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A Reggio Emilia Inspired Preschool
The Joy of Learning is a family-owned Preschool established in 2001. We have a Reggio Emilia inspired program designed to nurture and educate children from 1-year old to 5 years of age. We have created a culturally rich and inspiring learning environment based on the belief that every child is full of intelligence, curiosity, and wonder.
Who We Are
“The Joy of Learning” encourages parent involvement in our Reggio Emilia inspired program. Our program, inspired on the “Reggio Emilia Approach,” places emphasis on documenting children’s experience and work because it contributes to a deep understanding of the way each child learns. Documentation makes it possible for parents to become intimately and deeply aware of their children’s experience in the school.
Mission Statement
It is our mission to defend and promote the potential of all children by providing them with developmentally appropriate and caring environment that supports children’s emotional, social, cognitive and physical development, while responding to the needs of families. We are committed to establish a community where, children, parents, teachers and staff will be engaged in a challenging and joyful environment that encourages children to learn and grow confidently. With a child-initiated play and inquiry, we will be able to negotiate our curriculum on an on-going basis. We will learn from children through documentation (observations and extensive record keeping). The use of high-quality documentation of children’s work will be displayed to enhance their learning through constant observation and sharing.
The Reggio Emilia Philosophy
In the 1940s in Reggio Emilia, Italy, Loris Malaguzzi developed this philosophy. Loris believed that children are very social and curious, and that cultivating this curiousity with careful listening and support is the key to successful, lifelong learning. The Reggio structure believes that children have One Hundred Languages in which they express themselves - through speech, drawing, music, and dramatic play.
Principles of the Reggio Emilia Approach to Learning
1. The Image of the Child – Children are capable to construct their own learning. Children are viewed as capable, passionate, and creative thinkers, and interested in connecting to the world around them. Children are the main initiators of their own learning process, inspired by their own interest to know and learn. Children should be treated as active participants in their education, and not just observers.
2. The Role of the Teachers – Children learn through relationships and interactions. Our teachers are co-learners and collaborators with the children. Through working and playing in partnership, they engage in explorations, deepen their learning experiences, and nurture relationships. The teacher is a researcher, a resource, and a guide.
3. Documentation – Our teachers are also responsible for documenting the learning process within the classroom daily. This empowers us with dynamic insight into the children, which we use to create individual learning goals and strategies. More importantly, documentation demonstrates to children that their work is of value.
4. The Environment as a Third Teacher – Teachers intentionally organize, support, and plan for various spaces for children. The daily schedules are planned to ensure that there is a balance between individual, small, and large group activities, child directed and teacher -initiated activity, and inside as well as outside experiences.
5. The Hundred Languages of Children – Children should be encouraged to express themselves, through whatever means they can. Our creative, emergent curriculum builds upon the interests of children, and through their Hundred Languages it is expressed through words, drawings, paintings, buildings, and more. Children discover, learn, and express in their own unique way, and should be encouraged to use many materials to discover, communicate and demonstrate what they imagine, feel, wonder, question, or understand.
6. The Role of the Parents – We believe that the parents are our partners and their participation support the richness of the daily life of our school. Parents are invited to play an active role in their child’s learning experiences, and their ideas and skills are always welcomed. Parental involvement is critical for every child’s learning experience.
7. The Role of the Community – We encourage our children to become more connected to their community by extending our learning by exploring our environment. Together we explore diverse local environments such as beaches, farms, museums, and cultural events.
