loris Malaguzzi
(1920-1994)
in this presentation we will go through-
- History of Loris Malaguzzi.
- Philosophy and Practices.
-
Impact on current early childhood education programs.
history of Loris malaguzzi
The educators of Reggio Emilia were inspired by their community-centered culture in addition to the influence of many early childhood psychologists and philosophers, such as Dewey, Piaget, Vygotsky, Gardner and Bruner. He had no experience as preschool teacher as he had worked as Psychologist.
He had degree in Pedagogy from National Research Center in Rome.
He stated "I ill learn as we go along and children will learn everything I learn working with them," (Atner, 1994).
February 23, 1920: Loris Malaguzzi was born on in Correggio, in the province of Reggio Emilia.
1945: First preschool in Reggio Emilia originated after Liberation
Day.
1963: The first municipal preschool was opened.
1980: The Malaguzzi’s method was known and appreciated by many educator.
May 24, 1994:The non-profit organization Friends of Reggio Children
International Association was founded to promote the work of Loris
Malaguzzi.
loris malaguzzi and reggio Emilia Approach.
The Reggio Emilia approach to early childhood education is based on the belief that children have desire to grow, construct their own knowledge.They are powerful people who do not just have need but right to communicate with other children and adults.
PHILOSOPHY OF REGGIO EMILIA.
Its based on following points that lead to its principles in future:
-
Children are able to learn through their five senses.
- Children have relationship with other children and materials.
- Children should explore world around them through interaction and relationship with materials.
-
Children must have endless opportunities ,ways to expand and explore.
- Child centered philosophy and progressive thinking.
- Reciprocal relationships and communication with outside community.
Principles and Practices of reggio emilia approach-
- Child's image .
- Value and contribution of parents.
- Children interaction and relationship within system.
- Teacher and children as partners in learning and role of teacher.
- Value of space.
- Importance of documentation.
- Environment as third educator focusing on The Atelierita and Atelier
- Projects as way to learning and real life experiences.
- The many languages of children .
- Emergent Curriculum and Play.
child's image
Loris Malaguzzi in his approach viewed child in the ways are:
-
Child has his own rights as they are contributing members and active citizens .Reflected in many of the articles in the United Nations Convention on the
Rights of the Child. For example article 12, where children
have the right to say what they think should happen and have their opinions
taken into account; and in article 29 that states the development of the
child's personality, talents and mental and physical abilities should be to
their fullest potential. (United Nations, 1990)
Construct their own knowledge , Competent , Researcher and Full of potential.
VALUE AND CONTRIBUTION OF PARENTS
- Vital part of their development rather than just dropping children everyday to teachers to make all decisions.
- Should participate actively in education of their children.
- Their opinions are valued ,always heard and sought out.
- Active partners with teachers and school.
child interaction and relationship within system.
According to Malaguzzi "The interaction between
children and children, children and adults and adults and adults is an
essential part of the Reggio experience"
Listening to teacher is not only essential part of development a teacher must listen to child and parents to stimulate child, teacher's own and professional development.
Value of space.
In his approach he stressed the importance of class size two teachers to twenty children in his approach so they could communicate and collaborate more.
IMPORTANCE OF DOCUMENTATION.
Documentation is an important tool and serves many functions in Reggio Emilia Approach. Gandini (1996) sated teachers routinely takes notes , pictures and make tape recordings of group discussions and children at play. Documentation means-
- collect information, observation and learning.
- identify strengths , ideas and next step to support learning.
role of teacher
- Teachers should learn along with children rather than instructing on basic skills.
-
Teachers and parents must open themselves to wonder and emotion, staying close to children, sharing joy and the pain,arguing, discussing and then again laughing, playing, searching and together.Teachers are-
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Co-constructors: partners, guides, nurtures, solves problems, learns, hypothesizes
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Researchers: learns, observes, revisits
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Documenters: listens, records, displays.
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Advocates for children: involved in the community, politics relating to children, speaks for children and presents work to other educators and community members.
ENVIRONMENT AS THIRD TEACHER
Environment is Reggio Emilia approach has lot of significance and educators focused on physical environment a lot that is why its known as "Third Educator".
Main focus was:
- Physical space is called Atelier or art studio.
-
Variety of resources and open space.
- Lots of natural material.
-
Ateliersta a special person who specialize in visual arts was hired to work with teachers.
PROJECTS and real life experiences
In Reggio Emilia approach children were given projects as way of learning through real life experiences.
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They choose topic on project
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Teacher work with small group
-
They have discussions on it.
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Questions and answers on the topic.
- Projects were open ended and long term.
THE MANY LANGUAGES OF CHILDRENIts the different ways of children expressing themselves . They
-
Think
-
Revise
-
Negotiate and express .
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Different ways of expressing-Drawing,Dramatic Play and Writings.
PHILOSOPHY of Reggio emilia
Its based on following points that lead to its principles in future:
-
Children are able to learn through their five senses.
- Children have relationship with other children and materials.
- Children should explore world around them through interaction and relationship with materials.
-
Children must have endless opportunities ,ways to expand and explore.
- Child centered philosophy and progressive thinking.
- Reciprocal relationships and communication with outside community.
Impact On current early childhood education.
-
Emergent Curriculum came to practice.
- Brought us value of interaction and socialization.
- Role of environmental in child's learning.
- Importance of Parents.We have Parent Advisory Committee at our center that meet every month to reflect on needs and new implementations.
- Every child as an individual in current system.
- Importance of teacher or early child care educator in early education which gives us moral support to do best to our levels and birth of professionalism and licensing for early childhood educators.
- Documentation which is modified currently with learning outcome.
REFERENCES
Essa, Eva, and Rosemary Young. 2003. Introduction
to Early Childhood Education 3rd edition. Ontario: Nelson Education Ltd.
http://www.baliadvertiser.biz. (2010, February 21). Retrieved from
http://www.baliadvertiser.biz:
http://www.baliadvertiser.biz/articles/teach_children/2007/loris.html
http://www.independent.co.uk. (n.d.). Retrieved from www.independent.co.uk: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/obituary-loris-malaguzzi-1367204.html
http://www.little-learners-childcare.co.uk. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.little-learners-childcare.co.uk: http://www.little-learners-childcare.co.uk/our-approach/the-reggio-approach/
references continue
REFERENCES
http://www.scholastic.com. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.scholastic.com:
http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/article/pioneers-our-field-loris-malaguzzi-founder-reggio-emilia-approach
http://www.un.org. (n.d.). Retrieved from www.un.org:
http://www.un.org/documents/ga/res/44/a44r025.htm
Smidt, S. (2012). Introducing Malaguzzi: Exploring the
Life and Work of Reggio Emilia's Founding Father. In S. Smidt. Routledge.