The Reggio Emilia Approach to Early Childhood Education is named after the town of Reggio Emilia in the Emilia Romagna province of northern Italy. In Reggio Emilia, publicly funded schools provide education for children from birth to six years. These schools have been described as among the best in the world. Although the Reggio approach was initially implemented in Early Childhood settings, it is now being integrated in Elementary schools around the world including Reggio Emilia itself.
The schools of Reggio Emilia began as a parent initiative. With the end of World War II, parents in Italy banded together and founded the town’s first pre-school. They had a vision for a new kind of school where children would be treated with respect and parents would be active participants in their children’s education.