Reggio preschools near me: Member Schools and Organizations – North American Reggio Emilia Alliance
Member Schools and Organizations – North American Reggio Emilia Alliance
Member Schools and Organizations – North American Reggio Emilia Alliance
Find a school or organization near you.
* This listing of schools and organizations is a service of NAREA and does not represent an endorsement by NAREA.
University of Alabama Children’s Program
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 2053487932
Location:
651 Peter Bryce Blvd.
Tuscaloosa, AL 35401
Child Parent Centers
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 520-882-0100
Location:
602 E. 22nd St.
Tucson, AZ 85713
Paradise Valley Community College
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 602-787-7000
Location:
18401 N. 32nd St.
Phoenix, AZ 85032
Tucson Children’s Project
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (520) 979-2186
Location:
Tucson, AZ
St.
Michaels University School
Email:
Phone:
Location:
Victoria, BC
Ascension Lutheran Church Preschool
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 3103736083
Location:
26231 Silver Spur Rd
Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275
Bay Area Discovery Museum – The Discovery School
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 7737441331
Location:
Bay Area Discovery Museum – Fort Baker – Sausalito, CA
Buds and Blossoms Preschool
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 17605711101
Location:
2809 S. Mission Rd.
Fallbrook, CA 92028
Educare at Silicon Valley
Email: [email protected]
Phone:
Location:
1399 Santee Drive
San Jose, CA 95122
Executive Director
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 4155964824
Location:
Cow Hollow School, The Presidio
Jardin de Mariposas School
Email: melissa@jdmschool.
com
Phone: 6507966807
Location:
Los Altos
La Scuola International School
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (415) 551-0000
Location:
3250 18th Street
San Francisco, California
Mamatalk – Family Education Program
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 3109803120
Location:
211 Golden Springs Drive
Walnut, California 91789
Pacific Sage Preschool
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 4242410308
Location:
5621 Montemalaga Dr.
Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275
Presidio Knolls School
Email:
Phone:
Location:
250 10th St.
San Francisco, CA 94103
Silverado Childrens Center
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 714-649-2214
Location:
St. Margaret’s Episcopal School
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 9496610108
Location:
San Juan Capistrano
Stretch The Imagination
Email: michelle@stretchtheimagination.
com
Phone: 4157222534
Location:
San Francisco
World of Wonder
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 3103736083
Location:
26231 Silver Spur Road
Rancho Palos Verdes, Ca 90275
Boulder Journey School
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 3034438909
Location:
Boulder, Colorado
Foothill Preschool
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 7202497726
Location:
110 S. Roosevelt Ave.
Lafayette, CO. 80026
King School
Email: [email protected]
Phone:
Location:
1450 Newfield Ave
Stamford, CT 06905
St. John’s Preschool
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 2023382574
Location:
Washington DC
Two Birds Inc
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 2026272142
Location:
4001 Brandywine St
Washington DC 20016
Little Einsteins Preschool
Email: oureinsteins@gmail.
com
Phone: 7866838042
Location:
5201 Village Blvd, West Palm Beach,Florida,33407
L’Atelier School
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 305-662-2327
Location:
5960 SW 71st St
Miami, Fl 33143
The Experiential School of Tampa Bay at Shorecrest Preparatory School
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 7274567541
Location:
5101 First Street Northeast
St Petersburg, FL 33703
Tree Top Academy
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 5617475111
Location:
Jupiter, FL
UNF Preschool
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 9046202371
Location:
Freedom Park Preschool
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 404-373-4650
Location:
502 Seminole Ave
Atlanta, GA 30307
GPCP
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 4045210440
Location:
Northbrook United Methodist Church Preschool
Email: jpicquet@northbrookumc.
com
Phone: 7709986667
Location:
11225 Crabapple Rd
Roswell, GA 30075
Peachtree Presbyterian Preschool
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 404-842-5809
Location:
3535 Roswell Road
Atlanta, GA 30305
Saint Anne’s Day School
Email: [email protected]
Phone:
Location:
3098 St. Anne’s Lane
Atlanta, GA 30327
The Nest Nursery School
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 404-627-1200
Location:
1040 Grant St
Atlanta, GA 30315
Chicago Commons Assoc.
