Reflections from the Reggio Emilia Study Group
Street art in the streets of Reggio Emilia
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Excitement and anticipation, we await our arrival in Italy
Walking, we murmur together, trains rattle, bikes breeze past Seas of soft pink buds line the way, scenting cool morning air Graffiti sparks imagination, contemplation Warm room, comfy chairs, lilting Italian voices are a lullaby Endless pasta and wine bring us together Sole, Allende, & Villetta inspire fresh thought, ignite possibilities - Reflection from Liz Ann R. |
Invitation left in an Outdoor Classroom in Reggio Emilia
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Each Spring, the entire Boulder Journey School Teacher Education Program Graduate Student Cohort travels to Reggio Emilia, Italy for a four-day Study Group, hosted by Reggio Children.
The Graduate Students have shared the profound impact this experience has had on their lives and work.
The Graduate Students have shared the profound impact this experience has had on their lives and work.
Invitation offered in Remida: The Creative Recycling Center
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"In the opening remarks by Carlina Rinaldi, president of Foundation Reggio Children - Loris Malaguzzi Center, she noted,
'We invite you not to do what we do, but to think differently...to think about education differently.' Throughout the course of our time in Italy, I found myself regularly reflecting on the meaning of these words, especially in relation to the recurring discussions and complex themes of culture, revolutionary change, the act of listening, and the rights of children." - Reflection from Lauren B. |
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"Before the study group, I believed I had developed a strong practice of listening to children; I thought that I had created relatively adequate space within my classroom to hear children in their many modes of expression.
Although I have created space in my practice to listen to children, I believe that my role as an educator is to help carry children’s voices and various forms of expression outward beyond the classroom. I see the possibilities of my role extended now when I think about my responsibility to make that which I hear from children accessible to adults in my community who are not routinely hearing the voices of children." - Reflection from Caitlin G. |
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Public art designed by children
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"Context was something that was clearly communicated by the teachers and staff in the schools in Reggio. They found ways to weave the local community and the experiences of the families they serve into the school."
- Reflection from Liliana F.-A. |
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“When we talk about the future of education (and of children), we talk about the future of the world.” - Carlina Rinaldi, communicated during the 2016 Reggio Emilia Study Group
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"Whether I work in a Reggio inspired school, or not, I can still take inspiration from Reggio and seek to create a revolutionary culture of education."
- Reflection from Lauren B. |