Reggio Emilia, Service Learning Trip - 2007

By Kyla McSweeney ’94/’97MS, Associate Director of Alumni Relations
From Wheelock Magazine - Spring 2007

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As I walked in to the Arcobaleno Infant Toddler Center in Reggio Emilia, Italy all I could think of is I can not believe I am actually in a Reggio Emilia early childhood program.  I began studying the Reggio Emilia approach to early childhood education as a student at Wheelock in the early 1990’s.  We studied the key elements of municipal  early education system including: the child as the protagonist of his own learning; priority given to process rather than product; emphasis on project based learning which cross subjects rather than compartmentalization; discussion among children, teachers, and parents; and professional development of teachers. 

The municipality of Reggio Emilia began a system of early education programs in 1963 with the creation of the first preschool for children aged three to six years.  The system came as a response to a powerful women’s movement in the city to municipalize the programs for young children that began cropping up at the end of the Second World War.  These women along with the citizens of the city, teachers, parents, school administrators and a local resident, Loris Malaguzzi began an approach to early education that has become world renown. 

This April, some thirteen years after I began studying the Reggio Emilia approach, I traveled to Reggio Emilia as Associate Director of Wheelock’s Alumni Office, with a group of Wheelock students, faculty members, alumni, staff and friends.  Sixty- three of us participated in a program with Reggio Children, a public- private organization that was developed in 1994 to respond to the growing demand of early education professionals worldwide to study the Reggio Emilia approach to early education.  The sixty-three of us from Wheelock joined 350 individuals from various countries including: Australia, Indonesia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and Singapore for a four day conference.  We heard lectures by some of the founders and scholars of Reggio Emilia including:  Carla Rinaldi and Amelia Gambetti.  We visited infant toddler centers and preschool programs to observe pedagogy in action.  We also explored exhibits on the children’s work at the newly created Loris Malaguzzi International Center which was opened in 2004 to house the programs of Reggio Children. 

The international group was officially welcomed by the city council and mayor of Reggio Emilia in a ceremony at Tricolore hall, the chambers of the city government and where the Italian flag was created.  President Jackie Jenkins- Scott gave remarks for the Wheelock contingent.  She was warmly greeted by municipal officials.  President Jenkins-Scott also hosted a reception for city officials and administrators from Reggio Children where we exchanged political dialogue and cultural exchanges over tasty Italian fare.  

Of course our time in Italy would not have been complete without experiencing the culture of Reggio Emilia and its surrounding communities.  Travelers participated in a walking tour of the city, took a day long excursion to Florence, visited a balsamic vinegar factory, explored the neighboring communities of Novarella and Coreggio and simply spent time among the citizens of Reggio Emilia.  The system of early childhood education is uniquely tied to the community and culture of the city and to understand one you must experience the other. 

One Wheelock alumna echoed the thoughts of many exclaiming that this trip was “a life long dream come true.”  The teachings, thoughts, culture, friendships and connections made on this trip are invaluable and will stay with the participants over a life time.  The group is already conceiving of ways to keep the group connected and furthering the work begun in Reggio Emilia.