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 7733221823
Location:
CHICAGO
Chicago Commons Assoc.
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 7733221823
Location:
CHICAGO
Reggio Academy
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 7087653030
Location:
Palos Heights, IL
Scuola Italiana Enrico fermi
Email: info@siefchicago.
org
Phone: 3129718064
Location:
St. Mark’s Preschool
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 6308581020
Location:
393 N Main St
Glen Ellyn, IL 60137
University of Chicago Laboratory Schools
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 7737024543
Location:
University Primary School
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 2173333996
Location:
51 Gerty Drive
Champaign, Illinois 61820
University Primary School
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 2173333996
Location:
51 Gerty Drive
Champaign, Illinois 61820
Velma Thomas Early Childhood Center
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 773-535-4088
Location:
Chicago, IL
St. Mary’s Early Childhood Center
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 3173614868
Location:
901 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr.
Indianapolis, IN 46202
St.
Vincent Early Learning Center
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 8124244780
Location:
Evansville, Indiana
Bergman Academy
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 5152740453
Location:
100 45th St.
Des Moines, IA 50312
The Independent School
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 316.686.0152
Location:
2nd Presbyterian Weekday School
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 5028953295
Location:
3701 Old Brownsboro Rd.
Louisville, KY 40207
Community Coordinated Child Care (4C)
Email: [email protected]
Phone:
Location:
1215 S. 3rd Street
Louisville, KY 40203
https://www.4cforkids.org
Generation Success DBA Aba Healing Academy
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 5046055195
Location:
4650 General Degualle Drive, Ste 104
New Orleans, LA, 70131
St.
Matthew’s Episcopal School
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 9858725573
Location:
Houma, Louisiana
Takoma Park Cooperative Nursery School
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 3015857272
Location:
Asian American Civic Association
Email: [email protected]
Phone:
Location:
87 Tyler St
5th Floor
Boston, MA 02111
Campus Child Care, Inc
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 5083616238
Location:
Six programs on the campus of Harvard University
Friends Academy
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 508-999-1356
Location:
North Dartmouth, MA
Garden Gate CDC
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 5086969997
Location:
30 Featherstone Ln.
Oak Bluffs, MA 02557
Lincoln Nursery School
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 781259886
Location:
Located on the campus of the deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum in Lincoln, MA.
Lincoln Nursery School
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 781259886
Location:
Located on the campus of the deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum in Lincoln, MA.
Radcliffe Child Care Center
Email: [email protected]
Phone:
Location:
1 DeWolfe St
Cambridge, MA 02138
The Advent School
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 6177420520
Location:
15 Brimmer St.
Boston, MA 02108
Woodbridge School
Email: [email protected]
Phone:
Location:
Andover
Worcester Head Start
Email: [email protected]
Phone:
Location:
770 Main St.
Worcester, MA 01610
Bread and Roses
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 2693839956
Location:
Kalamazoo
Children of the Rising Sun Empowerment Center
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 313-766-5676
Location:
Detroit, Michigan
KidsPark, Inc
Email: Erica@kidsparkdropin.
org
Phone: 651-603-0144
Location:
2143 Jefferson Ave
St. Paul, MN 55105
Westwood Early Childhood Center
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 952-545-5624
Location:
Westwood Lutheran Church
9001 Cedar Lake Road
St Louis Park MN
Autism & Behavioral Spectrum
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 314-339-7732
Location:
14733 Clayton Road
Chesterfield, MO 63011
Creative Development Academy
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (314) 383-1554
Location:
3948 N Kings Hwy
St. Louis MO 63115
Kids International Early Childhood Education
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 6363916061
Location:
412 Old State Rd.
Ellisville, MO 63021
The College School
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 314-962-9355
Location:
7825 Big Bend Blvd.
Saint Louis, MO 63119
High Sierra Study Group
Email: highsierrastudygroup@gmail.
