding and clarity. The book is thoroughly up to date and offers a useful reference source. This book is very welcome, it is accessible, readable and sound.’ (Review of the first edition in ReFocus, Journal of the UK Reggio Network, Summer 2005) Understanding the Reggio Approach is a much needed source of information for those wishing to extend and consolidate their understanding of the Reggio Approach. Analysing the essential elements of the Reggio Approach to early childhood and its relationship to quality early years practice, this new edition is fully updated with the latest developments, including references to the Early Years Foundation Stage and a brand new chapter focusing on creativity. This book: Describes the key features of the Reggio Approach to early childhood and provides examples from infant-toddler centres and preschools in Reggio Emilia Provides students and practitioners with the relevant information about a key pedagogical influence on high quality early years practice in the EYFS Highlights the key ideas that practitioners should consider when reviewing and reflecting on their own practice Can be used as the basis for continuing professional development and action research Written to support the work of all those in the field of early education and childcare, this is a vital text for students, early years and childcare practitioners, teachers, Early Years Professionals, Children’s Centre professionals, lecturers, advisory teachers and setting managers.

This Handbook focuses on enquiries and investigations into the everyday lives of young children in the age range of birth to 8 years of age, giving space to their voices and involving interrogations about the various aspect of their lives. It engages with the interdisciplinary field of childhood studies, education, cultural studies, ethnography, and philosophy.

The documentation of young children's learning plays a vital role in the pre-schools of Reggio Emilia. This leading edge approach to bringing record-keeping and assessment into the heart of young children's learning is envied and emulated by educators around the world. This inspiring book is based upon a documentary approach successfully implemented by Stirling Council in Scotland, whose pre-school educators experienced dramatic improvements in their understandings about young children, how they learn and the potential unleashed in successfully engaging families in the learning process. This approach; which is based on careful listening to children and observation of their interests and concerns, centres around recording and commentating on children's learning through photos, wall displays, videos and a variety of different media. This follow-up text is an accessible and lively companion to the An Encounter with Reggio Emilia: Children’s Early Learning made Visible. It will encourage the reader to develop a deeper understanding of the approach and will show how the authors have seen a complete paradigm shift for those already working with documentation as a result of the guidance laid out in their previous book. Drawing on the experiences of practitioners and collaborators, the authors offer a framework from which any early years educator can easily adapt and develop in their own educational setting.

Since 1963, when the Italian municipality of Reggio Emilia began setting up its network of educational services for 0-6 year olds, the 'Reggio Approach' has gained worldwide recognition. Numerous visitors have been impressed by the acknowledgement given to the potential of children, the organisation and quality of the environments created, the promotion of collegiality and a climate of co-participation of families in the educational project. This book reflects the impressions and experiences of the Reggio Emilia approach gained by a range of early childhood educators following a study visit to the region. It focusses on key issues such as staffing, training, working with parents, play, learning, the culture of early childhood, and special educational needs, from a variety of perspectives and will provide a welcome challenge to thinking for both practitioners and policy makers.