Reggio educators believe that there is no such thing as universal childhood. Rinaldi (in Millikan, 2003: 32), states that each society constructs its own individual view and understanding of who the child is and who the child could be as well as who the child should be. She further suggests that within any one society there are many different views resulting from different contexts, intention and perspectives.
Rinaldi also suggests that the hopes and expectations for children of any society underlie educational practice. In Reggio Emilia, the child is understood to be strong, competent, full of resources and the constructor and co-constructor of their own knowledge and understanding.
