IFS Zoom on… The Reggio Emilia Approach in IFS Maternelle

The Child’s Pedagogy

Armed with the belief that children are natural communicators and capable collaborators, the Reggio Emilia Approach harnesses a child’s interests. It allows them to develop holistically in a relationship-driven environment. 

Explore the practices and unique learning context found in maternelle at IFS as inspired by the Reggio Emilia philosophy and values. We will discover how children can drive their learning through their interpretations of the world around them in these crucial early years of development.

This webinar will be hosted by four experienced IFS teachers who implement this approach with our Kindergarten students: 

Cynthia Clarke is in her 6th year of Reggio-inspired practice, having researched the approach extensively for her Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education. This is Cynthia’s second year at IFS, where she works across two grades at the Maternelle (Petite Section and Moyenne Section). Having come from an artistic background before entering the education field, her understanding of creativity’s crucial role in inspiring young learners enhances her conviction that young children should learn by exploring their interests, in an environment where they feel confident and safe. 

Doli Lizaso is a seasoned educator of twenty-nine years and recently awarded a Master of Early Childhood Education. She brought her Reggio-inspired practice to the GS level of IFS in 2018. The years before IFS, she trained and mentored novice teachers in the REA (Reggio Emilia Approach) after three years of collaborative practice. She toured and studied the municipal schools of Reggio Emilia, Italy, in 2014 and participated in the annual Reggio Emilia in Asia for Children (REACH) conferences from 2012 to 2017.

Tammy Cueilhes has been working in the Early Years for seventeen years, with this her fifth year in the IFS Maternelle. Tammy worked in a Reggio Emilia-inspired school for two years before working at IFS. That experience had a profound impact on her fundamental beliefs on Early Childhood Education. She believes that every child is a powerful and competent learner, and the REA is applicable in every educational setting.

SJ Lee has been in the early childhood education field for over 13 years and is currently in her third year as an early years teacher at IFS. She has extensive experience in both local and international contexts. The Reggio Emilia Approach has played an important role throughout her career, with its fundamental principles shaping how she approaches learning and her day-to-day interactions with young children.

This talk will be held in English. Simultaneous translation in French will be available.