The Reggio Emilia Approach to Early Years - Education Scotland

e an important factor in the creation of new early childhood courses and in determining
their content. The key factors inherent in the approach will have a direct impact on how
practitioners engage in the learning process with children in the early years.
Professional development programmes
ADAPTATION OF A PEDAGOGICAL APPROACH
In recent years in Scotland, we have witnessed a growing commitment to the importance of
professional development programmes in the development and maintenance of quality early
childhood provision. Such programmes are more widely available due to increased funding
from central government, which now acknowledges the critical role it has to play both in
supporting practitioners in their roles as early childhood educators and in the rapid expansion of
the early childhood service.
• This service and these programmes that support it are undergoing dramatic change
and review. The time is therefore opportune for the inclusion of features of the Reggio
Approach in continuing professional development that would extend current thinking
and practice. If practitioners are to be encouraged to become reflective learners and
teachers, this must involve considering not only how features such as documentation and
progettazione might be developed, but also possible ways in which planned time might
be increased for staff to confer and collaborate daily about individual children and shared
practice issues.
• The programme of continuing professional development in Reggio Emilia is exemplary in
its encouragement of partnership and co-operation, not simply between colleagues but
between schools. The range of early years services in Scotland is more diverse, making it
potentially more challenging to enable all educators to engage in professional development.
REGGIO EMILIA REGGIO EMILIA