In this article, I will examine the use of picture books as a means of supporting the intellectual pursuits of young children. Theoretical frameworks will be discussed as they pertain to the integration of these books in the Municipal Infant Toddler Centers and Preschools of Reggio Emilia and Pistoia, Italy. The pedagogical framework of these…

The Children Crossing Borders (CCB) study is a polyvocal, multi-sited project on immigration and early childhood education and care in five countries: Italy, Germany, France, England and the USA. The complicated nature of the data pushed us as a group to expand our methodological resources to not only organize the data but also to make it…

Some educators experience difficulty documenting young children's work in early childhood settings because of a limited understanding of the importance of documentation, what or how to document, and the effective use of documentation; limited resources (time, tools, and assistance); or predetermined curricular guidelines. Some teachers, especially…

Details visit that demonstrated education principles of preschools in Reggio Emilia, Italy. Highlights six principles: (1) documentation to keep past alive; (2) relationality to understand how connections are built; (3) reciprocity to suggest different treatment of time; (4) collaboration to relate child to community; (5) transparency to build…

Drawing from several weeks of observation and study in Northern Italian preschools, this paper links practices in Reggio Emilia with the theoretical constructs of John Dewey, Susan Isaacs, and Howard Gardner. Part 1 presents background about the preschools of Reggio Emilia, Italy, which are unique both in their respect for the space created for…

In this special section on creativity and learning, several articles discuss practices of schools in Reggio Emilia, Italy. Topics include the role of reciprocity between child and adult in creative learning; the importance of play for adults; and ideas directors can use to help teachers translate creativity into classroom practice. (AC)

Describes the early childhood system in Reggio Emilia, Italy, in which educators (1) ensure that children live in "a community of well-being"; (2) create a supportive environment; (3) respect individual rhythms; (4) maintain work areas for the visual arts; (5) respond flexibly to children; and (6) foster peer support. (AC)

This monograph consists of seven papers that discuss issues related to the teaching approach used in the preschools of Reggio Emilia, Italy. The papers are: (1) "Images from the World: Study Seminar on the Experience of the Municipal Infant-Toddler Centers and the Preprimary Schools of Reggio Emilia, Italy" (Lilian G. Katz), which…

Describes a student project of the Anna Frank school for three to six year olds in Reggio Emilia, Italy, in which students developed creativity by exploring the world of dinosaurs. Underscores the reciprocity between children and teachers in guiding the project. (AC)

This report on European developments in infant and toddler care services was prepared to help define issues and options for the improvement and expansion of infant and toddler care and family support systems in the United States. Introductory comments suggest that advanced industrialized countries have almost unanimously elected universal but…

The preschools operated by the municipality of Reggio Emilia in Emilia Romagna, Italy, have drawn the attention of early childhood educators worldwide. This paper describes five features of these preschools. First, the educational philosophy of the schools is influenced by the high value accorded to cooperation in nothern Italian culture; Bruner's…