Empowering with Reggio-Inspired Documentation: Fostering Child-Centred and Democratic Attitudes among Preschool Teachers

Abstract

Purpose: The Reggio Emilia approach underscores child-centred pedagogy, highlighting documentation as a democratic practice within preschool settings. This study examines the impact of Reggio-inspired documentation training on preschool teachers' attitudes toward child-centred and democratic classroom practices. Method: Employing mixed-methods, attitudes of trained and non-trained teachers are compared, revealing trained teachers' heightened democratic attitudes and reduced autocratic perspectives. Results: However, no significant variance surfaces in laissez-faire attitudes between groups. Trained teachers exhibit preferences for more democratic, participatory, process-oriented, and child-centred classroom practices. The study concludes that Reggio-inspired documentation significantly shapes teachers' democratic convictions concerning curriculum design and child assessment. Conclusion and Suggestions: Implications for early childhood education underscore the necessity of teacher training and professional development programs, stressing the significance of nurturing child-centred and democratic classroom methodologies to uphold children's participatory rights in impactful decisions. This research accentuates Reggio-inspired documentation's pivotal role as a democratic agent, empowering children to contribute to determinations affecting them. It further accentuates the importance of pedagogical training and professional development initiatives in propelling child-centred and democratic classroom practices in early childhood education.

Keywords

• Reggio Emilia
• Documentation
• Democracy
• Teacher Training
• Preschool Education

Reggio-İlhamlı Dokümantasyonla Güçlendirme: Okul Öncesi Öğretmenlerinde Çocuk Odaklı ve Demokratik Tutumların Teşvik Edilmesi

Öz

Amaç: Reggio Emilia yaklaşımı, okul öncesi eğitimi çocuk merkezli ve demokratik bir perspektifle ele alırken, özellikle pedegojik dokümantasyon süreçlerinin de altını çizer. Bu çalışma, Reggio Emilia ilhamlı dokümantasyon eğitiminin okul öncesi öğretmenlerinin çocuk merkezli ve demokratik sınıf uygulamalarına yönelik tutumları üzerindeki etkisini incelemeyi amaçlamaktadır. Yöntem: Karma yöntem kullanılarak gerçekleştirilen çalışmada eğitim almış ve almamış öğretmenlerin tutumları karşılaştırılmıştır. Bulgular: Araştırma sonucunda, eğitim almış öğretmenlerin daha yüksek düzeyde demokratik tutumlara sahip olduğu ve otokratik görüşlerinin azaldığı görülmüştür. Bununla birlikte, gruplar arasında ilgisiz/boşvermiş tutumlar açısından anlamlı bir farklılık ortaya çıkmamıştır. Eğitim alan öğretmenlerin, daha demokratik, katılımcı, süreç odaklı ve çocuk merkezli sınıf uygulamalarını tercih ettikleri saptanmıştır. Sonuç ve öneriler: Çalışma, Reggio ilhamlı dokümantasyonun öğretmenlerin program tasarımı ve çocuk değerlendirmesi konusundaki demokratik inançlarını önemli ölçüde şekillendirdiğini göstermektedir. Sonuç olarak, araştırma bulguları erken çocukluk eğitimi için öğretmen eğitimi ve mesleki gelişim programlarının gerekliliği ortaya çıkarmakla birlikte, çocuk merkezli ve demokratik sınıf ortamlarını desteklemenin çocukların katılım haklarını korumak açısından önemini vurgulamaktadır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Reggio Emilia
• Dokümantasyon
• Demokrasi
• Öğretmen Eğitimi
• Okul Öncesi Eğitimi

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