I have been working with my school library for the last two years on getting some Reggio Emilia approach resources available for teachers. Last month I was asked to reduce the suggested list to only 3-4 titles! "Impossible!", I thought at first, as there are so many quality resources out there to inspire and support teachers differently in their work.
As it turns out the exercise has been a valuable one for me. It has forced me to reflect on my own practice and experiences since first learning about Reggio Emilia in 2009 and evaluate which have been the most critical and influential resources in my learning journey. So here it is. The narrowed list (from my perspective) of exactly where to start with Reggio Emilia.... |
Books:
The Hundred Languages of Children: The Reggio Emilia Experience in Transformation, Third Edition(Ed. Edwards, Gandini, Forman) I still use my Second Edition copy. It is bent, flimsy, and full of Post-its, highlights, and handwritten notes....all signs of a well-loved book! In my opinion, this is the quintessential Reggio read. |
Making Learning Visible: Children as Individual and Group Learners (Project Zero & Reggio Children)
I discovered this book after visiting Reggio Emilia in 2011. It has answered many of my questions (and inspired some new ones!) about social constructivism, group learning,pedagogical documentation, and the role of the teacher. The more recent publication, Visible Learners: Promoting Reggio-Inspired Approaches in All Schools, is an extension of this book's thinking and research. |
The Fountains: From a Project for the Construction of an Amusement Part for Birds and
Shoe and Meter: Children and Measurement Both of these titles are from the Reggio Children 'The Unheard Voice of Children' Series. In my opinion, they best exemplify the Reggio Emilia educational approach of group learning, co-construction, and negotiated curriculum. |
Videos:
Articles:
The North American Reggio Emilia Alliance has a selection of Free Resources, including articles by educators in Reggio Emilia, as well as those interpreting the approach in other contexts.
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The Learning Materials Workshop website links to the article 'Values and Principles of the Reggio Emilia Approach' by Lella Gandini.
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