The Reggio Emilia International Winter Institute

I am on my way to a Reggio-Emilia week-long conference at the International Winter Institute in Reggio Emilia, Italy.

The Reggio Emilia Approach is an educational philosophy focused on preschool and primary education based on the principles of respect, responsibility, and community through exploration and discovery in a supportive and enriching environment based on the interests of the children through a self-guided curriculum.

Topics of the International Winter Institute will include (from the program):

• Background on the pedagogical, historical and cultural and social aspects of the Reggio Emilia Municipal Infant Toddler Centres and Preschools experience


• Children as citizens


• The rights of children


• Parents participation in the life of the school


• The role of the educators


• The schools as a system of interactions and relationships


• The meaning of continuity


• The environment and the educational space


• Pedagogy of Listening


• Communication and new exhibitions


• Observation, interpretation and documentation


• Reggio Children publications as tools for making visible learning processes

The International Winter Institute program will also include:

• Visit to the town of Reggio Emilia: approaching social, cultural, political context


• Encountering the town-community


• Presentations by pedagogistas, atelieristas and teachers on the principles of the educational project of the Preschools and Infanttoddler, Centres Istituzione of the Municipality of Reggio Emilia


• Presentation and analysis of research projects realized inside the Preschools and Infant-toddler Centres and primary schools


• Visits to Preschools, Infant Toddler Centres, to the Loris Malaguzzi International Centre and to the Documentation and Educational Research Centre


• Discussion groups


• Sharing experiences among the participants


• During the week, the experience of the Preschools and Infant Toddler, Centres Istituzione of the Municipality of Reggio Emilia will remember oris Malaguzzi on the day of his birthday (February 23rd).

This has long been on my bucket list so I am excited to be going - I'll post about the experience as much as I can (depending on Internet access).