Early childhood education

Italian culture has had a leading role in recognising and promoting early childhood education: Italian pedagogies such as Montessori and Reggio are well known and adopted all over the world.

The circumstances of our actual society present many challenges and also Italian educational institutions make constantly a lot of efforts in finding innovation, new skills and abilities to adapt to the lack of public funding, the demographic decline, the increasing number of children with non-Italian background or with physical or learning difficulties and the lack of parental competence in education.

UNESCO confirms the importance of the age 0-6 with this statement: “Early childhood care and education is more than preparation for primary school. It aims at the holistic development of a child’s social, emotional, cognitive and physical needs and it is one of the best investments a country can make to promote human resource development, gender equality and social cohesion, and to reduce the costs for later remedial programmes”.

The program of the study visit is organized according to the needs of the participants (kindergarten teachers, school managers, trainers) and gives a comprehensive overview of the Italian situation. The study visit can also be an excellent opportunity to establish contacts with teachers and school managers to start a transnational cooperation.

The possible topics covered during the study visit are:

• The structure of childhood education
• Organization, funding and legislation
• Inclusion of children with disabilities or special needs
• Intercultural education
• The Reggio Emilia Approach
• The implementation of the Montessori method
• The implementation of the Steiner (Waldorf) method
• Involvement and cooperation with parents
• Pet therapy in day care centres and kindergartens
• Psychomotricity in day care centres and kindergartens
• Nutritional education
• Furniture and equipment in day care centres and kindergartens
• Staff initial and continuous training

The study tour includes visits to municipal and private crèches, kindergartens and centres providing educational and therapeutic activities for children. Meetings with childhood policy makers, managers of public and private institutions and experts on growth and children’s difficulties complete the programme.

A regular programme lasts 5 days. When registering for a group (8 or more people), the period, duration and content can be defined according to special requests.

 

Testimonials

“Dear Alessandra, dear colleagues of Eurocultura!
We would like to thank you once again for the great, impressive week with the balanced, totally coherent programme!
It was all in all a beautiful experience and we immediately take everything into our heart!
Thank you for the friendly, caring welcome and the warmth and passion in accompanying a varied educational and cultural program!
We will gladly come back and promote Eurocultura.
We will let you know and will then come back to you for the traineeships or work placements.”
A. and S. (Robert-Wetzlar-Berufskolleg in Bonn)

“I spent a well organized, very insightful (through the lectures, seminars and workshops) and beautiful week with you in Vicenza. Nothing was missing, except for a little better weather in the meantime… 🙂 But that’s really not in your hands! The cultural framework programme provided interesting insights into the Italian way of life as well as many interesting facts about the Veneto region. I’d like to come back when I get the chance!”
André Hoffmann (RvW-Berufskolleg Lüdinghausen)

“What was particularly good within the program?
The openness and kindliness of all people, both of Eurocultura and in the various educational institutions. The great opportunities for land and culture: many thanks!
How has the care and interpretation by Eurocultura been?
Excellent!
Would you recommend this training?
Yes
And finally please share your personal impressions.
Wonderful – a week full of different impressions that we enjoyed but did not have to organize by ourselves.
It has been taken care of everything.
Wonderful people full of self-confidence in themselves and their cause, and with the will to share this with us.
A society with a glance at the child.”
Petra (Kindervereinigung Leipzig)

The week in Vicenza will remain in my memory. The organisation was perfect, the programme informative and interesting, the accommodation super. Since our group came from different federal states and different fields of work, the exchange of expertise was very substantial. I took many beautiful impressions home with me. A big thank you to everyone.”
Christiane Jourdan (Erzieherin Berlin)

“Amazing! An impressive week in beautiful Vicenza and in the culturally attractive surroundings, from which one draws a long time both professionally and privately!
The training course for early childhood education was very varied, informative and exciting, so that one gained many impressions and was able to exchange ideas with other interesting, likeable and open-minded people.
I would like to express my special thanks to the friendly, committed and competent team of Eurocultura, who accompanied us wonderfully this week and always amazed us with fantastic and unexpected surprises. Molto grazie dell’invito!”
Dominic Finis (RvW-Berufskolleg Lüdinghausen)

In addition to meetings and visits, which take place in Vicenza, Verona and Venice, the study tour offers relaxing moments for exploring the beauty of the places.