Food at the Sevilla Reggio Emilia School is a language
Sevilla Reggio Emilia School has its own kitchen and serves homemade meals every day; mealtime is an opportunity for social interaction and the development of practical life skills.
Although the school cafeteria is not mandatory, most students at the Sevilla Reggio Emilia School use it, which has led the school to modernize its kitchen—which is now equipped with commercial-grade appliances—and to place great importance on this cultural and social experience.
- Before lunchtime, the students lay tablecloths on their tables and set them with everything they need to eat neatly, following the social norms of “table manners.”
- Depending on the logistics, students either serve themselves or take their pre-plated meals from the serving cart, maintaining order and waiting their turn. They then sit down to eat, and the teaching staff do the same.
- During lunch, the students chat about their lives.
- Once everyone has finished eating, each person cleans up their own area and performs the household chore assigned for that week (sweeping, wiping down tables, tidying up, loading the washing machine, washing dishes...).
After lunch, the youngest children rest and then play freely. However, preschoolers who no longer take naps engage in free play and may participate in an after-school activity. The school recommends a maximum of two after-school activities per week, as unstructured playtime is considered very important. Starting at age 7, students complete some curricular work and then join in free play or the extracurricular activities they’ve signed up for. Additionally, students aged 10 and older dedicate part of their playtime to developing their talents—a fundamental aspect starting in middle school—which the students themselves organize, taking on the responsibilities that this entails.
As a result, the afternoons offer a wealth of educational, cultural, and social opportunities. Furthermore, unlike what usually happens, there is no need to sign up for after-school or special activities to enjoy this afternoon program.
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