This is the first book to systematically examine a program-wide, multi-site implementation of the Reggio Approach in America. The authors provide a thoughtful, well-documented description and analysis of an entire early child development program serving low income, Latino and African-American children and their families in the city of Chicago. While focusing on the application, meaning, and value of Reggio Emilia principles in preschool classrooms, the authors also describe how those same principles and processes pervade relationships with parents, the professional development of teachers, and the overall organization of the program. Offering a powerful combination of theory and practice, this comprehensive model: Provides 10 years of lessons learned from successfully implementing the Reggio Approach in American inner-city schools; Includes classroom examples, dialogues, and questions that can be adapted to both pre- and in-service education for teachers; Considers standards-based curriculum by describing literacy, math, and other school readiness components of the program; Provides suggestions for educational leaders who are considering using Reggio Emilia principles in their own context. - Publisher.

1. Introduction -- Municipal preschools of Reggio Emilia -- Exploring Reggio principles in Chicago Commons preschools -- The Pipes Study -- 2. Listening, observing, reflecting, and responding -- 3. Co-construction of understandings with children -- 4. Children's representations -- Relationships among representation, learning, and understanding -- 5. The emergent curriculum -- The developmental goal for children -- The emergent curriculum cycle -- 6. The learning environment : classroom, school, neighborhood, and city -- 7. Classroom management -- Teacher collaboration -- Mandated requirements -- 8. School readiness -- Capacities for self-regulated, focused learning -- Development in speaking, thinking, reading, writing, and math -- Social-emotional development -- 9. Parent partnership -- 10. Professional development and support of teachers -- 11. Organization of the program -- Administrative structure -- A learning community, a learning culture -- 12. Lessons learned -- Appendix : a brief history of the Reggio Emilia exploration at Chicago Commons, 1991-2003.