Harding’s Reggio Emilia Inspired Preschool believes that a high quality early childhood education program is the foundation to a lifelong love of learning.  With hands-on exploration, discovery, and natural learning, the children will grow socially, emotionally, physically, cognitively, and creatively. Our goal is for the children to be creative, critical thinkers, problem solvers, and active members of society.
 
Our preschool is an art and project-based approach inspired by Reggio Emilia programs started in Italy.  Basic Principles of the Reggio Approach are:
 

• Image of the Child
• Children are naturally curious, competent, creative, and capable learners. They deserve beautiful, stimulating, comfortable things. They deserve respect, love, and to be listened to.  They need time to play, explore, collaborate, create, plan, and solve problems.

• Role of the Teacher
• The teacher’s job is to create a loving learning environment.  The teacher is the researcher and guide who supports the natural learning based on the students emerging ideas and needs.  

• The Environment as the Third Teacher
• The parent is the first teacher, the classroom teacher is the second, and the environment is third. The environment is loving, inviting, inspiring, and creative.  It is organized and encourages interaction and exploration. 

• Documentation
• The children’s work in progress is visible.  Photographs and observation notes are taken daily to capture the magic of the moment and to make visible their thinking and learning.

• 100 Languages
• Children construct their own meanings and understandings by working with a wide variety of materials. Children express and discover themselves and their world through paint, mud, paper, wood, fabrics, clay, recycled objects, wire, light, water, etc.