In a room on the 2nd floor of D-PREP International School, a 2-year-old girl in a dark blue dress presses an animal-shaped paper on a projector table. The shape is instantly reflected on the wall, and she smiles while moving the paper around. The girl is still learning to speak English at D-PREP, but in this room, she is already telling stories using shapes and light. 

A woman with long blonde hair is standing in a corner while observing the little girl. She’s taking notes on how the child is interacting with the room she personally designed. A smile graces her lips. This room’s unconventional design is the fruit of her time and effort studying in Italy. 

This place is a Reggio Emilia-inspired room called the Light Studio, and it was designed by Ms. Malia Rowe, the Head of D-PREP’s Early Years Department. 

Ms. Malia is one of the Early Years educators in D-PREP who has worked at the school for over 5 years. A lifelong learner herself, Malia has been studying the Reggio Emilia approach and deeply understands how it can be implemented in different schools. 

“I started working at a Reggio Emilia school, and I really fell in love with the approach. From there, I started studying more, and then I met Ms. Lady,” Ms. Malia shared.

When D-PREP was a small school with less than a hundred students, Ms. Malia talked with the founder and school director, Ms. Lady. 

“I fell in love with her vision and decided this would be a great school. Not just for my kids, but also for me.”

From then on, Ms. Malia became one of the pioneering Early Years educators at D-PREP International School. 

Bringing Reggio Emilia to D-PREP

In the realm of educational philosophies, the Reggio Emilia approach is an innovative and child-centric way of learning. Originating in the town of Reggio Emilia in northern Italy after World War II, this approach to education has garnered international recognition for its emphasis on creativity, collaboration, and children’s inherent capabilities. 

The Reggio Emilia approach rejects the traditional teacher-centered model, placing the child at the center of the learning process. It views children as capable and competent individuals with a natural inclination to explore and discover the world around them.  

“I love the Reggio Emilia approach, and I knew she [Ms. Lady] was looking to grow that here at D-PREP. There was an opportunity for me to grow as well, so I took the chance,” Ms. Malia said. 

According to Ms. Malia, some schools in Thailand apply the Reggio Emilia approach using light tables and projectors. Still, few have specific rooms for light and shadow, called an Atelier in Reggio Emillia. At D-PREP, the Light Studio is uniquely designed so nursery students can explore projects. It creates various experiences for children through exploration and the five senses. 

“We encourage a lot of outdoor learning like in Finland. Then, as they get older, the kids focus more on experiential learning.”

Another factor that makes the Reggio Emilia unique is that teachers document their students’ projects and experiences. They study what they’re documenting, giving them a deeper perspective on their students’ progress and understanding of how they can improve their teaching styles and approaches.

“We use the pedagogical documentation. It’s really capturing the journey of our projects rather than just saying, ‘Oh look, this is what the students did.’ It’s actually saying, ‘This is what they’re exploring, and this is how we’re getting there. This is where we came from,’” Ms. Malia explained.

Life as a Teacher in Thailand

Ms. Malia has been living in Thailand for 15 years and has been working at D-PREP for about 5 years. Now a mother of three boys, she lives with her husband and young children studying at D-PREP. 

For Ms. Malia, teaching brings great joy. Her most unforgettable experience at D-PREP was inside the Light Studio with a toddler still learning to communicate in English.

“There was a boy who didn’t speak much English. We were learning about plants, how to grow them, and their different life cycles. In the Light Studio, he used open-ended materials like tubes and moved them while saying, “Grow,” Ms. Malia shared.

Behind the little boy was a projector shining a bright light onto the tubes, creating shadows of a growing plant. In that instant, Ms. Malia understood the power of the Reggio Emilia approach. This 3-year-old boy, who didn’t speak English besides “Good morning” and “Hello,” was showing her that he fully understood her class lessons. 

“If you’re not trained in this teaching style in Reggio Emilia, you might not have understood it at that point. Some teachers are like, “Our focus is this. We need to do this, this, and this.” But they’re missing what’s actually happening with the students. An important part of Reggio is understanding the children and how they explore the world and process things,” Ms. Malia said.

What is Your Vision for D-PREP as the Head of Early Years?

“Right now, my focus is on the teachers and how they listen and document what’s happening in the classroom. It’s all based on pedagogical documentation. 

“This year, I’m building my Professional Learning Community (PLC) of pedagogical documentation. I also focus on growing that community’s way of thinking about documentation.

When children see that you’re documenting them, they know their actions have meaning. When you put up your documentation, they can also reflect on what they did and understand how they could’ve done it differently.” 

What is Your Message to the D-PREP Community?

“Our children are capable if we give them the opportunities to grow. They’re little scientists who want to learn more. There’s a quote by Loris Malaguzzi that goes, “The children are asking ‘why,’ not for you to give them the answer, but for you to allow them to explore the answer.”

What Do You Love Most About Thailand?

“First, my family– being here with my husband, kids, extended family, and community. D-PREP is fun because we have lots of events. Our housing community also has lots of new activities.

“Thailand is also very accessible. You can experience the culture here, but since there are lots of expats, there are also shops where I can buy foreign products.”