In the context of change and challenges to which academic institutions are called, considering the evaluation dimensions of teaching and international teacher training practices, this course aims to develop support strategies for teachers with a view to the growth of their skills. To support teachers in the transition to their new and increasingly complex role, the challenge taken up by the project is to promote training activities to promote constant reflection and rethinking of teaching practices with a view to increasing the centrality of the student. An individual reflective process, supported by reflection collective in the teaching community and by appropriate methodologies e teaching resources, will in fact accompany teachers towards a greater understanding of students’ needs and therefore a progressive innovation of their teaching towards standards of excellence.
An innovative school must be fair: this means effective for everyone. Able to give everyone the tools to carry out their own life project, making the right differences in respect and appreciation of the individual differences of all pupils. It is a school capable of taking care of everyone in the confidence that every educational investment will be found in the citizens of tomorrow.
Innovation means movement, constant tension towards quality development.
Innovating teaching is not, therefore, the search for a new methodology or a new tool, but the constant research and the continuous attempt to develop approaches, methodologies and tools useful to increase the quality of the educational processes that the school promotes.
The course was very interesting, very well structured and entrained. We found out many interesting things about the innovative methods, especially about Montessori, Pizzigoni and Reggio Emilia. I was very impressed by the Montessori kindergarten and Pizzigoni school, where the provider arranged to visit. There we talked with the teachers and it was a pleasant experience.
Within this course I found many interesting things about the Italian school system from the trainers and some information about the Greek, Spanish and Polish educational system from my colleague participants. I learned about the innovative methods approved in Italy and very used: Montessori, Pizzigoni, Grazzi and Reggio Emilia and their importance for the kids and their development. At the Montessori kindergarten and Pizzigoni school where we visit I could see many materials and activities, I found interesting things from the discussions with the teachers about the history of this methods and about their implementation and evolution in time. This informations I have presented in my kindergarten and in another meetings with other teachers and the materials and activities I introduced in my classroom and my kids were really into it. The methods studied at this course I think are very useful in our kindergarten for our future projects. Also, at this course, I have developed my listening, speaking, reading and writing English skills and my communication and social skills.
It is an interesting course about innovative methods of education. The best thing about the provider is that they are very flexible and willing to provide you with what you need. For example we asked to visit a Montessori kindergarten to see how the method is implemented and talk with teachers and they arranged such a visit. They also arranged a visit to Pizzigonni school for us.
Knowledge is not only the result of a cognitive process, but has a strong emotional and relational connotation: the educational practice involves the realization of „projects” based on the interests of children, who are encouraged to collaborate and work both on their conception and in the making. The purpose of this approach is to offer the conditions for a harmonious growth of the child, so that he fully develops all his faculties and becomes a conscious and participatory citizen.
At the beginning of the 20th century, there were more women in Italy, which gave pedagogy a new impetus. Among those women, two educators, Maria Montessori and Giuseppina Pizzigoni introduced new visions of school by devising strategies that overcome barriers to education. The first, with the structuring of a method, it appeared in Rome and now it has spread in the whole world. The second was the creation of Pizzigoni Renewed School of Milan. The Ministry of Education validated its proposals as innovative methods for all schools. In 1911, Pizzigoni’s experimental method received official approval and since then teacher training courses have been promoted. The enlightened spirits of these two pioneers led the Italian school towards a new understanding. The search for a method was the basis of scienceand experimental turning point; he had to take advantage of the method medicine and psychology, both relevant in the training of all teaching staff.
It was a full experience Erasmus that I want to repeat to enrich more and more the innovative methods useful for teaching progress.
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The course ”Innovative pedagogical and didactical approaches to teaching” was delivered by Europe For All, Milano, 06-12 november 2022, and the participation was covered through a Erasmus+ mobility within the project ”Playing, learning and growing together” (2020-1-RO01-KA101-078495).