‘If you don’t feel respect then morally, it just takes a lot out of everything you’re doing”: learning in a pedagogical approach inspired by Reggio Emilia middle years school settings

AbstractPractice and pedagogy, influenced and informed by the approaches used in the preschool programs of Reggio Emilia is widespread across many early childhood settings in Australia, however, is less commonly used in Australian primary and secondary schools. Little research exists which focuses on the experiences of students in schools where this pedagogical approach is adopted. This paper draws from the findings of a 2019 study undertaken across three Australian schools implementing a pedagogical approach inspired by Reggio Emilia. The voices of students from one of these schools will be used to shed light on their perceived learner identity. The study found that the expressed learner identities were multifaceted. On one hand the students considered themselves to be informed, confident and passionate learners, shaping their world as democratic citizens. However, they also positioned themselves as citizens of the future, sharing perceptions regarding their capacity to compete as successful productive members of an economic society.