Give children room to grow
The past months have taught educators and students to be more innovative than ever. Where do we go from here?
AN ITALIAN system of child-focused education has taken the early-years teaching world by storm. Newsweek has reported that Reggio Emilia schools are among the best in the world and the method is gradually being adopted by some of the most innovative pre-school and primary schools across the globe.
Among ardent supporters of Reggio Emilia practices is the award-winning Keren’s Nursery. “This style of teaching has been around since the 1940s and it’s had incredible success,” says Keren Ben Ezra, founder of the nursery chain. “Children at Reggio Emilia schools are more robust, resilient and curious, full of wonder at the world around them, brimming with confidence at their place within it.
“Reggio Emilia children have such an incredible sense of mental wellbeing and self-assurance. Now, of all times, these attributes have rarely been so important for children.”
The system is named after the place where it was started — Reggio Emilia, Italy — after the Second World War. A group of parents developed the programme, which emphasises respect, responsibility and community involvement. Children are encouraged to explore and discover in a supportive and stimulating environment. The curriculum is created around children’s instinctive interests.
At Keren’s, this fits well with the core principles of the early years foundation stage. Rather than being a strict curriculum, Reggio Emilia is a philosophy, guiding teachers’ approach to education with three core principles: the child, the environment and the teacher.
It’s described as “a student-centred curriculum that uses self-directed, experiential learning in relationshipdriven environments”. But what does this mean in practice?
Much of the teaching at Reggio Emilia schools and pre-schools takes the form of projects. Children have opportunities to explore, observe, theorise, question and discuss, to clarify their understanding.
At Keren’s Nurseries, the Forest School concept is already core to the curriculum. This encourages children to plan, explore and learn by discovery, whether on Hampstead Heath or in the private garden squares of Holland Park. They embark on tikun olam projects such as litter picking to care for their neighbourhoods, they grow herbs, fruit and vegetables and are given the autonomy to share ideas and learn for themselves.
At the heart of the philosophy is the belief that children form their own personality during the early years of development and that is why Keren has so much respect for the system. The aim of the approach is to teach children how to use creative skills in everyday life — think painting, sculpting, drama and role play, as well as gardening and cooking — anything creative, in fact.
The chain is integrating “ateliers” into every classroom. These hubs will encourage arts and support creativity and imagination. Every member of staff will be trained to make use of these resources.
In the Reggio style, the teacher is a co-learner and collaborator rather than a passive instructor. The teacher is encouraged to enable learning by planning activities and lessons based on the child’s interests, asking questions to advance understanding and actively engaging in the activities alongside the child, “as partner to the child; the teacher is inside the learning situation”. It’s an interactive way of teaching — and educators love it.
Often overlooked in nurseries and preschool is the physical space, referred to in Reggio Emilia as the “third teacher”. At Keren’s Nurseries, there is already a well-planned focus on outdoor and indoor space in equal measure. The nurseries have inviting gardens and children are free to discover and learn through the world around them. Inside, rooms are regularly redecorated according to the time of year, keeping children stimulated and engaged in their learning and development. “At a time when mental wellbeing is key, even for pre-schoolers, we’re really excited to be enhancing our Reggio Emilia programme with the introduction of ateliers,” says Keren’s.
For more information or to book a virtual tour, see kerensnursery.com/ virtual-tours