Pedagogical Listening: Asserting Children’s Rights and Belonging Through Children and Adults Co-Constructing Curriculum

Principles of belonging and participation are critical components of a healthy society, and the Reggio Emilia philosophy illuminates how early childhood settings can uplift children as fully participating community members through the education processes articulated within it, such as pedagogical listening and an emergent curriculum. Vignettes are used to illustrate how the Reggio Emilia philosophy supports children’s community membership and participation. The chapter also highlights the ways in which the historical foundation of the Reggio Emilia philosophy, rooted in democratic and egalitarian ideals, has become fractured in the United States, where it is often reserved for economically advantaged families. Increased focus on standardized testing and curriculum limits access to humanizing approaches of teaching and learning that center pedagogical listening. We conclude by outlining how Reggio Emilia experiences impact practice and policy across contexts in support of the rights of children and enhancing communities locally and globally.