Loris Malaguzzi in Early Childhood Education

This article discusses Loris Malaguzzi's Reggio Emilia Approach in early childhood education, including its historical, social, and political contexts, the image of the child and the teacher's role, and its continuing contribution to modern early childhood education. The approach emphasizes collaboration, project-based learning, and the importance of the environment as a third teacher. It also views children as competent learners with rich potential and encourages the development of social skills and problem-solving abilities.

Loris Malaguzzi in early
childhood education

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
Main Body.......................................................................................................................................3
The Historical, social, and political contexts regarding the Reggio Emilia Approach..........3
The Reggio Emilia Approach develops the children mindset................................................4
According to the Reggio Emilia Approach, what are the image of the child and the teacher's
role..........................................................................................................................................6
The Reggio Emilia Approaches continuing contribute in the modern early childhood
education.................................................................................................................................7
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................7
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................9

INTRODUCTION
Providing education in early childhood can be beneficial in many aspects such as enhancing
social skill, boost confidence level, greater coordination as well as enhance creativity. Early
childhood education is a learning conception which is linked up with the conventional or causal
teaching methods for the children's which begins right after the birth to the age of eight. This
will develop a surrounding which is suitable for the learning and it is not possible to construct
that surrounding environment at home. Furthermore, this will also give the child exposure for the
new experiences. Loris Malaguzzi was an early childhood educator and was founder of an
educational philosophy which is known as the Reggio Emilia Approach. His aim was to develop
a strong, competent, and resilient children's. Malaguzzi believed that through his principle
guidelines children can better solve problems, engage in surrounding and develop new skills. In
this discussion, there is focus over the historical, social and political context for the Reggio
Emilia Approach. Furthermore, this discussion is also describing about how the Reggio Emilia
Approach has contributed and enhanced the learning in Early Childhood Education along with
the children image the role of the teacher as per the Reggio Emilia Approach developed by the
Loris Malaguzzi. At the end of this report, this discussion will further focus over how the Reggio
Emilia Approach is facilitating the modern learning.
Main Body
The Historical, social, and political contexts regarding the Reggio Emilia Approach
Historical Context- After the World War II, the children are in need of new learning
manner in order to prepare children mind as an asset for future. In 2005, Jackman stated that
“Reggio Emiliais” a town in northern Italy and it became their name in the world by renowned
the approach in early childhood education. After the World War II the establishment is called the
Reggio Emilia. During that time the working parents were helped to build the new school for
their children at their early stage. Loris Malaguzzi was the founder of Reggio Emilia approach.
The Malaguzzi was the promising teacher who heard about the school from the villagers of Villa
Cella. The villagers of Villa Cella had built the school as the community was very close to
Reggio Emilia. Loris Malaguzzi was so impressed by the work progress. So, after the retirement
as director. He built a program which was praised by the early-childhood educators all over the
world who is commitment to the innovation (Mesher & Amoriggi., (2001)).

Social Context- In context of social, as it promotes working together with the families so
as to provide best relationship, education and respect. The Reggio Emilia approach to social in
order to develop the children’s learning through the social interactions within the classroom as
well as environment, other than the traditional method in which the educator being the teacher
and the children’s being the listener. Within the curriculum of Reggio Emilia, the children
viewed as the competent learners. From this curriculum the children involve in learning
programme more actively along with the peers, educator and the parents. All the member
involves within this programme approach are involves more actively. There is an educational
theorist Loris Malaguzzi who believed that the children are learned the things by doing and by
exploring the active setting through which they learned. By involvement of parents, peer in
children learning, it becomes the collaborative learning process. This collaborative process can
be done by doing some activity like creating, experimenting, questioning, predicting as well as
by solving problem (Hesterman, (2013)).
Political context- In context of political, the Malaguzzi was an administrator as he was
the head person of the emerging early childhood services in Reggio Emilia. He was writing an
approach to the mayor, other city politician and officials or event to the school about the problem
related to the construction of the new school. He also includes to have an arts workshop in the
school as well as want to introduce the rulebooks for municipal schools. Malaguzzi must had an
argued to include every everything such as policy, provision, practice, structure as well as culture
which is need to follow necessarily. As the parents of the town desiring a promising future for
their children. They did not want to just follow the fascist leaders but want their children that
were equipped to make the decision of their own thinking. They want that their children will able
to distinguish or can able to choose the right rather than just being unquestioned. As this
approach can be achieved from the various cultures as well as from many different religions.
This approach may include some human right as well as the children right in order to implement
the good guideline in order to treat the other people respectfully. The Contribution of the Reggio
Emilia Approach and its importance in Early childhood education (Hesterman., (2013)).
The Reggio Emilia Approach develops the children mind set
Problem Solving- Through the Reggio Emilia approach the children may learn to solve
the problem, they truly know the different life lesson. As they are supposed to be well familiar.
From this approach the children are split into a small group where they receive the projects for
work. All the work provided to the children are with full liberty to research in order to maximise

