Bringing Learning to Life: The Reggio Approach to Early Childhood Education

With Louise being my mother I am biased. However I read the book purely out of curiosity to be able to understand what my mom has been doing all these years. To my surprise I came away with a much broader understanding of the Reggio Emilia approach as well as of my mother.

Louise Boyd Cadwell had done an exceptional job in bringing the reader into a school using the Reggio Approach. "Bringing Learning to Life" is a practical view of the everyday learning that can happen in a classroom. Cadwell's vivid descriptions of her honest thoughts, activities with the students, and the collaboration that goes on between the teacher makes one feel as if they are right there in the classroom. The pictures help intensify that feeling of first hand participation in this school. Cadwell isn't afraid of sharing with the reader their shortcomings and this helps the reader realize that the Reggio Approach is one of constant change. If the reader didn't know about the Reggio Approach, after reading "Bringing Learning to Life" they would.

I would highly recommend it for anyone interested in finding out more about the Reggio Emilia approach to early childhood education. While it can stand on its own, it is much better read as a follow up to Louise Cadwell's first book "Bringing Reggio Home" or after reading other resources on Reggio. I enjoyed the practical implications of connecting Reggio approach to classrooms in the United States, and found the colorful photographs a great resource!