com
Phone: 775-747-4981
Location:
Reno, Nevada
Emerson School for Preschoolers
Email: [email protected]
Phone:
Location:
247 Pleasant St
Concord, NH 03301
Its A Childs World LLC
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 6036061990
Location:
32 Hooksett Rd.
Auburn, NH 03032
The Dewey School
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 6037318091
Location:
158 Hackleboro Rd
Canterbury, NH 03224
A Child’s Place School
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 7327470141
Location:
International Children’s Academy
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 9734460016
Location:
150 Clark Drive
Budd Lake, NJ 07828
Voyager’s Community School
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 732-842-1660
Location:
1000 Sanger Avenue
3rd Floor
Oceanport, NJ 07757
All Souls School
Email: jvest@allsoulsschoolnyc.
org
Phone:
Location:
Manhattan
District 20 Pre-K Centers
Email: [email protected]
Phone:
Location:
369 93rd St
Brooklyn, NY 11209
First Presbyterian Church Nursery School
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 2126913432
Location:
New York City
Green Hive
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 347-882-9526
Location:
Williamsburg, Brooklyn
The Jewish Education Project
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 3144527274
Location:
The Rockefeller University Child and Family Center
Email: [email protected]
Phone:
Location:
1230 York Ave
New York, NY 10065
The Washington Market School
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 212-233-2176
Location:
Lower Manhattan
Carolina Friends/Durham Early School
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 9192867795
Location:
404-A Alexander Ave
Durham, NC 27705
cfsnc.
org
Charlotte Jewish Preschool
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 7045542005
Location:
5007 Providence Rd
#109
Charlotte, NC
Laurelwood Community Preschool
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 7042438580
Location:
4710 Waxhaw-Marvin Road
Waxhaw, NC 28173
Little Schoar Academy of Kannapolis
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 7049251259
Location:
Kannapolis, NC
The School of Wonder
Email: [email protected]
Phone:
Location:
Wilmington, NC
Great Lakes Community Action Partnership (GLCAP)
Email: [email protected]
Phone:
Location:
127 S. Front St.
Fremont, OH 43420
One School
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 6144719270
Location:
Gahanna, Ohio
Parma Preschool
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 1-216-741-9094
Location:
5280 Broadview Rd
Parma, OH 44134
The Overfield School
Email: bporonsky@overfield.
org
Phone: 9373395111
Location:
172 S Ridge Ave
Troy, Ohio 45373
Council Oak Elementary
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 9188339400
Location:
1920 S. Cincinnati Ave.
Tulsa, OK 74119
Affiliated Services for Children and Youth-ASCY
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 9055746876
Location:
526 Upper Paradise Rd. Unit A
Hamilton, Ontario L9C5E3
Canada
Autumn Hill Academy
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 9054179779
Location:
Concord
Hamilton Wentworth Catholic Child Care Centres
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 905- 525-2268 Ext
Location:
Kanata Research Park Family Centre
Email: [email protected]
Phone:
Location:
100 Helmsdale Drive
Kanata, Ontario K2K2S5
The Bishop Strachan School
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 416-483-4325
Location:
Viva Kids Academy
Email: admissions@vivakids.
ca
Phone: 416-483-7070
Location:
3420 Yonge Street
Young Minds Preschool
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 9056326777
Location:
2250 Fairview Street
Burlington. ON
L7R4C7
Bamboo International School
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 5035314094
Location:
Portland, OR
From Cradle to Crayons
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 5037431034
Location:
Turner, Oregon
Kaleidoscope Community School
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 971-444-2439
Location:
Salem
PossibilitiesECE
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 5038665848
Location:
Portland
The Co-op Family Center
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 541-346-7400
Location:
Eugene
Colegio Karl C Parrish
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 3045245708
Location:
Colombia/ South America
Kids Creative School
Email: admin@americanschool.
edu.do
Phone: 8095676824
Location:
Calle C 7
Santa Domingo, D.N.
