Article Link: http://exchangepress.com/article/research-and-learning-the-work-of-children-and-adults-in-reggio-emilia/5014516/
Everything that takes place in the life of an infant-toddler center or preschool is the object of a child's research. All the interactions that take place between and among the children, materials, events, and situations are part of this research. As these interactions occur with some regularity, the child begins to construct concepts and theories from his research.Research is a learning strategy fundamental to the construction of knowledge for both children and adults. It also determines the relationship between teaching and learning. The research of the children becomes the object of the research of the adults, who are engaged in understanding and supporting the learning of children.
Our fundamental assumption, in our work in Reggio Emilia, is that the way each child (and each man and woman) learns about and interprets the world, constructing his or her knowledge, is unique and subjective. We think these differences are important to recognize and welcome. We recognize these differences, encourage them, and think and talk about them in order to learn from them.
In the schools in Reggio, we orient our experience and research on these fundamental ideas:
The Image of the Child
Our definition of the identity, or image, of the child inspires our infant-toddler ...