Graduate Certificate in Pedagogical Coordination in the Reggio Emilia Approach

Reggio Emilia Version

This is a graduate certificate program in partnership with University of Modena and Reggio, Reggio Children, the Municipal School System of Reggio Emilia, Italy, and Webster University. Students who complete this program will earn a graduate diploma from the University of Modena and Reggio and a Graduate Certificate from Webster University.

To participate in this program students must have basic level understanding and usage of both English and Italian.

The program consists of two semesters of full time university study and internship experience in Reggio Emilia, Italy. Students will take coursework through the University of Modena and Reggio and complete a two-semester internship in the municipal infant toddler and preschool centers of Reggio Emilia, Italy. Webster University faculty will co-teach this program via online and face-to-face interaction.

St. Louis Version

This is a partnership between Webster University, Reggio Children, the University of Modena, at Reggio Emilia and the Maplewood Richmond Heights School District.

The program is intended to be a mirror image of the Graduate Certificate program offered in Reggio  Emilia, but experienced at Webster University in St. Louis.

The program consists of two semesters of full time university study and internship experience in St. Louis, MO. Students will take coursework through Webster University in collaboration with the University of Modena and Reggio and Reggio Children. Students must complete a two-semester internship in the Maplewood Richmond Heights Early Childhood Center in the St. Louis area. University of Modena and Reggio faculty will co-teach this program via online and face-to-face interaction.

Requirements

• ECED 5750 Negotiated Learning: The Reggio Emilia Approach to Early Education 3 hours
• ECED 5820 Creating Learning Environments 3 hours
• ECED 5870 Expressive Languages 3 hours
• ECED 5800 Applied Research 3 hours
• ECED 5810 Pedagogical Internship 3 hours
• ECED 5811 Pedagogical Internship 3 hours

The university coursework will be totally integrated with the internship.

Admission

Students who are interested in applying to this certificate program should also see the Admission Section of this catalog for general requirements.

Admission Requirements

• Cumulative GPA of 2.5
• Admissions Essay:  Proficient Score of 2.5 or above
  Essay:  What motivated you to become an early childhood educator?  Based on the following mission statement, program description and candidate learning goals, how do you think your participation in Webster’s ECED Pedagogista program will help you to accomplish your personal and professional goals?

Send all required documents to the following address:

Webster University
Office of Admission
470 East Lockwood Avenue
St. Louis, MO 63119-3194

Course Descriptions

ECED 5750 Negotiated Learning: The Reggio Emilia Approach to Early Education (3)

This course focuses on the central role of documentation in the social constructivist approach to early learning that has emanated from the early childhood programs of Reggio Emilia, Italy. Students explore multiple ways to observe and document the learning experiences and learning processes of young children and then study that documentation to determine how to support children's thinking and negotiate learning. Documentation is used to improve discourse by serving as a database for reflective teaching. Documentation and discourse enable teachers to generate designs for future learning experiences that have continuity with children's thinking and prior experience. Together, these three components of documentation, discourse and design define a negotiated learning process that involves continuous action research of teaching and learning.

ECED 5800 Applied Research (3)

This course enables students, through action research projects, to develop strategies for problem solving within their classrooms and procedures for conducting self-study as it relates to, but is not limited to, teacher behaviors, learning outcomes, curriculum, policy development, and behavior management. Prerequisite: advancement to candidacy.

ECED 5820 Creating Learning Environments (3)

This course is designed for early childhood, elementary and special education teachers who are interested in examining the human and physical elements that shape the learning environment and exploring ways to intentionally organize and use these elements to enhance the living and learning experiences of young children. The learning environment will be viewed from multiple perspectives: As a reflection of beliefs and values; as a strategy for teaching and learning; as a forum to empower the community of learners; as a tool for teacher research and student assessment; and as an arena for ongoing professional inquiry.

ECED 5870 Valuing the Expressive Languages in Education (3)

Communicating through varied languages such as drawing, paint, clay, sculpture, dance and music in addition to the spoken and written word can provide new possibilities for expressing learning among children of all ages and abilities. Students in this course will experience and experiment with a myriad of representational and symbolic materials in the ateliers/studios of the Maplewood Richmond Heights Early Childhood Center. The rights of children as unique learners, curriculum design and reflective assessment will be examined. Students will explore, facilitate the use of and document at least one creative language with depth. The work of educators from Reggio Emilia will serve as inspiration.