Abu Dhabi Education Council (ADEC) has sent 35 Emirati educationists and teachers from Abu Dhabi schools to Italy to learn about the Reggio Emilia approach, an educational philosophy focused on preschool and primary education, at an international forum scheduled between 12-18 April in Reggio Emilia City in northern Italy.

While there, the pre-school and grade-one teachers will attend specialised workshops and field visits to learn about the innovative approach developed by Loris Malaguzzi, who was a teacher and educationist himself, and the parents of the villages around Reggio Emilia after World War II.

The aim of Reggio Emilia approach is teaching children how to make themselves useful in everyday life. The programme which relies heavily on home-school relationships is based on the principles of respect, responsibility, and community through exploration and discovery in a supportive and enriching environment based on the interests of the children through a self-guided curriculum.

Director-General of Abu Dhabi Education Council, Amal Al Qubaisi, stressed the importance of learning in early childhood and emphasised that the council is responsible for qualifying teachers for this stage.

Investing in early childhood education, she added, brings huge economic, social, cultural and knowledge benefits to the country as the process enhances children's psychological, physical and emotional development and contributes to the building of responsible generations that understand their national identity.

This ultimately contributes towards the achievement of Abu Dhabi 2030 strategy, Al Qubaisi added.
Source: WAM