One of the stunning philosophies of the Reggio Emilia Approach is the environment as the third teacher. Reggio Emilia Approach in early childhood is often misled as an art education. In fact, art is used as a tool for learning. The culture of the Italians is the underlying influence in the formation of this approach.
Taking a look at the history of Italian art, the timeless architectures, the awesome artworks and the mesmerizing landscapes bring greater understanding and explanation to why the Reggio Emilia approach embraces creativity, exploration and symbolic representation. Observing textures, colors and shapes of the surrounding landscapes and buildings during my time in Italy brought me endless wonders and awe. The great Italian painters like Raphael, Perugino and Michaelangelo reflected their ancient land with detailed observation of colours and forms. It was inspiring to see how your connection with the environment as your teacher brings about ideas and discoveries to a large extend.
Pop artist Andy Warhol once quoted, "everything is beautiful". If we could all believe and embrace the view on the intensity of having the environment as our teacher, for what we know, learning will be a life long affair. Let's pass this on to our children, from generation to generation...
