Kindergarten space as «third teacher»


Published: Jul 27, 2019
Keywords:
school space third pedagogist Reggio Emilia child as an active subject
Δόμνα - Μίκα Κακανά (Domna Mika Kakana)
Abstract

Space has a hidden dimension that it is permeated by a «silent» language that determines its use and the relationships of people in it as once said by anthropologist E. Hall. In this framework the school space is not just the environment where the teaching procedure takes place but a dynamic factor which is taking actively part, through interaction, in the development of the teaching procedure. According to Reggio Emilia approach’s the school environment should be considered as a third teacher who determines and affects the teaching procedure. This dimension of space is pointed out by its settling, its aesthetics, its good quality furniture and equipment and samples of the children works inside it. All these silently motivate children and adults to develop actions and cooperate in order to transform the space itself in a multifaceted learning field. Research has shown that school space can motivate children and at the same time creates favorable conditions for the development of actions which encourage collectivity, interactions, experiential learning, active behavior and taking initiatives

Taking all above into consideration, the question that is going to concern as during this presentation is how close to contemporary educational framework which requires the existence of team working activities, interaction, flexibility, experiential learning and the development of an active behavior from the side of the kid, is nowadays the Greek kindergarten by using the pedagogical dimension of space and transforming it into a learning environment.

Article Details
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Author Biography
Δόμνα - Μίκα Κακανά (Domna Mika Kakana), Aristotle University of Thessaloniki

Professor, Dept. of Early Childhood Education AUTh

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