10504
Maplewood Richmond Heights Early Childhood Center
Email: [email protected]
Phone:
Location:
Richland Academy
Email:
Phone:
Location:
Village of FPC
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 724-938-5455
Location:
California, PA 15419
William Penn Charter School
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 2158443460
Location:
Philadelphia
Garderie Imagine Inc.
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 8197737547
Location:
Gatineau
French American School of Rhode Island
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 4012743325
Location:
75 John Street
Providence, RI 02906
Learning Brooke Early Childhood Education Center
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 401-941-3705
Location:
1170 Pontiac Ave
Cranston, RI 02920
First Baptist Day School
Email: kathy.
[email protected]
Phone: 8642712613
Location:
Greenville, SC
Highland Plaza United Methodist Preschool
Email: [email protected]
Phone:
Location:
4226 Norcross Rd
Hixson, TN 37343
Becker School
Email: [email protected]
Phone:
Location:
1500 Sunset Blvd
Houston, TX 77005
Becker School
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 7135356400
Location:
1500 Sunset Blvd
Houston, TX 77005
Brighton Center
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 210-826-4492
Location:
14207 Higgins Rd
San Antonio, TX 78217
Discovery School of Innovation
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 7034096396
Location:
The Woodlands, TX
German International School of Dallas
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 12145070130
Location:
12411 Templeton Trail
Farmers Branch
Texas 75234
St.
Francis Episcopal School
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 7134586115
Location:
Houston
The Mays School
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 713-669-9286
Location:
Houston, TX
Tigerlily Preschool
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 512-436-0583
Location:
8601 S. 1st St
Austin, TX 78748
tigerlilypreschool.com
Longwood University/Andy Taylor Center
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 434-395-4868
Location:
201 High Street
Farmville, VA 23909
Sabot At Stony Point (Preschool – 8th Grade)
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (804) 272-1341
Location:
3400 Stony Point Rd
Richmond Virginia 23235
The Butterfly House At Virginia Theological Seminary
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 703-461-1786
Location:
Alexandria, VA
The Butterfly House At Virginia Theological Seminary
Email: jsanchez@vts.
edu
Phone: 703-461-1786
Location:
Alexandria, VA
International Friends School
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 6318853526
Location:
Bellevue
Northern Pines Academy
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 509-990-9096
Location:
5101 S Freya St.
Spokane, WA 99223
Orcas Island Children’s House
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 3603764744
Location:
Orcas Island, Washington
Our Beginning
Email: [email protected]
Phone:
Location:
1122 East Pike Street
#599
Seattle, WA 98122
PRLC Preschool
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 2067898244
Location:
Seattle
MUEE STEAM Center
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 304-521-5352
Location:
Huntington, WV
Mequon Jewish Preschool
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 12622425437
Location:
11112 N Crown Court, Mequon, WI 53092
Preschool Of The Arts
Email: info@preschoolofthearts.
com
Phone: 6082331707
Location:
Madison, WI
The Children’s Museum of Eau Claire
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 715-933-1434
Location:
40 S. Barstow St., Eau Claire, WI 54701
Under The Willows Early Learning
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 608-318-0584
Location:
Dane County
Under The Willows Early Learning
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 608-318-0584
Location:
5391 Broken Bow Rd.
Sun Prairie, WI 53590
Town of Burke
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Reggio Emilia Preschools in Chicago IL
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Recent Reviews for Reggio Emilia Preschools in Chicago IL
New Beginning Child Care, Chicago
“Ms.
Thurman is a great teacher and provider. she cared for my son for almost two years.”
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Heavenly Little Giants, Chicago
“My children had an amazing time every day they were at this Day Care. They were well taken care of…had plenty of play time, learning time, and discovery time. Healthy meals and”
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Other Reggio Emilia Preschools near Chicago IL
The Nook Daycare South Loop, Chicago
The Nook Daycare is an individualized learning experience where children, parents, and teachers grow together to instill children with a love of…
Nia Family Center, Chicago
Nia Family Center is a year-round center in Chicago, IL. We are open from 7:00am until 6:00pm and care for children as young as 6 weeks through 5…
Erie Neighborhood House D.C. Program, Chicago
Erie Neighborhood House D.C. Program is a year-round center in Chicago, IL.
