developed a new model of education. War ought to never happened again.

Led by Loris Malaguzzi, a teacher, their idea was to enhance a child's learning

through real-life experiences instead of a fixed curriculum so that each child

develops a love for discovery, forms a personality of their own and learns to

respect others. Land, money, food and skills for the first preschool were

provided by the community. The Reggio Emilia

approach is based on the philosophy of an image of a child. All children are

viewed full of potential, with an innate sense of curiosity and endless

imagination. They are creative, capable of constructing their own learning and they

have a natural interest to explore while they follow their own interests they

also stay connected with others. Adults nurture their learning by providing a

rich environment and support. Instead of a one-size-fits-all curriculum Reggio

Emilia uses a child centered approach and project-based learning projects can

emerge anytime, for example during play. Teachers can observe and create

opportunities for new learning at a specific instance for example by opening

up new environments, letting children raise thought-provoking questions or by

inviting others to collaborate after an intervention. The children take control

and progress independently until the project is finished and can be shared

with others. Throughout a project children naturally embody the spirit of

researchers, risk takers, designers and explorers. They make hypotheses, try new

things, investigate, play and imagine. To progress

the explorers raise the questions, the researchers give feedback and the

designers demonstrate ideas and prototypes.

Lastly they all turn their theories into reality and construct experiments

together. The learning becomes social with endless ways to solve specific

problems. To promote the development of creativity teaches step aside and let

mistakes happen. The conflicts that can follow nurture their social skills.

Because conflicts teach children to speak, to listen, to argue and to discuss,

then learn to accept different opinions and to respect others for who they are.

If two kids discuss a problem a third can have an idea and the entire group

learns the value of teamwork. Teachers document projects through pictures,

videos or written observations. The learnings become visible in photographs,

drawings or sculptures, ideas, quotes and transcripts of conversations are put

onto the walls. The children can later revisit their achievements, see projects

that were left unfinished and learn that failure is part of the path to

progress. They built confidence in their own abilities. But teachers aren't

instructors, instead they are companions in the child's own journey of discovery.

They can introduce books, show new tools or offer entirely new perspectives.

However they always remain mindful not to take over the constructive learning

process knowing that this limits a child's endless imaginations and

motivation. The children are fully in charge and develop a sense of ownership

of their own progress, the foundation for a love for lifelong learning. Malaguzzi

believed that there are 100 languages children can use to express themselves:

they paint, sculpt, drum, whisper and hark they build, listen, speak or sing and

dance and they play, which Einstein allegedly said, is the highest form of

research. Children learn from adults, other

students, the environment which is regarded as the third teacher. Rich in

materials the space is designed to spark curiosity, creation and discovery.

Ideally there is an open kitchen and big windows so the children can see what's

happening outside, just like at an Italian town square, a piazza, where

we can observe the lives of other members of our community. Parents are

regarded is the last part of this education. To deepen their knowledge of a

child centered education they are encouraged to learn from and with the

teachers and children so when the children come home after school they can

continue to be researchers, risk takers and explorers. Malaguzzi once said: "stand

aside for a while and leave room for learners, observe carefully what children

do and then if you have understood well, perhaps teaching will be different from

before". Maybe one day our small researchers and explorers will grow into

the big inventors and great explorers.

Millions of students from all around the globe have watched our sprouts videos

for better learning, thousands of teachers play them in their classrooms

to start projects, volunteers on YouTube have translated them to over 25

languages. Our mission is to promote learning by doing in classrooms around

the world if you are a great explainer and a passionate teacher and you want to

help us develop outstanding content contact us, to support our channel with a

donation visit patreon.com/sprouts.