FAQ

Reggio-Emilia is an educational philosophy led by Loris Malaguzzi founded in post-WWII Italy.  The Reggio-Emilia approach is distinguished by the following elements:

* Focus on collaborative play
* Short and long-term projects as the foundation of the curriculum
* An inspiring and productive school environment (“the third teacher”)
* Ongoing documentation as a means of evaluation
* A supportive community of parents and teachers
* Child-directed learning
* Emphasis on the arts (100 language of children include music, drama, sculpture, drawing, etc)
* Teachers as co-learners

As child development and child psychology improves and changes, so do the tools and techniques used by modern Reggio-inspired teachers. Reggio-inspired teachers are free to consider three main things when developing their emergent curriculum:

1. –What does the most current research say about best teaching practices for young children?
2. –What is the local community like, and how can I incorporate the children’s life and outside                         world experiences into the curriculum?
3. –What are the children interested in and what do they want to investigate?

At Il Villaggio Dei Bambini, teachers co-construct learning as guides to self-directed inquiry-based activities. They are partners with the child, mentors, and caretakers of the “third teacher”—the classroom environment which inspires children and scaffolds their learning. They are also researchers and documenters who listen to children, document their learning journey, and collect evidence of growth and development to make this learning visible.

That’s a great question!  Compared to the typical Hong Kong style school, Waldorf, Reggio, and Montessori share some common traits that may make them seem very similar. So, first, let’s look at how they are the same:

1. All three are child-centered. The needs of the child come first.
2. All three are play-based. Children learn through play, not worksheets, flashcards, adult-directed activities, or focused on acquiring academic skills like mathematics or language.
3. All three were developed in Europe (Italy and Germany) and offer “Western-Style” educational philosophies.
4. All three encourage mixed-age learning. Children are not separated by age.
5. All three offer a child-friendly alternative to high-stress, adult-determined, competition-based, test-driven education found in local schools.

Now, let’s look a the important differences that distinguish them from each other.

Montessori: Developed in Italy by educational psychologist Maria Montessori, the main idea is that toys are tools and children should learn at their own pace. All toys are developed specifically for the Montessori method, and children are assessed based on how well they solve the puzzles presented by the toys. Children choose which toys to play with, and are encouraged to challenge themselves with harder toys as they solve easier levels. However, children are never forced to play with anything, and are not required to participate in social events if they prefer to work by themselves. Children develop independence and self-identity. Socially outgoing children will also develop leadership skills as they help the younger children throughout the day.

Assessments: Children are occasionally “graded” according to “norms” (Most children can do XX activity by YY age. This child can/cannot, so they are typically/atypically developing). The “grades” can be shared with the parent and a leaning plan can be developed. The grading system covers a wide range of academic and social skills.

Waldorf: Developed in Germany by Austrian Rudolf Steiner, the leader of a religious group believing in “Anthroposophy”. Waldorf teachers are expected to strictly adhere to certain values and incorporate them in the school. Imaginative play and creative play is heavily stressed. Gardening, sewing, cooking, cleaning, and working with natural materials (wood, wool, cotton, silk) are strongly valued. On the other hand, plastic and metal are strongly discouraged, as are electrical objects or electronics (computers, TV, vacuum cleaner, microwave, etc) of any kind. The classroom tries to resemble a pre-modern home so children feel comfortable. Children are encouraged to work together and solve problems on their own, as a team. There is a strong focus on nature, self-help and self-care, empathic other-care, developing social skills, developing creativity and the arts (music, drama, and visual arts).  Assessment: They are strongly against assessments of any kind, until secondary school. There is no homework or testing done for the first 14 years or so.  Children are not allowed to learn reading and writing until primary 1.

Reggio Emilia Inspired schools:

Unlike Montessori and Waldorf, which have strict regulations requiring special certification in their methodology, Reggio teachers are certified by their local boards of education and educated in regular teacher education programs. They draw inspiration from the educational practices of the innovative schools in Reggio Emilia Italy, but the only schools that are Reggio schools are those in Reggio Italy. Thus, “inspired” is always part of the language of Reggio-style schools.

