Musings on what is Reggio inspired work?

From the Reggio listserv...

"Reggio inspired work and understanding CAN NOT come to be completely understood in one workshop, one day observing in a Reggion inspired context, nor spent going to Reggio with a study group for one week, nor will you gleam the magnitude of its complexities in one month, one year, one decade nor in two decades or three!!

"You can not fully understand it by reading one article or 500, nor in reading one book or 500...To declare arrival buries the future and hope of all children.

"Reggio inspired work is a journey whose path leads into the future for those who choose to take it. It is a complex and risky journey. You are asked to put aside past 'mindsets' about your way of working with children. You will often find yourself wiping the slate almost if not entirely clean. It is about questions, thousands of questions that have no obvious answer...It is about turning the lens and rethinking about who is the child before you?..It is about a child that comes to you thinking and full of knowledge vs. the child you fill up.

"Documentation becomes your pedagogical bible or textbook...you become theory driven--the theories that the children have about their world which contains their thinking and understanding and the brilliance that is there...You become 'why' driven...It is about living in disequilibrium and loving it!

"Loris Malaguzzi tell us to 'never teach to a child something that he can learn on his/her own.

"If we solve the problems of the community for the child, the child never learns to solve his or her own problem. If we place rules they are artificially placed on the child...if children have ownership in the solution they will see the value and meaning in wanting to be respectful of those around them...The teacher no longer is at the head of the class but slips to stand beside the child and often behind the child as the child leads. This relinquishing of power is hard for many teachers to accept.

"Reggio inspired work isn't about 'fun' projects but is centered squarely on the serious intentions and thoughts of children. Projects are about making thinking visible and revisitable, projects cycle through children's theories and misconceptions that are made in order to make meaning...Projects involve collaboration, co-construction and co-learning within the whole community...Projects churn up questions and I wonders. A project causes the child to hold the core 'wonders' throughout the day, on the playground, at home, in the care...Projects should not be the focus of what we do, if projects surface then take them and run!!...Projects are studied by the teachers as if one was preparing for their masters work, for projects can take us deep into theory and hypothesizing, project work keeps one foot in the realm of researching."