Odyssey, A Reggio-inspired Learning Journey
A small city located in northern Italy, the municipal of Reggio Emilia has a network of 46 schools for children aged 3 months to 6 years. Early childhood educators, researchers and parents worldwide are challenged and inspired by the strong Reggio educational philosophy that embraced unique images of children and high regard for children's ideas. Programs in Reggio are community and family-centered, with emphasis on collaborations, social relationships and interactions.
The Odyssey program is benchmarked against best international early childhood practices, with significant interpretations from the Reggio pedagogical principles. The Odyssey's practices are conceptualized with high regard for individuality and respect for children's rights as citizens of the world. All aspects of the program are designed to promote children's visibility as competent, confident individuals deserving of an enriching and happy childhood and development to their fullest potential. Odyssey educators believe that 'listening' to the children's ideas and interpreting these ideas helps them understand each child's developmental needs and interest, from which to plan individualized experiences that meet individual learning needs and interest. This pedagogical principle is also the means to engaging children in emergent learning experiences.
Like the Reggio schools, the Odyssey environment plays a key role as the protagonist in empowering, inspiring and instigating learning. The environment is viewed as spaces for children, rich in materials and visibly aligned to the Odyssey's philosophy of empowering the independent and competent learner. Display and documentation are thoughtfully presented where children's voices are heard, and effectively reflecting the rich educational experiences and lives of the children and educators.
Projects as the core curriculum are centered on emergent experiences. Projects are derived out of the children's ideas, interest, curiosity and their natural inclination to explore their world. Emergent experiences involving inquiry, Investigations and representations holistically engaged children in innovative practices, enriching creative and aesthetic experiences, as well as linguistic, cognitive and social interactions. Consequently, projects provide the context for interdisciplinary experiences, which effectively addressed Dr Howard Gardner's notion of how children should learn through all of their multiple intelligences.
Since its conception, the Odyssey educators have established a culture reflective teaching practices. Reflective teaching involves key processes in observing, recording, evaluating and documenting. Individualized observation and documentation provide the means for our educators to understand children, evaluate, translate and communicate this understanding, and for children to express and revisit their experiences. While Reggio schools are designed as community and family-based programs, the Odyssey approach articulates school as a learning community. This community of learners comprises of the children, educators and parents, who are committed to collaborate through reciprocal interactions, social relationships and partnership, which are necessary ingredients for school success. Since its inception, the Odyssey has expressed as one of its core mission, the commitment to serving children, parents and educators as well as the community. Educators at the Odyssey believe that collaboration, networking and building community partnership will open doors for advocating the field of early childhood education. We hope that such active community collaborations will inspire greater appreciation, awareness and recognition for the importance of high quality early years experiences for children.
