Realizing a Progressive Pedagogy: A Comparative Case Study of Two Reggio Emilia Preschools in San Francisco

Abstract

This study aims to uncover how a particular imported philosophy of early childhood education, Reggio Emilia, is implemented in the context of one public and one private preschool in San Francisco. The philosophy of Reggio Emilia is believed to be progressive and to be developmentally appropriate for children in early childhood. The study involved a total of 8 teachers (4 in each preschool), 2 program administrators, and 60 children (30 in each preschool and 15 in each observed classroom). Results from the qualitative data analyses reveal that the private preschool maintains a higher degree of fidelity to the Reggio Emilia approach (REA) than does the public preschool. Results also indicate that there are two main factors that contribute to the aforementioned difference in implementation: school resources and teachers instructional choices. This study helps teachers, parents and researchers in the field of ECE better comprehend what contributes to the pedagogical practices at play in different schools depending on their context

Parental choice and perceived benefits of Reggio Emilia inspired programs

“…In the United States, there are a multitude of early childhood program philosophies for parents to choose from that may include, but are not limited to, Bank Street, High-Scope, Montessori, Reggio Emilia, and Waldorf (Walsh & Petty, 2007). Previous researchers have examined various aspects of Reggio Emilia inspired programs in the United States, but there is a gap in investigations on parental experiences and associated perceived benefits for choosing a constructivist-based Reggio Emilia program for their children (Abdelfattah, 2015;Andrews, 2012;Bond, 2015;Firlick, 1995;McClow & Gillespie, 1998;Smith, 2014;Swann 2008). With minimal research published on how Reggio Emilia philosophy has been adapted into early childhood programs in the United States, this study was conducted to understand lived experiences for parents choosing a Reggio Emilia program in the American Midwest for their children.…”

“…The culture of the community, country, and people in Italy play a significant part in how the original Reggio Emilia early childhood programs function and operate (Firlick, 1995;Swann, 2008). There is no formal training for Reggio Emilia programs in the United States to follow (as there is in Montessori or HighScope for example); early childhood programs in the United States can only use inspirations from Reggio Emilia as closely as possible but will never be able to replicate the original program practices in Italy (Abdelfattah 2015;Zorec, 2015).…”

“…Disadvantages of children who attended Reggio Emilia inspired programs in the United States have not been included as the purpose of the current research. It is important to acknowledge that past researchers have investigated disadvantages regarding the implementation of the European based philosophy, Reggio Emilia, into early childhood programs in the United States (Abdelfattah, 2015;Elliott, 2005). To control for bias, a brief explanation of identified disadvantages is included in Chapter 2.…”

“…A review of literature revealed a gap in examining reasons why parents in the United States have chosen one early childhood program, Reggio Emilia, over alternative, nonconstructivist-based program options and to further understand what perceived benefits parents identified after their children attended a Reggio Emilia inspired program (Andrews, 2012;Grogan, 2012;Johansen, Leibowitz, & Waite, 1996). Past research has been published on various topics regarding Reggio Emilia inspired program philosophy in the United States (Abdelfattah, 2015;Andrews, 2012;Bond, 2015;Firlick, 1995;McClow & Gillespie, 1998;Smith, 2014;Swann 2008). Research has also been conducted on benefits for children that have attended preschool (Hall et al, 2013;Hatcher, Nuner, & Paulsel, 2012;Mawdsley & Hauser-Cram, 2013;Recchia & Bently, 2013).…”

“…A constructivist-based early childhood philosophy like Reggio Emilia has been shown as a best learning model for preschool-aged children, yet policymakers continue to push for an academic, teacher-directed philosophy instead (Apple, 2008;Brown, 2015;Diamond, 2010;Nitecki & Chung, 2013;Ozturck, 2016). Past research has been conducted on benefits for children that attended preschool but not specifically on what children experienced as beneficial after they attended a Reggio Emilia preschool program in the United States (Abdelfattah, 2015;Elliott, 2005;Hall et al, 2012;Hatcher et al, 2012;Mawdsley & Hauser-Cram, 2013;Recchia & Bently, 2013;Swann, 2008). Past research has also been conducted on various aspects of Reggio Emilia philosophy, but there is a lack of literature on why parents in the United States choose Reggio Emilia inspired programs for their children (Andrews, 2012;Grogan, 2012;Johansen et al,1996).…”