About Abeona House

Named after the Roman goddess of children leaving home for the first time, the Abeona House Child Discovery Center is a not-for-profit organization based in New Orleans that arose out of Hurricane Katrina.  After the storm, many childcare centers did not reopen, including the Gris Gris House, a Reggio Emilia inspired center.  The former families served by this unique program decided to create the Abeona House to continue to provide a Reggio Emilia style education in New Orleans. Parents volunteered time and resources in the initial creation of this vital community resource, and now the center boasts a professional staff of 12 amazing teachers (full and part-time), a remarkably active group of parents and volunteer community members, and strong partnerships with community organizations like the Oak Street Association.

Reggio Emilia Philosophy

The educational philosophy at the Abeona House is inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach to learning. Like Abeona House, the Reggio approach was borne out of community response to disaster. After World War II, the Italian government granted cities funds to rebuild a sense of community.  Most cities built community centers, but the families in the town of Reggio Emilia, Italy used the bricks from bombed out buildings and volunteers from all corners of the community to build a school.

In this model, several key points converge. 

Namely,

• Respect for all individuals, each child, parent and staff member
• Open communication between parents, teachers, and children in the discovery/learning process
• Sparking of curiosity and development of critical thinking in children
• An extended-family atmosphere so that parents feel welcome and children feel comfortable
• Recording and reviewing the learning process through documentation
• Freedom of expression through a multitude of media and representations, also known as “The Hundred Languages of Children”

Negotiated Learning & Emergent Curriculum

In keeping with the Reggio Emilia philosophy, the teachers at the Abeona House develop projects in concert with the parents in advance of the school year. In planning, the teacher attempts to anticipate the directions the children will take the idea.  The curriculum is seen as a loose-garment which takes the shape of the students’ interests, as they pursue new pathways that inevitably change each project.  There is no strict timetable for project completion, and often, the work is revisited, restructured, and reconsidered. 

Daily Schedule

The children’s activities are based on the natural rhythms of our time together.  Students are given time and space to freely explore, without being hurried from one concept to thenext.  Free play is strongly encouraged as a means of self-awareness and socialization. 

Infant-Toddler Schedules

We consider the terms care and educate to be synonymous in our infant classroom, and trust the children to communicate their needs and interests. We view infants and toddlers as competent individuals worthy of our respect. 

Choice is a key element in all classrooms.  Daily activities include teacher-planned sensory, creative, and play experiences, as well as the spontaneous play ideas and interests that arise from the children themselves during the day. 

There are some significant departures from typical American standards for baby and young toddler curriculum in our program.  Specifically, we consider painting, collage, clay and water media as languages to be explored and mastered, even by our youngest.  Also, small children will be given opportunities to work with others in a group.  We also consider this an innovation that allows our children to grow and learn from each other.    

For infants, activities also include outside time (morning sun), mirror play, songs/music, tummy time and floor play, and playing with words and speech.  All children are assisted in learning gross and fine motor skills.

Toddlers to Pre-School Age

As toddlers develop, there is growing emphasis on participation and collaboration in the group.  Throughout the day, students are encouraged to co-construct knowledge through interactions with each other.  This is equally important in both play and project work.  We believe firmly in childhood, and create time and space for free play and fantasy.  Close attention is given to the roles and interests expressed in play as possible ideas for long and short-term projects.