I was recently introduced to the Reggio Emilia education philosophy. I was not familiar with this approach by this title, but after reading about this philosophy, I realized that it is similar to my viewpoint of Early Childhood Education. In my years of experience with preschoolers, it is important that we offer them various activities and experiences for them to use each of their senses and be given ways to explore their environment.
I’ve been involved with teachers who like their classes to do paperwork and sit-down activities. Children in my classes have retained more and been happier children when they are allowed to explore and move from learning center to learning center (within limits, of course). They are often easily bored with one experience after a few minutes and want to venture to another one. I’ve been in the classroom with teachers who will not allow those children to change learning centers. The students are only allowed 10-15 minutes of center play a day; that’s not near enough time for them to adequately use their exploring skills. They should be allowed about 10 minutes in each learning center. That time gives the children enough time to explore the kitchen center, then the block/building center, then creative art center, then reading center, etc.
The next part of the Reggio Emilio approach involved parents. They are seen as partners in their child’s early education; they are their child’s first teacher. Schools must partner with parents by equipping them with resources in the education of their children.
Re: Home schooling and ” How will they know about Him unless we tell and, more importantly, show them?” Are we sending our children out to be “salt and light” at a young age. I do not mean to be argumentative, so please do not read this in that way.
1 – Maybe we adults should be more salt and light.
2 – Were it child to child ministering, that would be one thing, but when an adult teacher corrects, reprimands, mocks a child’s faith, that is an issue.
3 – If we truly mean for our children to “witness” why not send them to a Muslim school? Hindu school? They will be noticed there and have great “opportunities” to share Christ. Then we parents can truly reach out to the teachers there and to other parents… if that is really why we want our kids in public schools.
Thank you.
Absolutely we adults should be more salt and light, everywhere, everyday.
I don’t think it matters where our children go to school for them and us to minister to others. We need to send out children to the location in which we feel they get the education they need for their educational lives. God will equip them and us to minister to others in those locations. We just need to be open to His leading and be bold about it, and use creative ways of sharing/showing Christ … just just through words but maybe more through actions or listening to others in order to build relationships with them.