Comparing Montessori and Reggio Emilia

04/02/2003

Comparing Montessori and Reggio Emilia

A cold is both positive and negative; sometimes the Eyes have it and sometimes the Nose."
–William Lyon Phelps

COMPARING MONTESSORI AND REGGIO EMILIA

The Winter 2003 issue of Montessori Life (www.amshq.org) contains a fascinating series of articles comparing the Montessori approach to education to the approaches of Vygotsky, High/Scope, Reggio Emelia, Gardner's Theory of Multiple Intelligences, and Steiner. In one of these articles, "'Fine Designs' from Italy: Montessori Education and the Reggio Emelia Approach," Dr. Carolyn Pope Edwards concludes:

"Montessori and Reggio Emilia are two strands of 'progressive, child-centered' education that are growing in influence...and have many points in common. Both represent an explicit idealism and turn away from war and violence, toward peace and reconstruction. Both are built on coherent visions of how to improve human society by helping children realize their full potential as intelligent, creative, whole persons. In both, children are viewed as active authors of their own development, leading the way toward growth and learning. Teachers depend for their work with children on carefully prepared, aesthetically pleasing environments that serve as a pedagogical tool and provide strong message about the curriculum and about respect for children. Partnering with parents is highly valued in both approaches, and children are evaluated by means other than traditional tests and grades. However, there are also many areas of difference, some at the level of principle and others at the level of strategy. Underlying the two approaches are variant views on the nature of young children's needs, interests, and modes of learning that lead to contrasts in the ways that teachers interact with children in the classroom, frame and structure learning experiences for children, and follow the children through observation/documentation and assessment."

The 2003 World Forum on Early Care and Education in Acapulco will feature a series of three sessions comparing different approaches to curriculum: "Different Approaches to Curriculum for Children Birth to 5," "Putting a Curriculum in Place," and "Ongoing Implementation of a Curriculum." For more information about the World Forum, go to: http://www.childcareexchange.com/wf/index.php

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