Who We Are

About Us

What we have to offer you

and your child:
We offer a safe,
comfortable, and
enjoyable learning
environment, for young
children. In our program
we strive to engage your
child as their own
individual, while learning
with other children of
younger and older ages,
while getting the
community and parents
engaged in the learning
process as well. We want
to pull the inner
uniqueness out of them.

At NAREA, we base our

efforts on the fundamental
values and principles of the
Reggio Emilia approach, and
endeavor to offer unique
experiences for deepening
awareness and supporting
ongoing connection among
members. We believe, as
Malaguzzi did, that
intelligent children deserve
intelligent teachers, and
through knowing children
well, we can learn more
about our roles as adults in
childrens lives.

Contact Us
Phone: 501 -968-6493
Email: jwilliams@childdevinc.org
Web:
http://www.reggioalliance.org/

NORTH AMERICAN
REGGIO EMILIA
ALLIANCE
Jo Ann Williams,
Child
Development, Inc.
PO Box 2110
Russellville, AR
72801

NORTH
AMERIC
AN
REGGIO
EMILIA
ALLIANC
E

Mission Statement
It is our mission to defend and
promote the potential of all children
by providing them with
developmentally appropriate and
caring environment that supports
children's emotional, social,
cognitive and physical development,
while responding to the needs of
families. We are committed to
establish a community where,
children, parents, teachers and staff
will be engaged in a challenging and
joyful environment that encourages
children to learn and grow
confidently. With a child-initiated
play and inquiry, we will be able to
negotiate our curriculum on an ongoing basis. We will learn from
children through documentation
(observations and extensive record
keeping). The use of high-quality
documentation of children's work
will be displayed to enhance their
learning through constant
observation and sharing

The Reggio teacher is unique because

she offers herself to the process of coconstruction of knowledge, releasing
the traditional roles of a teacher and
opening doors to new possibilities.
She starts with the use of the childs
own theories, promotes
disequilibrium, and helps the child to
think about their thinking to facilitate
new learning.
The constructivist approach to early
childhood education offers children the
opportunity to construct knowledge
through daily experiences and encounters
with parents, teachers, peers, events, and
objects in the world. Children develop
theories, negotiate learning, and merge
thoughts together, thereby building
knowledge and understanding.
It is the right of all children to be part of a
school community that respects them as
competent individuals who are viewed as
contributors to the process of learning.
The educators of Reggio Emilia show us
the possibilities of what can happen when
we trust and respect the capabilities of
children.
We believe that the Reggio Approach is
successful because of its powerful image
and deep respect for the culture of
childhood, and for its strong belief that
children, teachers, and parents all work
together in the process of building
knowledge.

Our program is designed to broaden

children's intellectual horizons from a
developmentally appropriate
perspective. We will do so by:
Providing a risk free, nurturing, and
developmentally appropriate
environment. Promoting children's
emotional, social, cognitive and
physical development. Providing
children with meaningful learning
experiences. Respecting each child's
unique way of learning. Maintaining
children, parents, teachers and staff
constantly informed of children's
learning through high quality
observation, documentation and
record keeping. Involving our staff in
professional development on an
ongoing basis. Encouraging parent
participation in their children's
learning process. Increasing
independence by encouraging children
to tackle and solve problems. Guiding
the children as they learn through
discovery. Strengthening inner
emotional control and growth through
self-discipline. Highlighting children's
cultural backgrounds and languages.
Facilitating learning through a variety

Resources/References where did you get your information?

i http://static1.squarespace.com/static/51ed94d0e4b03bd18bdcc998/t/526c8eabe4b0f35a9f0216e3/13828461
23076/ExaminingtheReggioEmiliaApproach.pdf
ii Beginnings and Beyond: Foundations in Early Childhood Education By: Ann Miles Gordon and Kathryn Williams
Browne 9th Edition
iii http://www.reggioemiliaelc.com.au/our_team.html
iv http://www.reggiokids.com/the_reggio_approach.html
v http://www.education.com/reference/article/Ref_Reggio_Emilia/

vi http://reggioalliance.org/
vii http://www.thejoyoflearning.com/aboutus.html