When adults in children’s lives work together, they provide continuity for the children, helping them make meaning of their world, their education and their learning and in doing so, to grow and change. But working together also provides continuity for the adults: for teacher education, for relationships with families, and for managing the social, political and economic changes that occur as children grow older and families return to paid work outside the home.

In the educational experience of Reggio Emilia, co-teaching fosters dialogue and communication, collegial discussions, communication with families and reflection with pedagogistas.

Co-teaching relies on differences: different points of view, dialogue and exchange of ideas, the construction of consent, and a way of being in relation to others.

Mandating participation, a fear of conflict, trying to be something you are not – these and many other factors get in the way of developing an identity and a set of relationships based on difference.

In this workshop, we explored ways in which we can strengthen our individual identities as teachers, assistants, specialists, curriculum leaders and families, and work together more effectively, so that we can use our different perspectives to enrich the learning of the children – and the adults – in our centres and schools.