We are open from 7:30am until 5:30pm and care for children as young as 2…
Sprouts Academy Preschool, Chicago
Sprouts Academy is a center in Chicago, IL. We are open from 7:30am until 6:00pm and care for children as young as 2 years through 6 years old,…
The Trails School, Chicago
The Trails School is a year-round center in Chicago, IL. We are open from 7:30am until 6:30pm and care for children as young as 6 weeks through 5…
Cornerstone Children’s Learning Center, Chicago
Cornerstone Children’s Learning Center is a year-round center in Chicago, IL. We are open from 7:00am until 6:00pm and care for children as young as…
Concordia University Chicago – Early Childhood Education Center, River Forest
The Early Childhood Education Center (ECEC) at Concordia University Chicago is a Christ-centered community where children from birth to age 6 can.
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Paulo Freire Center, Chicago
Paulo Freire Center is a year-round center in Chicago, IL. We are open from 7:00am until 6:00pm and care for children as young as 6 weeks through 5…
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many reggio-emilia daycares and preschools are there in Chicago?
There are 28 reggio-emilia daycares and preschools in Chicago, based on CareLuLu data. This includes 3 home-based programs and 25 centers.
How much does daycare cost in Chicago?
The cost of daycare in Chicago is $894 per month. This is the average price for full-time, based on CareLuLu data, including homes and centers.
How many reggio-emilia daycares and preschools offer part-time care or drop-in care in Chicago?
Based on CareLuLu data, 24 reggio-emilia daycares and preschools offer part-time care or drop-in care in Chicago.
How many reggio-emilia daycares and preschools teach a foreign language in Chicago (Spanish, French, Chinese, etc.)?
Based on CareLuLu data, 15 reggio-emilia daycares and preschools speak at least one foreign language. Most common languages include Spanish, Chinese, Polish, French and Mandarin.
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no activities, only games – Nest, private Reggio garden, development center
What is a good kindergarten in Russia and the USA? In it, they work with children, develop them, and prepare them for school.
And what preschool institutions are popular in Japan, Denmark and Germany? Children play there all day long on their own and even “tumble around in the mud”, as one mother put it. What do kindergartens give children without special classes? Christina Gross-Lo, who has traveled half the world in search of the best recipes for parenting, shares her impressions.
In 1989, researchers compared early childhood education in Japan, China, and the United States; they also interviewed the parents of the students. 67% of Chinese parents and more than half of Americans were convinced that the first years are of great importance in preparing for further education, so children need study sessions. Only 2% of Japanese parents agreed with them. “We want children to play,” says Yasoshima-sensei, the kindergarten director. “How else will they understand what they like and who they are?”
Frankly, I often looked at the games of Japanese children with bewilderment. For example, once I watched the kids who sculpted dorodango – balls of clay and sand.
They just sat and rolled balls, one after another. For me, this game was devoid of any meaning, it’s not even Easter cakes! Other foreigners shared my skepticism: one English mother even took her six-year-old son out of kindergarten so that he could learn to read “rather than mess around in the mud.”
And the director explained to me that even such a game contributes to the development of children, but adults may not understand this. But a person, if given freedom of choice, learns in this way: by doing what he himself is interested in. Fumbling with clay balls, the children discovered the world with the help of tactile sensations. No book could give them this kind of knowledge.
They studied clay: how it changes when wet or left in the sun, how much water needs to be added to achieve the desired density, how much force is applied. Children learned to hold back disappointment and disappointment when the balloon cracked or broke into pieces, developing qualities such as patience, determination and perseverance.
If one of the comrades accidentally stepped on their products, the children tried to resolve the conflict themselves. The higher the pile of balloons grew, the more satisfied the children experienced. In this way, they gained authority from their comrades and acquired the skills of mutual assistance.
But the main thing in children’s games (whether it’s clay balls, a tree house or bug hunting) is independence. Kids themselves set a task for themselves – and achieve the goal themselves. Adults do not impose rules on them and do not control the process. They don’t interfere. Once I also sat down to roll balls, and now the children looked at me with bewilderment: in their understanding, this was not an adult activity.
