Everyday Democracy: Living Reggio Principles in Early Childhood Contexts

The schools in Reggio Emilia have long championed a unique vision of education where even the youngest children are viewed as citizens capable of contributing meaningfully to their communities. The approach fosters a culture of participation, collaboration, and shared responsibility, not just among children but with educators and families as well. This model exemplifies democracy not as a distant ideal, but as something lived and practiced every day. This theme will guide our 2026 Workshop Series. There are 5 workshops in this year’s series; details for each workshop are below.

Important Information:

• Registration is for the entire workshop series – all 5 workshops. There is no single workshop ticket option.
• Each individual attendee of the workshop series must purchase a ticket. There is no group/school ticket option.
• Workshops are from 7:00 – 8:30 p.m. ET via the Zoom platform.
• Workshops are NOT recorded.
• A certificate of participation will be provided after each workshop.
• Workshop dates and descriptions are below.
• Your registration will automatically subscribe you to the BARIN newsletter.

WORKSHOP 1: Everyday Democracy: Young Children & Democratic Habits

Tuesday, January 27, from 7:00-8:30 p.m. ET

How are democracy and education intertwined? Malaguzzi said that education is “always a political discourse, whether we know it or not. It is about working with cultural choices, but it clearly also means working with political choices.” What does this work look like? The Reggio Approach welcomes differences as assets, values multiple perspectives and interpretations, integrates different disciplines, and embraces complexity. With examples drawn from local work as well as from Reggio Emilia, we will identify and discuss practical strategies that cultivate these values in classrooms with young children.

Presented by Lani Shapiro, early childhood educator and founding board member of Reggio-Inspired Network of Minnesota. 

WORKSHOP 2: Listening to Children’s Voice: Photographing Places We Play

Tuesday, February 24, from 7:00-8:30 p.m. ET

The session will focus on what it means to truly listen to children’s voices and perspectives. Through a photographic project with young children, we look closely at children’s photographs of their familiar playscapes. We wonder not only what children see, notice, and attend to, but also ask what dialogues these glimpses into children’s perspectives might be inviting those of us who work with them into. This workshop will support educators in developing and using strategies for deep listening, a fundamental value of the schools in Reggio Emilia.

Presented by Ron Grady, early childhood educator, researcher, and third-year doctoral student at Harvard Graduate School of Education 

WORKSHOP 3: The Group Holding the Individual in Its Arms: The Go Away, Come Back Game in a Toddler Room

Tuesday, March 31, from 7:00-8:30 p.m. ET

Steve Seidel writes that, “The individual may be best served by frequent opportunities to be part of intentional, purposeful learning groups. It is possible to see [such groups] as holding the individual in its arms with care, respect, and love.” The learning groups Steve describes are incubators of democracy; places where children build the skills and dispositions to participate in creating communities that are just and equitable. In this workshop, we share our research on our efforts to create such learning groups in a toddler room, telling the story of the Go Away, Come Back game. We describe how we use documentation to help children co-construct the game and to celebrate and make visible each child’s contribution to the game.

Presented by Nana Apprah-Korang & Danielle Hart, Toddler Teachers, and Ben Mardell, Atelierista/Pedagogista at the Newtowne School. 

WORKSHOP 4: Beyond the Classroom Walls: Creating Democratic, Dignity-Centered School Communities Where Families & Children Can Thrive

Tuesday, April 28, from 7:00-8:30 p.m. ET

This workshop explores how the Reggio Emilia Approach weaves democracy into the fabric of school life by centering collaboration, dignity, and shared responsibility between institutions and families. Drawing from the experiences of Epiphany Early Learning Center and Worcester Head Start, we share how two programs meaningfully partner with families in ways that support the participation of all in young children’s learning experiences. At Epiphany, their gardening program serves as an educational tool for young children as well as giving families access to fresh food. Worcester Head Start will share how inquiry groups create spaces for staff and families to come together to look at classroom documentation, engaging in shared reflection and dialogue to collectively make meaning of children’s learning.

Presented by Emily Centeio, Director of Family Engagement at Epiphany Learning Center, and Suchira Channoi, Curriculum and Instruction Specialist for Worcester Head Start. 

WORKSHOP 5: Recognizing Our Connections to Our City & to Each Other

Tuesday, May 12 from 7:00-8:30 p.m. ET

This workshop delves into how we can invite children to see themselves as active members of a shared community—both in our classroom and beyond. Sharing the story of a long-term investigation with 3-5 year olds, we see how the children were encouraged to learn from one another, listen to diverse perspectives, and engage in collaborative decision-making. Through mapping walks, neighborhood partnerships, and shared projects, such as our mobile flower-and-joke shop, the children practice democratic participation – noticing community needs, expressing ideas through multiple channels, and contributing to the common good. We will also end the series with a review and reflection on all workshops and the overarching democratic values and practices we can bring into our daily work with young children.

Presented by Hilary Odoy, Teacher & Professional Development Coach at Charlestown Nursery School. 

Registration Fees:

• $150 Supporting Fee, Individual Ticket: At this level, you are covering your fee for all Workshop Series events and helping to subsidize the reduced fees paid by others who have more challenging financial circumstances.
• $100 Our-Cost Fee, Individual Ticket: At this level, your fee fully covers the costs of you attending all events in the Workshop Series.
• $50 Subsidized Fee, Individual Ticket: At this level, your fee for all events is subsidized by the scholarship fund provided by BARIN Supporters and through the additional fees paid at the Supporting Level Fee.

Please email us at bostonreggioinspiredstudygroup@gmail.com if you have questions about registration or fees.