The development of children’s knowledge and creative work with materials:
We provide a specialization study programme that builds on Norwegian arts and crafts traditions and pre-school teacher education. At the same time we believe it is important to study ways of working in relation to the Reggio Emilia focus on the relationship between children’s creative work with materials and their development of knowledge. In this context, the pre-school teacher’s own knowledge and skills are important.

Greater emphasis on creative projects

The municipal kindergartens in Reggio Emilia, Italy, have always been a great inspiration to many kindergartens in Norway and the rest of the world. Reggio Emilia kindergartens place great emphasis on creative projects, in which the studio – there are workshops in all kindergartens – and the studio teacher play a central role in the development of children’s knowledge.
Arts educated studio teachers were employed in every kindergarten in Reggio Emilia already from the early 1970s, and this has influenced the work in these kindergartens that so many people know from study visits and literature.

The Pre-School Teacher Education study programme at TUC has mediated inspiration from the Reggio Emilia approach to many students, primarily through arts and crafts subjects, but also through other subjects.

Knowledge of the properties of materials and how they may be used in artistic expressions is gained through experience with practical creative work.
The study programme’s teachers are well acquainted with the philosophy and work practices of the Reggio Emilia approach, and have long experience as teachers on Pre-School Teacher Education study programmes. They also have backgrounds as practising artists within the field.

Content

Course Unit 1: Professional Specialization in the Arts and Crafts
Course unit 2: Subject-profiled Pedagogical Documentation
Course unit 3: Development Activities in Kindergartens