Reggio Emilia teachers specify three different things they seek to achieve: 1) make visible the way they are a teacher; 2) make visible the languages and intelligences of the children; 3) make visible the relationships in school.
All three are dimensions of the same fundamental responsibility: Make It Visible. Take things that can easily be left in the abstract and turn them into concrete artifacts that can be shared, recognized, and appreciated.
(Any mention of artifacts reminds me of Carl Bereiter's work, wherein he argues that ideas can be treated as conceptual artifacts, capable of being shaped and changed over time. Collaborating with others and shaping our understanding is akin to a ceramic artist shaping with clay.)
Teachers make visible the way they are a teacher, just as a parent makes visible the way they are a parent. Children rely on clearly defined roles as they look to their teacher or parent for support and truthfulness about the world around.
Teachers make visible the different languages of understanding students may have. They meet students where they are (i.e. in their Zone of Proximal Development, per Vygotsky), and help them create a real and concrete expression of their understanding. Something the student can use as a point of comparison in a few months, when they've progressed in their understanding. This role also encourages teachers to seek the positive - uncovering a student's latent understanding - rather than focusing on the gaps in understanding.
Teachers make visible the relationships in school. Within the Reggio Emilia system, this extends far beyond the teachers or even the school's Artist in Residence. Their relationships extend deep into the community, connecting each student with their parents, other families, local business owners, the local government, and more. The educational experience not treated as a remote island, distant and isolated from the rest of reality. School is a gateway through which students learn about the world around them and interact with their community in a meaningful way.
What a great way to frame a teacher's responsibilities. It reminds me of an essay posted by Patrick McKenzie called "Don't End The Week With Nothing." It's about making your work visible and building relationships around the things you create. This generative element of creativity and exploration stands out in a world where most activity involves consumption.