The relevance of Malaguzzi in Early Years Education

[Simona]

This is a wonderful essay on the teaching of Malaguzzi and the Reggio Emilia approach to preschool education

I confess that although I am Italian it was not until I started in childcare that I came across it and became aware of its influence..it is unique and only concentrated in one area of Italy...although a very rich area it caters equally for all children and families

Shame Truss did not think of looking there rather than make France her model to be imported here...

I absolutely respect the Reggio approach and adapt as much as I can in my setting.
Do you think it could ever be introduced here in terms of practice and way of seeing children as co-producers of learning, could we ever be valued as practitioners like the pedagogistas are in Reggio?

Interaction Imagination: The relevance of Loris Malaguzzi in Early Childhood Education (written 2009)

[Wheelybug]

Loooove the Reggio approach :-) I think those in charge (excluding Truss) kind of 'pick' bits of the Reggio approach but can't quite move away from the belief that children need adults to direct their learning and the need to fill children up with knowledge. I don't think this country will change, beliefs about what is best for children go deep and that's not something that is easy to change.

Cathy x.

[sarah707]

When they wrote the EYFS - and before that Birth to 3 - a lot of elements of Reggio, Malaguzzi, Montessori and others were cherry picked by the authors - I remember reading about it at the time!

[Smiley]

I also believe in this approach and probably main of us use elements of it

[lisbet]

I cherry pick from Reggio, High/Scope, Te Whariki...but in a good way, not a Truss way!

The nursery school my DD2 went to was very influenced by Reggio: the physical environment, the way they interacted with children and documented their learning.

[The Juggler]

When they wrote the EYFS - and before that Birth to 3 - a lot of elements of Reggio, Malaguzzi, Montessori and others were cherry picked by the authors - I remember reading about it at the time!

exactly Sarah. It's almost like Ms Truss has never actually read the EYFS or the principles behind it after all, saying that our nurseries exude chaos and that there is "no actual requirement to offer freeflow play" seems to indicate that SHE'S NEVER OPENED THE FLIPPING DOCUMENT.

This is why I can't believe how much Wilshaw backs her up!!!!!!!!!! Ofsted have done nothing but assess against "the child's voice on planning, freeflow and independence in learning" since EYFS came in. Her views totally contradict all of this and she might as well say scrap the EYFS.

sorry, rant over