Toddlers don’t just dig in the clay: they are constantly learning by asking questions and finding answers to them. Their day is filled with constant meaningful activity. A Japanese college student shared his kindergarten memories with me: “Every morning I thought about what I would do today.
The whole day belonged to me alone.
Kindergarten in Denmark
As a graduate student, Rebecca did an internship at a “forest school” in the western part of Denmark. This institution for children from three to six years old was located on the edge of the forest; on the other side it bordered on a small sea bay.
One winter, when the dim northern sun was barely peeking out from behind the treetops, the teachers and the group went to the sea. “On the way, the children dreamed of swimming, and the teachers only smiled back,” says Rebecca. No one tried to convince the kids, no one forbade them to approach the water and did not say how dangerous thin ice is.
The boys were collecting stones and shells; when one girl said that she wanted to climb into the sea, the teacher said: “To do this, we will first have to break through the ice. And we have one small towel with us.” The girl nodded and began to undress. Some children followed her lead. The teacher silently watched what was happening.
“We broke the ice near the shore so that the children could enter the water. They laughed, squealed, and I stood with a towel at the ready, – Rebecca smiles. — None of them climbed further into the sea, and they definitely remembered that swimming in winter is not a good idea. Afterward, the children said that they felt like harsh Vikings, and, I confess, I was impressed by their courage.”
In the “forest school” pupils played for hours in the open air in any weather. In nature, they felt like fish in water and were not afraid to explore the world around them. “The children were strong and healthy. They also did without toys and figured out what to do themselves, using what nature gives,” Rebecca said enthusiastically. “There is no bad weather, there is bad clothes (I have heard this saying more than once from Scandinavians).”
Kindergarten in Germany
I myself happened to visit the German “forest school” on the outskirts of Düsseldorf. At first, I was struck by the silence that reigned here; it was broken only by the singing of birds, the crackling of branches underfoot, and the rustling of the wind in the crowns of tall trees.
Then low voices and laughter were heard in the distance.
Coming closer, I saw about fifteen children of three to six years old and several adults. Both of them were dressed in thick jackets with hoods, waterproof boots on their feet. Everything needed for classes: books, tools, and so on, was stored in a small trailer, next to which there were tables and chairs.
The day began with everyone sitting on the logs in a circle in a clearing and singing to the guitar. After singing, the children listened to a story. When the “circular” time came to an end, the children ran to play. Some dug in the ground, others fiddled in the sandbox, others climbed further into the forest; they remained in the field of view of educators, but at the same time they were left to their own devices.
One of the teachers, Wolfgang, led me to a “swing” – a rope hanging from a tree, to which a strong twig was tied. The children did everything themselves, even sawed off a knot of the desired length.
It was not easy to stay on such a bungee, but this caused delight.
“The rope swings and the children have to work harder to hold on. They learn to control their bodies,” explained Wolfgang. — Unlike an ordinary playground, we do not have a task. Children make up their own minds.”
In a forest school, the teacher doesn’t say, “Let’s make a swing today!” Adults help students bring ideas to life, but the initiative always comes from children.
There are about seven hundred “forest schools” in Germany, and their number is growing. The Germans believe that children should spend as much time outside as possible. It is useful for them to be closer to nature, and it’s okay if, as a result, they return dirty from head to toe.
Preschool children not only walk in the fresh air all day long, but learn to control their body, discover its possibilities for themselves, and no one imposes an artificial schedule on them. Comparing pupils of the German “forest schools” with their peers from urban kindergartens, experts found that the former are more attentive and enduring, get along easier with comrades, in general behave calmer and less irritated.
One of the reasons for this behavior is that they spend less time in confined spaces.
We are looking at a five-year-old boy in a red sweater who is painstakingly sharpening a stick with a small knife. Educators teach children how to use tools correctly and make sure that they handle them carefully, but no one stands over the boy’s soul and laments that he will get hurt now.
