The schools for young children in the city of Reggio Emilia do not provide a model. There is no recipe for ‘how to do it.’

Although the phrases ‘doing Reggio’ or ‘we are running a Reggio program’ or ‘we have a Reggio school’are often heard, it is not clear what is meant when educators use these phrases.

When we read about or visit the schools of Reggio Emilia, we encounter many wonderful ideas and wonderful ideas are always worthy of reflection and maybe adoption, but in relation to the educational project of Reggio Emilia, this only scrapes the surface of the multifaceted and ever evolving essence of their work. It is easy to miss the underlying provocation they offer which is to reflect on the question – “What is education for?