Places in Florence where Diversity and Change were Observed
2012 Italy Travel Observations of a Bilingual SPED Teacher Day No. 6
This is the sixth post about my trip to Italy in the summer of 2012. It was one of my requirements to complete the GWU Education Specialist Degree that was granted through the partnership of US Education Department, the school district I worked for and George Washington University. Even then, I was writing from the POV of a Filipino Educator teaching in the USA. There are hidden gems in these journal entries worthy to be shared.
The UNICEF Children's Institute of Florence, otherwise known as Istituto Degli Innocenti, is a preschool which opened in 1977. It accepts all types of students especially those with disabilities “because they have to get better,” said Arianna Pucci, our speaker for that day. We visited their empty classrooms and I was encouraged to see a set of baby dolls with different colors as shown at the picture on the right. The dolls were white, black and brownish-red and indicates that the school encourages diversity and differences. Actually, Ms. Pucci said that they mixed students: fast, slow, big small and have small groups. If needed, they had support teachers, psychologists, and others.
Similar to Headstart
This set-up is similar to the USA Headstart program for preschool children where those with disabilities are educated along side their peers. Support personnel and special educational teachers visit the child in the classroom to make sure they get the extra services they need. However, this set-up is fairly recent at some school US districts. The Istituto Degli Innocenti has been doing this since 1977 and the students, probably, benefited from early intervention.
Later in the afternoon, we visited the RFK Center in Florence. It was located in a building which was previously used as prison. The square nearby, which was probably the prison outdoor recreation, became Caffe Letterario, where citizens can drink coffee and discuss issues. Our group discovered Caffe Letterario before our appointed time with the RFK Center people and was able to enjoy cups of coffee while musing about the building which is shown in the picture below.
Valentina Pagliai, of the RFK Center, said it was symbolic that a human rights group like them now occupies a building which served to imprison people. I totally agree with her and appreciate that I was able to enjoy a few minutes of relaxation and easy conversation with my colleagues in a place where humans were previously incarcerated.
Change is Constant
Change is constantly happening. Organizations like the RFK serve as catalysts for change. As an educator, I am also a catalyst for change for my students who have special needs and are English Language Learners as well. Their minds are imprisoned if we do not find ways to free their thoughts through empowerment. Little by little, lesson by lesson, each student can be freed from themselves if educators will help them have the self-confidence they need to learn. However, there is also a chance, for well-meaning educators to further trap the minds of their students through bad teaching. It is our job as teachers to recognize the difference. Next, I will tell you about our visit to Reggio Emilia and its Child-Centered Approach.