Early Years Professional Development Centre

Purchase all 5 of Diane Kashin's Reggio Emilia courses as a Learning Bundle!

• Introduction to the Reggio Emilia Approach

• Capacity and Competency in the Early Years

• Inspiring Learning Environments

• Documenting to Link Pedagogy and Curriculum

• The Process of Projected Curriculum

This course serves as an introduction to the approach to early learning emanating from Reggio Emilia, Italy. This innovative approach to early childhood education began shortly after the Second World War. It is based on the theories of social construction and a philosophy that supports an emergent curriculum. The course will provide an overview of the history, theories and foundational principles of the Reggio Emilia Approach, giving students the opportunity to engage in dialogue and to think deeply about their own contexts of teaching and learning. It serves as a starting point to those wishing to learn more about this approach which has inspired so many from across the globe.

Images can be framed and reframed as we work together to understand the impact that our images of ourselves, children, families, and colleagues has on our lives … as educators and humans. In the Reggio Emilia Approach the child is seen as being made of 100 hundred languages. This image of capacity and competency suggests a child rich in potential. It suggests an expressive child who can build theories. The same can be said of teachers and families. By examining images of capacity and competency, this course will help you define, revisit and redefine your views and their impact on the early years. 

Loris Malaguzzi, considered the three teachers of children to be adults, other children, and their physical environment (Gandini, 1998). Acting as a third teacher, the environment plays an essential role in learning. This course focuses on learning environments that inspire. By examining the principle of the environment as the third teacher, this course will provoke thinking about what is reflected in the environment as it relates to the images, beliefs and values. 

When we document it is to make a link between pedagogy (how learning happens) and curriculum (the content of the learning). Documentation becomes pedagogical when it makes teaching and learning visible. In this course, pedagogical documentation will be explored from both the perspective of the content of the documentation (photos, video, notes, etc.) and the process of observing, documenting and interpreting. Learn about the content and the process while thinking deeply about voice, meaning making and pedagogical choices as part of your journey to learn about the Reggio Emilia Approach.

This course represents a culmination of the concepts, images, theory, history and information shared in the first four courses. It looks to help you make the connection between pedagogy and curriculum as you plan and program for children's play-based learning experiences