EARLY LEARNING CENTER
L'albero magico –Scuola d'Infanzia
An innovative Italian Immersion School
MISSION
Empowers courageous learners to innovate and create a brighter future. Honoring our Italian roots, language, culture, and traditions while nurturing our connection to the land that welcomes us every day.
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Diamo forza e coraggio ai nostri studenti per rinnovare, guidare e creare un futuro luminoso. Onoriamo le nostre radici Italiane, la lingua, la cultura e le tradizioni mentre nutriamo la nostra connessione con la terra che ci accoglie ogni giorno.
REGGIO EMILIA APPROACH: INQUIRY BASED AND PLAYBASED LEARNING
PHILOSOPHY
La scuola d’infanzia - L’albero magico - is an innovative early learning centre with a progressive educational approach. Grounded in a foundation of Reggio Emilia Approach, our unique integrated curriculum includes inquiry-based and play-based learning.
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Central to our pedagogical approach and practice is the belief that children are curious, capable and active participants in their learning, living and growing in a complex interdependence with the world around them, entangles multiple relations.
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One of the key aspects of our practice is recognizing educators as researchers and collaborators. Just as Malaguzzi envisioned, we believe that educators should be reflective, continuously questioning and exploring their own practice in collaboration with colleagues, children, and families. This approach creates a learning community where everyone, both adults and children, are co-learners, building knowledge together.
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We also believe in the pedagogy of listening, critical reflection, and pedagogical narration. These three aspects are fundamental when working with educators to create and implement the curriculum. Listening - truly hearing and valuing children’s voices - ensures that learning experiences are relevant and responsive. Critical reflection allows us to examine our practices, reconsider assumptions, and make thoughtful adjustments, while pedagogical narration provides a way to document and share children’s learning journeys, helping us to better understand their progress and next steps.
PEDAGOGY OF RELATIONS
Families and the broader community play a critical role in this philosophy. We strongly believe that they are active participants in the educational process. In our educational practice, we strive to create an inclusive environment where families feel welcome, valued, and part of the learning journey. It is essential that there is a strong partnership between the program, educators, and families to ensure that each child’s needs are met, and their experiences are shared and enriched by the community.
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Learning, from our perspective, is holistic and inclusive. we see it as a process that engages children emotionally, cognitively, socially, and physically. Every experience, whether in nature, in play, or through social interactions, offers valuable opportunities for growth. This aligns with the view that learning is not merely about acquiring knowledge but about building relationships, exploring ideas, and making connections to the world around us.
CULTURAL AND TRADITIONAL ROOTS: LANGUAGE IMMERSION
Finally, we believe that relationality with culture, land, community, and place is fundamental. Children are not isolated from their environments; they are shaped by and contribute to the spaces they inhabit. Therefore, I prioritize creating learning experiences that are grounded in the local context, culture, and community, encouraging children to develop a sense of belonging and responsibility to the world around them.
In our practice of educational care, we also want to incorporate part of the identity of the school - an Italian immersion school that recognizes its Italian cultural origins, language, and traditions. On one hand, this supports the Italian community abroad, and on the other, it fosters a respectful and appreciative relationship with the people who have welcomed us into their lands for many years and continue to do so.
ENVIRONMENT
The environment is the third teacher. By integrating these principles into my practice, we aim to create an environment that supports the diverse and dynamic learning needs of children, fosters meaningful connections with families and the broader community, and nurtures the development of the whole child.
Our program is designed to meet the unique needs of each student, with a strong emphasis on fostering their social-emotional development, health, and well-being. Students, educators and family collaborate to create a vibrant global community, engaging in authentic and meaningful experiences. Together, we cultivate an understanding of our collective responsibility in shaping an enduring world, both today and for future generations.
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OUR TEAM
At L’albero Magico, our educators are co-learners, researchers, and collaborators. Inspired by the Reggio Emilia Approach, we foster curiosity through inquiry and play. With a focus on listening, reflection, and storytelling, we create a nurturing community where children, families, and educators grow together.
FEE AND HOURS OF OPERATION
By filling out one of the forms below you will be entering a waitlist which does not guarantee a spot in childcare. To be consider your child should be at least 2 years old.
Please contact us for further information and availability at: (604) 430 -3337 ext: 239 or
email the Childcare Director Camilla Fusar Poli childcare@iccvancouver.ca
Monday to Friday. 8:30 am - 4:30 pm.
Full Time Program
$1,340 + Fees
Price per month
DISCOVER THE
REGGIO EMILIA
APPROACH
Reggio Children is an International Centre for the defence and promotion of children’s rights and potentials. It was created with the intention of valorising and safeguarding the experience of Reggio Emilia’s Municipal Infant-Toddler Centres and Preschools, known in Italy and throughout the world as the Reggio Emilia Approach®
TESTIMONIALS
"Scuola d'Infanzia is an integral stepping stone in my son’s early childhood education, offering a grounding in both Italian language and culture, second only to actually being in Italy"
Stefano Giulianetti
EDDA ONESTI
Founder of Scuola d’Infanzia “L’Albero Magico”
We extend our heartfelt gratitude to Edda Onesti, Founder of Scuola d’Infanzia L’Albero Magico and Director from September 2020 to January 2025. Her vision, dedication, and leadership have shaped our community and enriched the lives of countless children and families.