All morning the guys went about their business: little Lina caught bugs in the grass, a flock of kids pumped water with a pump – they needed it for playing. At noon, everyone was invited to dinner. Then the children gathered for a walk, took tools and bags with things from the trailer and slowly set off. It was the kids, not the teachers, who determined how fast we would move: no one urged them on, they often stopped to look at an interesting bush, tree or stone.
In “forest schools” kids are not divided by age and are not loaded with a bunch of rules. They decide for themselves what to do and with whom to be friends, and most importantly, they have space for imagination and activity.
Today, work with children in almost all kindergartens in Germany is based on play. In the 1970s, the country carried out a reform of preschool education, during which most kindergartens actually turned into learning-oriented schools for toddlers. A few years later, it turned out that the graduates of these institutions were not only not ahead of their peers, but even lagged behind those who once visited the game gardens. The guys who were engaged exclusively in games in childhood did better in math and reading, adapted to the new environment more easily and were emotionally more stable. In addition, they were distinguished by an interest in learning and a creative approach to tasks. So the German government recognized the ineffectiveness of the reform. The game has been rehabilitated.
From the book “Parents Without Borders”, Kristina Gross-lo
Source
as a Petersbourger created a kindergarten, inspired by Regino
Source: VK
9000 Alexander Sumbaev never dreamed of opening a kindergarten.
But when her son grew up, and she began to look for a kindergarten for him, there was nothing suitable in the Nevsky district of St. Petersburg. She had no choice but to open her own. She shared with us how she decided to do this, how her kindergarten differs from others, and what it is like to manage a preschool in Russia today.
I didn’t intend to open a kindergarten. I graduated from the Higher School of Management, and I thought that those who can’t do anything go to pedagogy. Psychology was considered a pseudoscience. Where am I, and where is the kindergarten? But everything changes when children appear. With my characteristic perfectionism, I dived into pedagogy and psychology and realized that it was very interesting for me.
I knew that after two years I wanted to send my son to kindergarten. I am one of those mothers who still need to do something in order to draw a resource somewhere, to realize themselves. I didn’t want to go to the state garden, because I understood that it was difficult for a teacher to cope with so many children and at the same time communicate with them in the way I thought was right.
I thought everything was fine in private gardens. We started looking. It turned out that everything is sad in our Nevsky district with private kindergartens. Their only difference from the state ones is smaller groups.
In one garden, my son took a pipe and wanted to put a typewriter into it, and they said to him: “Why? This is for trains only. In my opinion, such restrictions and narrow-mindedness in raising a child are completely unnecessary.
Then I got to an educational conference at which Dima Zitser, founder of the Institute of Non-Formal Education and the School of Non-Formal Education “Orange” spoke. He said: “Parents, why are you making excuses that there is no good school nearby. It’s a matter of priorities. If a good school is important to you, move closer to it.” And I thought: “Moving is an option. What can you do if you don’t move? Try to open something of your own.
I really wanted to open a place where parents can come, who are used to communicating and talking with a child, to perceive him as a person, to explain, and not just force him to do something.
I thought that there would probably be more and more such parents. And in our area, they have practically nowhere to go. And so the garden was born.
There are no Reggio gardens. There are gardens inspired by Reggio
When I was looking for a garden for my son, I first encountered Reggio’s approach. I started to learn, read about it. And I realized that this corresponds to the picture of the world that was drawn in my head.
For me, Reggio is a very good frame to work in. But I am in favor of not sticking to any one approach. For example, we strongly focus on the Inspiration preschool education program. It was written based on the experience of Reggio Gardens and democratic kindergartens and schools in Finland. We take something from Montessori. If we see something cool, we try it. We are very flexible. We always have something new, and something becomes obsolete. We are always changing.
I like the concept of Reggio, because the Italians themselves say that it is impossible to create identical gardens.
You need to understand the cultural, climatic context, and most importantly, the context of those people who come – parents, children, educators, because people form this environment. There are no Reggio gardens, there are gardens inspired by Reggio.
