It’s been 5 days since I am here in Reggio Emilia, looking at projects that children and teachers are developing together, but more importantly discover the magic that is behind this projects – the documentation, the questions – always there is a Why strongly connected to a How, the attention for details, but also the importance of everyone’s voice and the values of working in a group.
I look at the society we are living in and I am thinking of what kind of a world we want our children to inhabit. I look around and I am surrounded by people always complaining, not satisfied whit what they have, with how the world goes, how decisions are taken. But are we doing something about it? No, because often we answer: who am I to say something different? Do you want people to look different at me? I am nobody, no one cares about what I have to say? We do so many things we strongly disagree with only because it is easier than trying to find a reason, an explanation, or even a solution – not necessarily a better one, but to show a different perspective on things.
We say we want our kids to be different but we tell them from the beginning: you are not capable of anything, you are a baby – so the child will learn: what’s the point of trying if I am not going to get it right, or on time like the adults. We tell them exactly how the world is – and we make it black and white, without options, without possibilities, with only one truth – the one of the adult, everything in order in a precise box.
One of the ideas that struck me here is that we have to truly believe that kids have a voice, they are capable and equal citizens of the world. If you are true to this belief we can have the world painted in the colors of the rainbow. Let’s give our kids the gift of wonder, of curiosity, of time to analyze and reflect, of responsibility, let’s be their partners in this journey because we too deserve a world painted in colors!
Thank you SOS for taking me on this journey! You heard our sos and you answered with all your energy, and power, and knowledge and care and I am extremely grateful! ~Dalia Golda, Director Gradinita Ganeden, Bucharest, Romania
