Children are viewed as competent, curious, full of knowledge, potential, and interested in connecting to the world around them. Teachers are deeply aware of children’s potentials and construct all of their work and environment of the children’s experience to respond appropriately. Children should be considered as active citizens with rights, as contributing members, with their families, of their local community. This is the image of the child we try to encourage in our school.

The school environment is the child’s third teacher.  Each space has an identity and purpose and should be rich in potential to engage and further children’s play. It should be a flexible environment, responsive to the need for teachers and children to learn together. The environment also respects children as capable by providing them with authentic materials & tools. The space is cared for by the children and the adults. Moreover, the classroom environment can help shape a child’s identity as a powerful player in their life and the lives of others. We try to create an environment that reflects what topics the children are interested in and currently exploring.

In the Reggio Emilia classroom, nature and natural materials play an important role in connecting the child to the world around them and those who inhabit that space.  Natural materials are wonderfully open-ended and can delight the senses, offer hands-on learning, and help children create lasting connections to the natural world.

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One of the pillars of the Reggio Emilia approach is helping children become conscious citizens who will give back to their community.  The learning environments branch beyond one room or one instructor so that the children immediately feel included and part of the school. Community involvement can take many forms. It begins with an awareness of what amenities, resources and opportunities are available, and progresses to establishing links with the potential to extend and develop its involvement in the wider community.

Play provides a crucial foundation for children to learn, develop new skills, and build relationships with others. We understand that children are innately curious and, when given the space, time and guidance, they are able to learn naturally in an authentic and safe environment.   Play is a child’s lab; children practice and reinforce their learning in multiple areas during play. It gives them a place and a time for learning that cannot be achieved through completing a worksheet.

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Children are encouraged to investigate, explore and reflex on their experiences.  Since the children are listened to with respect, they believe that their questions and observations are an opportunity to learn and search together. It is a process; a continual process and a collaborative process. Rather than the child asking a question and the adult offering the answers, the search is undertaken together.