The Italian educational system for children between tha ages of 0 – 6 years Nursery-school (nido d’infanzia)for children: For children between the ages of six months - three years. Pre-school: For children between the ages of thirty months - six years.

Nursery school In Emilia-Romagna the nursery-school is regulated by the Regional Law n. 1/2000 “Rules concerning educational services for the nursery-school”, amended in the Regional Law n.8/2004. As regards nursery-service, it’s important to point out that this law sets out nursery-school features, goals, different ways of service management, opening times, educators and pedagogic coordinator functions.

What nursery-school is “Nursery-school is a social and educational service of public interest for all children between the ages of three months - six years. It works together with families for children’ s growth and training, in the framework of a childhood policy that garantees the right to education, respecting individual, cultural and religious identity. from Regional Law 01/00

Aims of the nursery-school “ The nursery-school aims at: a) children training and socialization, in order to help their psycophysical well-being, and to develop their abilities in knowledge, care, and social attitudes; b) children care involving a costant entrusting to characters different from parental ones in a context outside the familiar one; c) families support in children care and in educational choices.” from Regional Law 01/00

Nursery-school management “Educational babyhood services can be managed by: a) Municipalities, or association of municipalities; b) other public subjects; c) private subjects, authorized by art. 19, having an agreement with Municipalities; d) private subjects chosen by Municipalities through public procedures; e) private subjects justified in working.” from Regional Law 01/00

Nursery-school opening times “As regards opening times, nursery-schools, including units annexed to pre-school may be full time or part- time…” from Regional Law 01/00

Tasks of the Staff “Staffs is responsible for children care and education and for relatioships with families. They think of service organization and working. […] “Staff activity takes place according to team working method, closely cooperating with families, in order to ensure uninterrupted educational activities and the total integrated use of the different professions of the staff.” from Legge Regional Law 01/00

The pedagogic coordinator’s role “P edagogic coordinators should train and support the operators’ work, even as regards their permanent training, should promote and judge the services quality, should control and document experiences, should experiment changes in the services, should liase between educational and social and health services, should cooperate with families and local communities, in order to promote childhood culture.” from Regional Law 01/00

Nursery-school “Nursery-school, freely chosen by families, addresses to all the children between the ages of three - six years and is the answer to their right to education. Its origins are in local communities (such as Municipalities and Parishes) and there it has grown up. Nowadays it’s carried out according to a large number of istitutional and organizing models which are promoted by several subjects: State, religious Orders, Associations and Parish communities, local Boards.” Curriculun directives for pre-school and primary school.

Indication for the curriculo As regards pre-school, the pedagogic, educational and functional identity is defined by the National Indications for the curriculum. It’s important to point out the directives help to define service goals, educational-didactic proposals and field experience.

Task of the pre-school “For each child, pre-school aims at developing identity, autonomy, competence and social responsibility.” Curriculum for pre-school and primary school.

Educational-didactic proposals “Pre-school sets up educational and didactic proposals allowing children to explore and discover the surrounding world through a specific curriculum. There is also an implied curriculum made up of factors that define the learning field and make it clear and at once recognizable...” Curriculum for pre-school and primary school.

The place “The place must be confortable, warm, tidy, taste- oriented; it must express the pedegogy and the educational choices of each school. It’s a place that recalls the children who live there, their importance, their needs of playing, moving, expressing, of feeling alone and of socializing. Children like living in this place thanks to its physical surroundings, its furniture and objects that create a functional and pleasant environment.” Curriculo directions for pre-school and primary school.

Times “The time shall be relaxed, so children are allowed to play, explore, talk, observe, listen, understand and grow up in a safe and quiet way. So they can feel self- confidence and be aware of their activities. Therefore children can discover and live their own time without any speeding up or slowing down caused by grown- ups.” Curriculum for pre-school and primary school.

Papers “Papers, as a way to leave signs, memories and to reflect, to make evident formation modalities and courses and to allow to consider progress in learning both individually and in team-work.” The educational method “The educational method, based on observation and listening, on jointly worked out planning, on the help both indirect and as an organizer.” Curriculum for pre-school and primary school.

The sharing “The sharing, as a way to create and develop relationship of mutual responsability, as well as to encourage dialogue and cooperation in order to build knowledge.” Curriculum for pre-school and primary school.

Experience fields 1. The self and the other: the basic questions, the moral sense, the living together. 2. The body in movement: identity, autonomy, health. 3. Languages, creativity, expression: gestures, art, music, multimedia. 4. Speeches and words: communication, language, culture. 5. The world knowledge : order, measure, space, time, nature.