Reggio emphasizes that development is a basic need of the child. It is believed that whatever the child is doing at the moment, this is what is important for him now for development. The task of an adult is to organize a space in which the child has a lot of choice, and he can decide what to do.
Source: VK
The founder of the Reggio approach, Loris Malaguzzi, has a poem “A Child’s Hundred Languages”. It is about the fact that every child has a hundred ways to express himself – through speech, dance, drawing, vocalization, theatricalization. When we see that a child is interested in something, we play on it, offer him a lot of activities. If what we offer is not interesting to the child, no one will in any case even artificially motivate him.
External motivators are the way to kill children’s curiosity.
Our mission is to help a child climb his own mountain
One of my favorite Malaguzzi quotes is “Our mission is to help a child climb his own mountain.” Everyone has strengths. We must support the child in his own way. It is not simple. To see this, one must subtly feel and understand children and always be attuned to them.
It was difficult to find people who are willing to work in this way. This is much more difficult than working on a ready-made written program. We have flexible planning. We are planning for the next week, and even that doesn’t mean that we will strictly adhere to the plan. Something may change. Some events can happen in the lives of children. They may be more interested in something else now, and we will go in this direction, after them. It is important for the educator to be included all the time. It’s complicated. It is much easier to come to work when you have ready-made notes and you just follow them.
You graduated from St. Petersburg State University and work in a kindergarten?!
The great misfortune of our society is that we depreciate the labor of people who work with children. And this is hellish work, if you invest in it with your soul, if you talk to each child, persuade, explain to him why we do something in a certain way, and not just shout and command.
At the same time, this is low-paid work. But it’s not even so much about money, but about people, the social status of this work.
The general cultural level of the teacher is very important to me. When a child is with this person most of the time, it is clear that he will copy everything – behavior patterns, speech patterns, conversation.
I have many educators who graduated from the university. When they tell their friends that they graduated from the Faculty of Psychology at St. Petersburg State University with honors and are now working as teachers in a kindergarten, their eyes just go out of their heads.
At preschool age, everything is laid in a child. Why do we think this is a job for no matter who? The main thing is to just look after it so that it is healthy. You can earn injuries that will then come back to haunt you all your life if the educators are psychologically illiterate.
When a new vacancy appears, it is always a pain for me. People are found, but very slowly, with sweat and blood. These should be altruists, people who understand that they want to work with children and nothing else, that this is their calling.
Source: VK
In Finland and Asia, educators are treated quite differently. Our parents also understand how important and valuable the work of an educator is. They treat educators just like gods. But this is a very small percentage of people. If we want changes in education, we need to do something with the perception, the image of the educator.
Why am I here?
Kindergarten is an absolutely unprofitable business.
It’s not about business, it’s about children.
Sometimes when it got really hard, I thought, “My God, I could go to the office for a good salary. Why am I here? Then I realized that I couldn’t. In the office, even if you work 300 percent, what will be the result? Well, sales will increase. What’s the point of this?
There is no question “why” here. When it becomes difficult for me, I come and look at the children. They are cool. Even adults sometimes don’t know how to communicate the way they do.
For example, children aged 4-6 can play with eight or nine for half an hour without adult intervention, resolving conflicts on their own without losing a single person. Any teacher will understand how great it is.
They are not afraid to make mistakes.
They know that it is perfectly normal to have different opinions. A six-year-old child can quite calmly say: “I think so, you think differently. It happens”.
They like to do everything.
Of course, there may be activities in which children do not want to be included simply because they do not like it. But there is no such thing that they are afraid that they will be forced to do something. In some kindergartens, they are crushed, and then the children are generally afraid of any activity.
Source: VK
They calmly communicate with adults. They understand how it is impossible with them. They understand that their opinion is valuable. For many parents, this is a real challenge.
Children are very flexible
When children come from another kindergarten, it is very difficult for them and for us. They are used to the fact that in order for them to do something, there must be some kind of impact. And we are not used to raising our voice, manipulating “if you don’t do this, then you won’t get this”, motivate with something external – stickers and the list goes on.
But children change when they are in an environment that is accepted differently.