Developed by the Reggio Emilia Board of Education in post WWII Italy, Reggio schools focus on communication through the arts, the value of community and family as part of the educational process, and the value of child-directed project learning. Children choose what they want to study, and determine how they will learn. They may work as a whole class, or in small groups. Reggio schools understand that the child’s environment is the “third,” and often most important, teacher. ALL materials are valuable tools, from the sticks and stones in the garden , to the machines that help us live our modern lives. Children are also considered teachers (peer learning), as well as nature, the classroom, toys, parents, and community members at large. Children are encouraged to leave their classroom and study real objects in the real world and interact with the real world to develop their learning. Then, they are encouraged to document their learning through photographs or artistic illustrations. Citizenship, leadership, critical thinking, and problem solving are the key social skills they will develop. Children need them to solve problems and directly ask to be taught.  Children will also naturally develop a host of academic skills including reading, writing, multi-lingual communication, and early science/mathematics concepts in order to solve problems, organize information, and communicate their needs.

Assessment: Children and teachers document learning through artistic projects, and photographs. These are put into portfolios and the portfolios are shared with parents and children. Documentation is also often found decorating the walls and spaces of the classroom itself. Teachers may also include local assessments according to the needs of the community.

A: This is an approach to education that organically arises from the needs, interests, and questions posed by the children. Teachers guide children to explore in as many ways as possible themes that come from children’s inquiries to deepen learning and make it more meaningful.

A:  Children keep portfolios of their best work as part of the documentation process. This may include photos of creations that are temporary in nature, such as block structures, water play, or sand play creations. This documentation is available for parents to look at any time and will be used as the basis of parent-teacher conferences.

A:  Children quickly and easily learn what they are personally motivated to learn.  Through observation of the world around them, children discover that text is meaningful and eventually show a desire to learn how to read and write text when they indicate they are ready. At that moment, children will be provided with whatever support they need to help guide them through the necessary stages of pre-reading and pre-writing until they are ready and able to formally read and write. Some children need more time to work through the stages than others, but by Primary 2 or 3, all typically developing children will learn to read and write regardless of the curriculum.

Knowing that children generally always learn reading and writing regardless  of the method used to teach them, the question becomes not “Will they learn?” But “Will they develop a love of learning that will inspire them to keep learning on their own and bring them joy?”

Research has become very clear in recent decades that forcing a child to practice skills (such as reading and writing) before they are ready makes children hate performing the skill and resistant to any effort to teach further.  However, if they learn that performing the skill brings them JOY, they will persevere even when it becomes very difficult.

Any program which is child-directed or inquiry-based  will appreciate children with experience in self-directed learning with self-care skills.  VdB children will transition easily. Local schools with traditional approaches are difficult for all children to transition into, regardless of their kindergarten experience. However, children with the ability to self-direct their learning and self-care will enjoy a great advantage over peers who cannot think or work independently.

Participation in the education of their children is considered by Reggio educators to be a right and a responsibility of parents and families. Parents and teachers focus on establishing and sustaining strong and respectful relationships. Parents and families are invited to participate in every possible way in the life of the center or school. The participation of local community members is also strongly encouraged and expected. Education is viewed as a public responsibility.

Possibly.  Currently, Il Villaggio Dei Bambini cannot support children with severe special needs. However, certain developmental delays might be accommodated for. Please consult with Headmaster Mabo about your child’s needs and your concerns to determine if VdB is a good fit for your family.

The Reggio approach requires each classroom to be exceptionally unique to respond to the unique needs and interests of the children and their unique environment. Thus, there is no known certification program for Reggio Inspired educators. There ARE, however, Reggio study groups and associations where educators collaborate and share ideas and resources to ensure ever-improving quality education. Il Villaggio Dei Bambini is an active member of the Japan Reggio Study Group and the Hong Kong Reggio Association.

Great!  We’d love to hear from you!  Please feel free to contact us with your questions any time.