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Parental choice and perceived benefits of Reggio Emilia inspired programs

ABSTRACT Despite credible research to support a constructivist-based approach in early childhood programs, policymakers continued to push for a more academic-based philosophy in an effort to reach standardized testing goals. Reggio Emilia, a constructivist-based early childhood philosophy that originated in Northern Italy, has been shown to be an excellent model to facilitate optimum learning in young children. The purpose of this phenomenological study was to investigate parental experiences when choosing the constructivist-based early childhood program, Reggio Emilia, for their children and to explore parents’ perceived benefits after their children attended. Five parents who had enrolled their children at a Reggio Emilia inspired program, Foundations Early Learning Center, in the American Midwest for a minimum of 6 months participated. Results indicated parents identified an overall satisfaction for choosing a Reggio Emilia experience for their preschool children. Ten perceived benefits were associated with their children after they attended the Reggio Emilia inspired program. Findings of the current study favour the choice of a constructivist-based Reggio Emilia inspired program over alternative options.