Unlike the majority of learning style methods being named after the person who founded them, this learning style is actually named after the city of the founder. This is actually done for a very significant purpose. The founder, Loris Malaguzzi, believed that children learn mostly from their culture around them. This means no two Reggio- Emilia schools should be identical in how they are run as each culture works differently. Even in the same country there are so many different cultures and so that is key which, unlike Montessori educators, there is no formal training to be a teacher in this style.
Along with culture being a key feature, this being very much a child-led learning style. Adults are there to help the child come to their break throughs. The children watch and learn, but with no official teaching lesson plans or timetable. The child follows what he/she is interested.
Nature and the arts play a huge role in this learning style. Adults document in so much detail the journey of communication each child goes through while exploring with tons of sensory play. They make sure that each piece of art is documented with the stories the children share about them.
In so many ways a person may think Montessori and Reggio-Emilia are basically the same so why make them seperate? The fsct is they are very close, except that celebrating the local culture and using that as a tool to help children breakthrough their learning is not as important in Montessori schools. That fact actually changes a lot as far as how the two methods differ.
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