At La Scuola d’Italia our classrooms are waiting, ready to welcome all students with open arms, from kindergarten to high school, we are ready to give a warm welcome to new families and the entire welcome back community. Sept. 4 will be the first day of school, and despite so many years of teaching, the excitement of this day remains the same as we see those puzzled faces again as they separate from their parents. This day for the little ones is more than just a return to routine; it is a reunion with friends, teachers and a new world of learning.
Among the innovations that await us in this new academic year will be the addition of the teaching of new languages such as Mandarin and Spanish right starting with the three-year old group, thus representing a unique opportunity for our little ones in a context where the approach to teaching at La Scuola is keeping up with the times and the increasingly demanding demands of global education.
Over the years spent as a teacher and coordinator at the School, I can testify to how this institution is attentive to all students’ needs. From a traditional approach dating back to the late 1990s, there has been a shift to an increasingly international approach, attentive to the needs of children and the need to cultivate global citizenship, while keeping alive the link with Italian culture.
A fantastic team of preschool teachers is dedicated daily to creating an environment where children are at the center of learning, directly involved in projects, where their natural curiosity also becomes a guide to the learning process.
From the time they enter kindergarten, teachers encourage children to express themselves with “the hundred languages,” to communicate their thoughts, learn how to share materials, wait their turn, listen to others’ ideas, do experiments, and work together so that learning is always engaging and all-around.
Throughout the year I watch fascinated as children build structures with blocks, magna title, legos, while having fun learning complex concepts, grasping their ideas and transforming them into hands-on activities by giving space to direct experience.
Naturally, in this learning process and direct experience, teachers integrate educational visits using resources in and around the New York metropolitan area, thus enabling children to delve deeper into the various topics covered and connect classroom experiences to the real world.
As we handle the various projects we give children the opportunity to apply the concepts in a meaningful context making the learning process relevant and fun. Children do not learn letters and numbers in isolation but use them in a real-world setting. For example, during the early morning hours, students learn to count school days, exposing themselves to the concept of the value of digits. By writing and creating cards, and making up stories, children reinforce letters and sounds. In this context, we show children the practical application of their skills, knowledge, and teachers reinforce their learning.
From the first week of school we observe children and identify their strengths and interests, trying to figure out how to approach different tasks according to their interests. In a class with varied personalities in which I have often found myself, I have been able to apply different ways of learning according to the children’s preferences. Some prefer hands-on activities such as building, others listening to stories, or drawing. At La Scuola we recognize these modes which help us to more effectively personalize children’s learning experiences. Differentiating naturally also involves changes in both content and environment and spaces. In classrooms we create spaces for various centers where children can explore among different activity stations, for example, creating an art corner, reading corner, manipulative corner, etc. Each corner is scrupulously designed by teachers to make sure it meets children’s interests. In this way we help them develop self-esteem and pride while deepening their specific skills. They participate with more enthusiasm enriching their love for school and all they learn.
So we begin this new journey in the 2024-2025 academic year with the joy of learning as our destination, where together The School and families will continue to maintain a community where we are inspired, encouraged and supported for the success of our students.
The article Educational learning approach in preschool comes from TheNewyorker.
