Assessment of Early Childhood School and Classroom Environments

In the Reggio Emilia approach to early childhood education, emphasis is placed on the child, the environment, and the teacher. In this chapter, we review principles about school and classroom environments and current methods for assessing these environments. We focus on the physical and the social characteristics of these environments as well as the organization of the classroom. Finally, we present the Engagement Classroom Model, designed to foster the meaningful participation of all children in classroom routines.