As a first year teacher who has had a limited experience working in a Reggio Emilia setting, in a school that has just begun the Reggio program in early childhood, I have struggled to find a way to make project based exploration the main focus of the classroom (as opposed to the more traditional, teacher directed way of teaching).
In this program, the children are supposed to be able to learn through play, discovery, exploration, and conversation. I love that - idea. It’s making it happen that has been tough. They also must be prepared for kindergarten by the time they leave my class - which means that they also need to learn their letters, letter sounds, numbers, shapes, all of those fundamental concepts that parents send their children to school to learn.
But, as I reflect on the past couple of months and prepare for the return to school, I’m realizing that the children are going to do most of their learning through play. It’s not just about fulfilling intellectual needs (although we will do that too) - my job is to develop the WHOLE child - emotional, social, physical... I need to meet all of their needs, and learning through play is going to help me with that.
Some things that have helped me understand the importance of play are:
Loris Malaguzzi, the founder of Reggio Emilia, said “nothing without joy” -
|Such a sweet moment, I think. I love that these boys find such joy in the classroom, working with each other.|
I hope that with the New Year, I will teach my students how to love learning and discovering through playing, and that we will continue to feel joy in our classroom as we grow together. And while the children learn through play, I will learn how to provide these children with experiences and discoveries, while making sure that they are advancing completely and fully.
Now that I know what I have to do - I better get back to planning! Hoping to start the New Year with some really great play!