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About
The Environment as Third Teacher
Short Description:
A Reggio Emilia concept that sees the physical environment as an active participant in the learning process—not just a backdrop.
About
In the Reggio Emilia approach, the environment is considered the “third teacher”—after adults and peers. This means that the design, layout, materials, light, and feel of a space all carry pedagogical value. The environment doesn’t just contain learning—it shapes it.
A well-prepared environment invites exploration, creativity, collaboration, and focus. It communicates to children that they are capable and trusted, and it offers subtle guidance through beauty, order, and intentionality.
Walls display children’s work and thinking, not commercial posters. Light is used with care. Materials are accessible, open-ended, and natural. Spaces are flexible and alive, responding to how children use them.
This approach encourages educators to be designers and curators, constantly reflecting on how the environment supports relationships and inquiry. It’s not about perfection—it’s about responsiveness and respect.
How It Shows Up in Practice
You’ll see this concept in:
- Classrooms with mirrors, plants, real tools, and natural materials.
- Documentation panels that make learning visible and valued.
- Open shelves that invite children to choose and return materials.
- Spaces designed to support connection, quiet, collaboration, or wonder.
References
- Gandini, L. (2012). The Hundred Languages of Children
- Ceppi, G., & Zini, M. (1998). Children, Spaces, Relations
- Reggio Children. Environment as Third Teacher
Articles and Resources on This Site
Discover why "I'm bored!" is actually good news. This science-backed guide reveals how unstimulated time boosts preschoolers' creativity, brain development, and emotional resilience.
Children worked with clay as a bird gathered pine needles outside. Nests, worms, houses, and burrows emerged—gestures of shelter, repetition, and persistence carried in material.
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