In the Spirit of the Studio: Learning from the Atelier of Reggio Emilia

Lella Gandini · Lynne T. Hill · Louise Cadwell · Charles Schwall

Apr 2014 · Teachers College Press

About this ebook

This critically acclaimed, lavishly illustrated book will help educators create the highest quality learning opportunities for a new generation of children. The Second Edition features substantial and important changes, including the addition of new chapters by pioneers of the work that happens in the atelier who draw on several decades of experience.

The atelier or studio is a key element of the renowned preschools and infant-toddler centers of Reggio Emilia, Italy. This beautiful, full-color resource explores how the experiences of children interacting with rich materials in the atelier affect an entire school’s approach to the construction and expression of thought and learning. The authors provide examples of projects and address practical aspects of the atelier, including organizing the environment and using materials. No other book presents a more thorough examination of the philosophy, practice, and essential influence of the Reggio-inspired studio.

Contributors: Pauline Baker, Barbara Burrington, George Forman, Susan Harris MacKay, Giovanni Piazza, Carlina Rinaldi, Lori Geismar Ryan, and Vea Vecchi.

“This book’s great illustrations and enthusiasm for learning make it difficult to put it back on the shelf!”

—SchoolArts

“Brims with suggestions and examples of projects and testimonies, and should become a requirement for all graduate students entering the education field.”
—Journal of the Association for Childhood Education International

“Will help to promote a vibrant and creative approach to learning that will enrich American children’s educational experience.”
—Barbara and Eric Carle, author and illustrator of The Very Hungry Caterpillar