Catoctin Sun Nature Preschool & Kindergarten is inspired by the Reggio Emilia Approach – and believes deeply in the heart of its philosophy. We have embraced this concept because it fosters autonomy and social-personal skills while nurturing creativity. Scaffolding upon these skills paves the way for future learning!
The Reggio Emilia Approach to Early Childhood Education is named after the town of Reggio Emilia in the Emilia Romagna province of northern Italy. In Reggio Emilia, 54 publicly funded schools provide education for children from birth to six years. These schools have been described as among the best in the world.
The schools of Reggio Emilia began as a parent initiative. With the end of World War II, parents in Italy banded together and, with the proceeds from the sale of surplus war materials, founded the town’s first pre-schools. They had a vision for a new kind of school where children would be treated with respect and parents would be active participants in their children’s education.
Parents sought the help of educator Loris Malaguzzi to set up schools that reflected their vision. Those early schools grew the framework for a new model in education for young children, now known as the Reggio Emilia approach!
Why Catoctin Sun Nature Preschool & Kindergarten Embraces Reggio Emilia
The Reggio Emilia approach offers a way for teachers to harness a child’s natural curiosity and creativity by encouraging them to work on projects that interest them. The approach also encourages children to communicate newfound knowledge and understanding in a variety of media, often with deeply creative results.
Parents are also encouraged to be actively involved in all aspects of the school and their child’s learning.
At the heart of this system is the powerful image of the child. Rather than seeing children as empty vessels that require filling with facts, Reggio educators see children as full of potential, competent and capable of building their own theories.