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understand, wonder about, question, feel, and imagine. In this way, they make their
learning visible through many languages (Cadwell, 2003).
The three subjects of education: Children, parents and teachers.
In order for children to learn, their well-being has to be guaranteed. Such wellbeing
is connected to the well-being of parents and teachers. It is recognized that as an
extension of the child’s right to high quality care and education, parents have a right to be
involved in the life of the school. Parents are a competent and active part of their
children’s learning experience (Gandini, 2002).
The ideas and skills that the families bring to the school and, even more
important, the exchange of ideas between parents and teachers, favour the development
of a new way of educating. This helps teachers to view the participation of families not as
a threat, but as an intrinsic element of collegiality as well as the integration of different
wisdoms (Spaggiari, 1998).
The image of the teacher.
Teachers serve in the role of partner, nurturer, and guide. To know how to plan
and proceed with their work, teachers listen and observe children closely. Teachers ask
questions, discover children’s ideas, hypotheses and theories; and provide occasions for
discovery and learning (Gandini, 2004). When educators in Reggio Emilia speak about
education as self- and social construction, they refer to adults as well as children.
Malaguzzi (1998) stressed the importance of teachers being open to change and
reconstruction of themselves as teachers. Rinaldi (1998) affirms that when discussing the
transcripts of children’s work, teachers subsequently begin to question themselves and
each other. This disposition on the part of Reggio teachers to question themselves and to