At Godspell we are open to learn from the best experiences in the world. The kindergartens in Reggio Emilia, Italy, offer a philosophy and pedagogy that aligns directly with our vision and enriches it.

 

In Godspell K we do not see the child as an empty container that must be filled with knowledge, but rather a co-constructor of identity, curious, intelligent and creative. A team of pedagogues, atelierista, teachers and assistants, works together in a pedagogy of relationships and develops a firm planning in the vision and creatively flexible, which functions as a triggering spine and open to research and permanent reflection.

 

The children contribute with their questions, their perspectives and concerns and discoveries. From the experiences and the questions the projects are born, which can be carried out in small groups in the classrooms or in the atelier. During its realization, the learning processes, emotions, the creation of meaning and discoveries are documented through photographs, films and narratives. This documentation is analyzed, interpreted, revisited, to enrich it with new questions and new decisions. When exposed on the walls of the entire school, "the invisible becomes visible" (Howard Gardner), inviting the entire community to celebrate the learning process.

 

 

General Principles:

1. Children are able to build their own learning. They are driven by their interests to understand and know more.

 

2. Children form an understanding of themselves and their place in the world through their interactions with others. There is a strong emphasis on collaboration and group work and on assessing the thoughts and questions of each student. The adult is not the giver of knowledge. Children seek knowledge through their own research.

 

3. Children are communicators. Communication is a way of discovering things, asking questions, using language as a game. Children use language to investigate and explore, reflect on their experiences. You listen with respect, because your questions and observations are an opportunity to learn together.

 

4. The environment is the third teacher and is recognized for its potential to inspire children. An environment full of natural light, obstacle-free spaces, where each material is considered for its purposes, each corner is constantly evolving to encourage children to deepen their interests more and more. The space encourages collaboration, communication and exploration.

 

5. The adult is a mentor and guide. Their role is to observe the children, listen to their questions and their stories, find what interests them and then give them the opportunity to explore those additional interests. Projects are not planned in advance, they emerge on the basis of the child's interests.

 

6. An emphasis on the documentation of children's thoughts. It is important to visualize and document how learning progresses through photographs, explanations, visual representations (drawings, sculptures, etc.)

 

7. The hundred languages ​​of children: the belief that children use many different ways to show their understanding and express their ideas and creativity. A hundred different ways of thinking, of discovery, of learning. Through drawing and sculpture, through dance and movement, through painting and fiction, through modeling and music; Each of these one hundred languages ​​must be valued and taken care of.

 

*Loris Malaguzzi 

Founder of Reggio Emilia Approach