Life sometimes seems punctuated by question marks. We are constantly being asked things, asking others for information and opinions, or asking ourselves questions. This process of questioning and seeking answers helps shape the way we build and live our lives. It is a natural process, and as we age and gain experience, we seem to ask better and better questions.

Bearing this in mind, I am often asked a funny question when sharing my experience of working in the schools of Reggio Emilia; "Who is Reggio?"

Reggio Emilia is actually a small town in northern Italy that is home to what have been called the best schools in the world for young children ("The Ten Best Schools in the World, and What We Can Learn from Them," Newsweek, Dec. 2, 1991). The schools serve children ages 0 to 6 with Nidos for the 0- to 3-year-olds and Scuola dell'infanzia for the 3- to 6-year-olds. These schools grew directly from the desire of the inhabitants of a provincia, or town, just outside the center of Reggio called Villa Cella. Each provincia was given a small amount of money from the Italian government after World War II in an effort to help residents restore the sense of community lost during the war. Many provincia decided to build community centers—places for people to go and meet. In Villa Cella, the community decided to build a school for young children, scuola del popolo, which eventually was named Scuola XXV Aprile, or the April 25th School, after the day of liberation.

The residents of Villa Cella began building the school from bricks and other materials collected from bombed-out buildings. Loris Malaguzzi heard stories of this taking place and thought that families building a school from the ruins of war seemed impossible. He rode his bike the short distance to Villa Cella to see for himself. It is said that upon seeing the work taking place in Villa Cella, Malaguzzi decided to join the project because it changed for him the meaning of the word impossible. Eventually, Malaguzzi became the driving force behind the development and refinement of what is now called the Reggio Approach.

For the teachers in Reggio Emilia, questioning and listening to the thoughts and ideas of students, colleagues, and parents are the actions that fuel the educational experience. They thoughtfully examine concepts such as:

• What is childhood?
• What is the relationship between teaching and learning?
• What is the role of school in society?
• What is the role of school in education?

Then the teachers use the answers to these questions to shape and manifest their schools for young children.

The practice of questioning that exists within the schools of Reggio Emilia is a powerful model to witness. A question emerges; then discussion and hypotheses are explored and tested with ongoing reflection and documentation of the process. By working in this way, the teachers are constantly refining their craft as professionals, following the interests of their students, and facilitating the development of children who live within this project as protagonists or central beings.

The process of engaging in inquiry with students takes shape as progettazione or projects, for lack of an adequate word in English. Progettazione involves documenting the learning process as it unfolds with no great emphasis on the product and no clear endpoint established at the beginning. It is a journey. Participation and observation as well as questioning and reflection are places visited along the journey. In Reggio, this vision is clearly articulated and closely aligned with the day-to-day reality of the schools. Progettazione can seem daunting at first, but it is a way to engage learning that works well for students of all ages.

I have been asked by individuals eager to work in Reggio-inspired ways, "Where do I start?" The place to start is by asking the questions listed above and then establishing an educational vision tied to your answers. Asking and understanding what we believe about children, school, and education is the best place to start. The next step is to examine these beliefs in terms of what we actually do in our schools, classrooms, and daily interactions.

For example, when someone studies or visits the schools of Reggio Emilia, the operating values are evident from the moment they step inside the school. Walking into the ingresso, or entryway, the view of the child is on display. It is displayed in the documentation of children's work on the walls. The importance of family and community participation is also displayed through posted community initiatives and upcoming meetings. The cleanliness and order of the ingresso communicates the value placed on children as reflected by the environment in which they work. When the Reggianni, or Reggio community, declare the child as the protagonist, this also shapes the work, environment, and questions that structure the school and day.

The journey into the Reggio approach takes time, but the benefits are extensive. The children become inquisitive and self-assured. Through the asking of questions and experimenting with ideas, they develop an understanding of who they are and a belief in the heights to which they can soar.

Julianne Wurm began in education with Teach for America, a unique teacher-training program that supplies inner-city schools with qualified teachers. She discovered the Reggio preschools while completing her masters degree at Columbia Teachers College. Her interest in the Reggio-approach inspired her to move to Reggio Emilia, Italy in order to experience and teach in these highly rated schools. Since returning to the United States, Julianne has been sharing her insights from the Reggio schools with teachers around the country. She works as an administrator in the San Francisco Unified School District. To find out more about the Reggio approach and ways to introduce Reggio-inspired concepts into your early childhood setting, read Working in the Reggio Way: A Beginner's Guide for American Teachers written by Julianne Wurm, and published by Redleaf Press. Or click here to check out Redleaf Press' full line of Reggio-inspired books.

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