Dolores A. Stegelin

Application of the Reggio Emilia Approach to Early Childhood Science Curriculum

The Reggio Emilia Approach to early childhood education is growing in its influence in the United States. This article focuses on the relevance of this Italian early childhood philosophy to science knowledge and content standards for the PreK–12 student population. This article presents (a) a summary of key concepts of the Reggio Emilia Approach, (b) a description of the science curriculum standards for the K–3 grades in the United States, and (c) an example of an in-depth project on rain forests for a second-grade class that integrates many of the concepts of the Reggio Emilia Approach. Included in this article are suggestions for planning, implementing, documenting, and evaluating a developmentally appropriate and effective science lesson for an early childhood classroom through the lens of Reggio Emilia.

Policy and advocacy content in early childhood teacher education: Results of a national survey

Abstract One important strategy for strengthening policy and advocacy in early childhood education is through the incorporation of specific course content in teacher education programs [New Perspectives in Early Childhood Teacher Education: Bringing Practitioners Into the Debate, Teachers College Press, NY, New York, 1994]. Yet, to date, little is known about the extent to which content relating to these two important issues are incorporated into teacher education programs. In response to this gap, an exploratory study of early childhood teacher education programs was conducted to determine the nature of policy and advocacy content included in undergraduate and graduate programs in the United States. Public and private institutions, ranging in size from small four‐year colleges to large public universities, participated in this national survey. Results indicated that advocacy and policy content is incorporated in most teacher education programs in a varied, yet unsystematic, manner. Respondents also identified a range of current and needed resources to support advocacy and policy education as well as a number of barriers that impede incorporation of such content in their programs.

Utilizing the ACEI Global Guidelines Assessment (GGA) Tool for Teacher Professional Development in the United States and Italy

Program quality in ECCE must be rigorously and routinely evaluated in order to ensure positive outcomes for all children. The inclusion of teachers and other internal stakeholders in program quality assessment, while critical, can bring up sensitivities. However, self-reflection is required for any meaningful improvement. In this article, the authors demonstrate the applicability of the Global Guidelines Assessment (GGA) as a tool for promoting self-reflection and analysis among preservice teachers in the United States and inservice teachers in Parma, Italy. These case studies demonstrate viability of the GGA, both in diverse contexts and in pursuit of diverse objectives.

Weaving Relationships Between Preschools, Families and Communities

The historical roots of preschools in Reggio Emilia lie deep in the history of the Reggio Emilia working classes, the history of the women of Reggio Emilia and in the history of the local government, which steadfastly believed in investing in the future. But it is also the 40-year-long history of a group of people, some highly creative in the pedagogical field and others in the political field, all highly motivated, who have skilfully managed a precious heritage of experience over the years. Finally, as far as the history of a single man can count in such a complex collective movement, it is also the history of a man with many interests, a courageous and wilful man and above all, a free thinker: Loris Malaguzzi (1920–1994). This chapter presents the intricate weaving of the cultural, social, historical, economic and human relationships over many decades that have resulted in the development of the successful and effective schools for young children in Northern Italy.

Kindergarten Environments in Reggio Emilia, Bologna, Modena, and Parma, Italy In Search of Quality

Italian kindergartens are world-renown and they have developed within the context of educational reform in Italy that has occurred since the 1940s. In this chapter, three types of kindergartens are described: private, state-funded, and municipal. Included is a brief history of the evolution of kindergartens, description of the learning environments, teacher qualifications, and child populations. A summary of the findings of the comparative Global Guidelines Assessment study of kindergartens in Bologna, Parma, Modena and Reggio Emilia is also presented.