ERIC Number: EJ1045235
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2014
Pages: 9
Abstractor: As Provided
Reference Count: 24
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: EISSN-1524-5039
Parental Engagement in a Reggio Emilia-Inspired Head Start Program
Smith, Stephanie C.
Early Childhood Research & Practice, v16 n1 Spr 2014
In the United States, progressive education programs have historically failed to take hold among low-income families, even when that population has been their initial focus. Instead, these programs tend to become popular among middle-class or affluent families. Some research suggests that working-class/poor families' expectations of education may be incompatible with progressive principles, at least in the United States. The Reggio Emilia early childhood programs in Italy, based in part on Deweyan progressive principles, successfully serve families across all income levels, but in the United States, most Reggio-inspired schools serve affluent populations. The author interviewed predominantly Hispanic parents and teachers in a Reggio Emilia-inspired Head Start program regarding families' understanding of the program's curriculum and pedagogy and their engagement with the program. Although a majority of parents interviewed did not articulate a full understanding of the program's approach, and some felt that elements of it were not congruent with their expectations of preschool, interviewees had positive impressions of family/teacher relationships and reported positive family engagement in children's education.
Descriptors: Early Intervention, Reggio Emilia Approach, Parent Participation, At Risk Students, Early Childhood Education, Interviews, Hispanic Americans, Parent Attitudes, Teacher Attitudes, Curriculum, Teaching Methods, Educational Methods, Expectation, Parent Teacher Cooperation, Low Income Groups, Case Studies, Qualitative Research, Observation, Parent Child Relationship, Urban Schools, Mexican Americans
Clearinghouse on Early Education and Parenting, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. 51 Gerty Drive, Champaign, IL 61820. Tel: 877-275-3227; Tel: 217-333-1386; Fax: 217-244-7732; e-mail: ecrp@uiuc.edu; Web site: http://ecrp.uiuc.edu
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Early Childhood Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers: Illinois

Peer reviewed
