The early childhood programme of Reggio Emilia, Italy, has become recognized and acclaimed as one of the best systems of education in the world. Carlina Rinaldi, former Director of the municipal early childhood centers in Reggio Emilia, and successor to Loris Malaguzzie (one of the leading pedagogical thinkers of the 20th century), has an international reputation to early years education, and has spoken on the topic around the globe.
This book offers a collection of Rinaldi's most important articles, lectures and interviews from 1994 to the present day. Much of this material has never before been published, and focuses on a number of questions:
· What were the ideas and legacy of Loris Malaguzzi?
· What is so unique about Reggio Emilia?
· How can educators most effectively make use of art and creativity?
In Dialogue with Reggio closes with an interview of Rinaldi by the editors of the Contesting Early Childhood series, Peter Moss and Gunilla Dahlberg. Here she discusses her current work and her reflections on Reggio's past, present and future.
This book will not just be essential reading to those studying or teaching early childhood education. Anyone with a concern for the larger issues of learning, childhood and the place of the school in a democratic society will find this a seminal text.