Preschool Wonderland: A Deep Dive into Italian Pedagogical Practices

This training course for preschool teachers is designed to keep pace with the dynamic and changing world of preschool education, and keep educators up to date with current developments. The course is a springboard for exploring the main principles, features and benefits of the best preschool approaches. 
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The new edition of the course “The best for preschool teachers​” took place in Bologna from 04/02/2024 to 10/02/2024. The participants came from all across Europe, with Audrey Carter, Maria Buhagiar, Caroline Abela, Natalie Montebello from SMC Cospicua Primary in Malta; Eija Blomster, Lena Funck, Sandra Fältmark, Camilla Erstam, Kerstin Bergkvist from Öjebyns rektorsområde in Sweden; Irene Minguillon from  Valdespartera III in Spain; Karin Herbolzhemer, Marta Morata, Sònia Fabre Fernández from Escola 25 de Setembre in Spain.

We opened the week with some practical activities to break the ice, share expectations and contributions. The Italian education system was introduced, and we discussed the best practices linked to preschool pedagogy. The teachers also had the chance to present their schools to the others: this was a perfect way to reach a wider understanding of preschool education in Europe.
On Tuesday we visited a preschool in Bologna called Giorgio Morandi, where we got a comprehensive tour of the premises and got a sneak peek into the school’s values and methods. We also discussed the important topic of inclusion and how it manifested within the educational systems in Italy. 
On Wednesday we delved further into the Italian preschool experience, and we had the pleasure of visiting a Montessori preschool named Carducci. The group delved into the Montessori method, a philosophy and pedagogy developed by Maria Montessori in the early 19th century. A tour of Montessori authentic environments and materials was the starting point for discovering the method in a practical and experiential way.
By Thursday It was time for another visit, this time to explore the wonder of Outdoor Education. We visited the preschool Naturalmente Bambini, where we got access to the association’s spaces. There, we saw kids playing in the nature and witnessed the wonder of learning from their point of view. Thanks to the passionate teachers who accompanied us, this experience was an eye opener on the deep need of nowadays society to bring our kids back to the authentic and real world, and the benefits this might entail for learning to respect the environment.

By Friday, it was time for making dreams come true. We headed to Reggio Emilia to visit the Loris Malaguzzi Centre where an expert guided us throughout the wonderful exhibitions of the Centre. Teachers had a chance to learn more about the history, the materials, the projects and the experiences, which make the Reggio Emilia approach unique in the world. 

We concluded the week with a nice lunch in the center, certification ceremony, pictures and goodbyes: it was time for the teachers to come back home with a luggage full of memories and experiences.
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Discover more about this course here.

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