ABSTRACT
Research is at the heart of the Reggio experience and the Reggio Approach is constantly evolving as teachers learn more about how young children learn.
In Reggio the adults in the infant-toddler centres and preschools believe that the role of the teacher is not just to teach, but to learn. The teachers learn from one another, from the atelierista and the pedagogista. They also learn from the children with whom they share experiences and ideas on a daily basis. Being comfortable about seeing children as partners in teaching and learning links back to the very powerful image they have of the child in the Reggio Approach (see Chapter 2). Children are encouraged to think of themselves as researchers, developing their own understanding of the world. They do this from their own experiences and from sharing the experiences of the other members of their group, class or school – adults as well as children. There are times during each day when children meet together to share experiences and review events. The teachers help children to remember what has happened and to develop the habit of reflecting on their previous experiences. Working in this way helps children to see themselves as very clearly connected to the other children and adults in their school.
