Did you know that going deep into projects with your students is more beneficial than drastically flipping themes on a weekly basis?
Project-based learning (PBL) in the context of the Reggio Emilia philosophy offers a child-centered approach that empowers children to explore and construct their knowledge through hands-on, inquiry-based projects. Unlike a teacher-determined thematic-based curriculum (that kind that changes weekly), PBL is an evolution over time and encourages active engagement, critical thinking, and collaboration. This approach aligns with the core principles of the Reggio Emilia philosophy and brings several benefits to children in early childhood education.
PBL in the Reggio Emilia tradition values the child as an active participant in their learning journey. It recognizes that children have unique interests, ideas, and capabilities, and aims to nurture their innate curiosity. By engaging children in long-term projects that align with their interests and questions, PBL provides a platform for children to delve deep into topics of personal significance, fostering a sense of ownership and motivation in their learning.
Some curriculum "races" children through a pre-determined outline of ideas and discourages students from deviating. PBL promotes collaboration and social interaction among children. As they work on projects together, they learn to communicate, negotiate, and share ideas with their peers. This collaborative environment empowers students to develop their social skills, empathy, and respect for diverse perspectives. The Reggio Emilia philosophy emphasizes the importance of social relationships and the belief that learning is a social process, and doing it together is even better!
PBL also promotes critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Through project work, children encounter real-world and in-the-momentchallenges that require them to analyze, evaluate, and generate solutions. They develop the ability to think critically, make connections, and apply their knowledge in meaningful ways. This approach fosters innovation and prompts children through the naturally occurring issues along their inquisition.
By contrast, a teacher-determined thematic-based curriculum often follows a predetermined set of topics and activities, limiting children's autonomy and stifling their natural curiosity. It may not align with their individual interests, needs, or cultural backgrounds. One project could provide our students into 20-25 milestones to practice in one day, where as the "Letter of the Week" limits our children from "wandering" off of letter "Dd" for the next 5 days. When the topic isn't relative to a child, we all know, their engagement (and the likelihood of them retaining this information) is not happenin'. We'd rather notice "Dd"s (and all of the letters) all of the time and throughout the entire year!
So yes, some of these projects might take place for months at a time; however, the deeper we can go together, the better chance we have at practicing more learning processes as a team!