their potential, explore different ways, explain the concept as well as solve the problem with
better hand solutions. The children may even experience the real life problem which are required
to solve along with their peers (Carter, 2020). For example, as early childhood may experience
emotional or behaviour changes which they solve by having good communication with their peer
(Mphahlele., (2019)).
Experiencing New Things- Through this approach the children may experiences new
things. As it solaces their curious mind by letting them to explore, observe as well as by learning.
The artist from all over the globe may believe that the art of singing, dancing, sculpting, theatre
and painting can be beneficial for experience. As from this the children may express their
thought and the perspective of image to the world.
Social skills development- Through Reggio Emilia approach the children may develop
social skills and engage in community and social environment, from this approach the children
may constantly get encourage or motivation in order to find the unique manner of exploration
(Woocher, (2012)).
“The Reggio Emilia Approach” works on some principle which are: -
Environment as a third teacher- Some of the Reggio Emilia Approach which works on
some principle such as collaboration practice as it is very important and great idea to connect,
discuss as well as collaborate the people with the student in order to make them feel respected,
heard along with providing their views importance. The student classroom has been inspired by
the Reggio approach. The children can sense the collaboration while having the communication
with their peers.
Approach of the Project- This principle include some project approach as it includes
that the children have to learn from the project structured according to their areas of interest.
This process called the adventures by the teacher. This project provides the progress tracking
record of the child as teacher document the whole scenario of children project work (Harcourt &
Quennerstedt, (2014)). Loris Malaguzzi construct a pedagogy for children. The pedagogy of
relation, learning as well as for liberation. Hence the curriculum is incorporated that children and
adults are working together to build their knowledge.
Parents Role- This principle also include parents Role as this principle is effective in
communication with the family member along with teacher observation can help in collaboration
as well as in building the curriculum which can nourish the children in order to maximise their
interest and development. (This Is What the Reggio Emilia Approach to Early Childhood
Education Is Like (2021)).

100 language of the children's- One of the key principle of “Reggio Emilia approach” is
hundred languages of children as it refer basically to the communication as well as emphasizes
on the importance of providing the children with hundred ways in order to share their thinking
about the world which are surrounded them (Wilson-Ali, Yelland & Marie Iorio., (2021)).
According to the Reggio Emilia Approach, what are the image of the child and the teacher's role
Malaguzzi defined the image of the child as rich in potential, powerful, competent,
strong. This all are connected to the adults and the other surrounding children. A thirteen-month
research were performed and analysation of the children's image are done by examining the
educators active listening skills and the observation over the children interest. Two group of
seventeen children were formulated and the majority of children are from low income
background, seven early childhood educators are also included. The study was based on the
image of the child ready or being capable to learn, ready to get socialize and are ready to develop
the curriculum from the experiences.
The children were provided with the portfolios so as to analysis their view. When the
educator asked some question such as what do they learn? what do they tell their parents and
many more, it has been analysed that the older children were better answering the questions with
logical answers. They are verbally able to share their learning and are collectively interacting
within the group (Acker & et.al. (2021). When the educators go deepen with the questioning then
they experience children interest, skills, problem solving, and the relationship with the other
children. Moreover, A case study also suggest that when and educator with a four year child who
has special right in the preschool, make him realise that by viewing all the children competent
and being capable creates a supportive classroom environment. The Reggio Emilia used the term
special special right as an alternative of special needs due to the reason that, Emilia believes that
the children are needy, the children are capable and of potential.
This is discussed as a child is not able to paint due to disability, when the child is
provided with an alternative way to paint by the educator make the child comfortable and the
child quickly grasp the skill of painting by the new techniques, this in turn resultant in the boost
in the confidence of the child and better interaction between the peers and a creation of the
inclusive community within the community (The Image of a Child and the Reggio Emilia
Philosophy (2017)). The teacher will work as Mentor and Guide for the children's. Basically the
teachers are the facilitators who furnish the facilities to the children to develop their abilities and

interest. Educator support children in learning through exploration and properly responding to
the children's interest and encourage them.
The Reggio Emilia Approaches continuing contribute in the modern early childhood education
The philosophy over the early-childhood learning is functional in child care across the
globe. Several preschools have adopted the Reggio Emilia Approaches as the basic of their
learning provided. Now a day, It is common in the learning practices to develop the curriculum
as per the interest of the children. The today's institution adopted the concept of light, huge airy
classroom in a open space as per the basis of Reggio Emilia Approaches. Along with the actual
educator, the environment is also considered as the teacher. On the basis of the Past principles,
the practices are still on trends like natural play areas, facilities of clutter free daycare and
encouraging the chances for the collaborative learning and playing. “The Reggio Emilia
Approaches” is also reflected through the Modern documentation techniques. Now a day the
child care institution influenced by this approach carefully documenting the progress level and
thinking enhancement in various field and media (Giuseppe & et.al., (2019)).
The child care providers are continuously documenting the learning progress with the
help of drawing, paintings, crafts, photos, transcripts and many more for evaluation and research
in the future. The Reggio Emilia Approaches strengthen the critical thinking skills thus children
are able to get the actual understanding about the things which they are learning and can able to
apply it on the daily life. Taking the basis of The Reggio Emilia Approaches children's are
guided to not rush to the another activity perhaps repeat it and encouraged to take the experience
and gain multiple observation and re-represent it. Working with this approach children's are
allowed for more step-by-step pace & more all-embracing approach which facilitate the learning
in later schooling of the children. With the help of this approach the delivery of t6he well
balanced curriculum is facilitated, which result in better higher level education (7 Ideas From
Reggio Emilia That Any Early Childhood Teacher Can Use (2020)).
Conclusion
From the above discussion it can be concluded that, Early childhood education is a
learning conception which is linked up with the conventional or causal teaching methods for the
children's which begins right after the birth to the age of eight. This will develop the
surrounding which gives the child exposure for the new experiences. The discussion is about
“the Reggio Emilia Approach” which works for the development of a strong, competent, and
resilient children's. Furthermore there is a discussion over “the Reggio Emilia Approaches”

contribution and enhanced the learning in Early childhood Education and also the development
of child image. At last there is discussion over the continuing contribution of “the Reggio Emilia
Approach” in the modern early childhood education.

REFERENCES
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Online
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childhood-teacher-can-use>
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sequence=3&isAllowed=y