We created our innovation because we believe that “we […] are part of an ecosystem; that our earthly journey is one undertaken together with the environment, with nature, with the cosmos; that our bodies, our morality, our culture, our knowledge and our feelings are connected to the environment, to the universe, to the world and to the cosmos, and this is where the web of our lives lies”L. Malaguzzi
We recognized the need of:
- bringing planetary citizenship where it was still to be built, transcending the dichotomy between inside and outside
- To recognize children’s often-denied right to explore, learn about and spend time in the natural and public spaces of their local area from a very young age together with adults
- There is a lack of awareness of the importance, as human beings, of redefining our place in the world, our "Planetary-Earth Identity"* and the sustainability of our relationships – all of which enable a deep connection with the universe and allow us to see ourselves not as standing at the top of the hierarchy, but alongside all other forms of life
- The need to disseminate these values to as many educators, pedagogist, parents, universities, administrators, politicians and all stakeholders involved in the world of education as possible, in order to promote a radical shift in childhood’s culture.
- The need to develop problem-solving, critical and reflective thinking, scientific intelligence and creativity
The innovation involves:
- a concrete focus, within our school, on children – viewed as competent individuals capable of building their knowledge alongside their peers, with adults by their side who learn alongside them, providing contexts for learning and well-being. This is achieved through exploration, knowledge and the reflection of experiences using different languages in a project-based approach.
- the visibility and sharing of their learning processes through documentation and the dissemination of this approach to all stakeholders involved in early childhood education via:
o Publications (the book ‘Scuola in golena’, the school’s annual publications, articles and contributions)
o the school’s website and social media
o Conferences and workshops in Italy and abroad
• Hosting delegations from around the world
• Collaborations with universities and the regional government
How we address challenges:
- We place equal value on indoor and outdoor learning through a constant and deep connection with the local area and its infinite educational potential.
- Development of a concept of community that includes all living and non-living beings
- We promote these values and how to apply them in daily life
We have evidence of the effectiveness of our innovation because we are visited by professionals from all over the world and receive many requests for training
We do not have a brand because we believe in the free dissemination of good practices
The project has been disseminated through various channels, which attest to its success and scalability:
- Publication of the book *Scuola in golena*, in which university lecturers have studied our experience
- Award for the best Italian educational project in 2016
- Aannual school publications and reports
- University dissertations on our innovative project (11)
- We have served as a benchmark for advanced training and postgraduate university courses;
- We host the university master’s programme in education and nature promoted by four universities
- Contributions regarding our innovative approach in academic texts
- Hosting delegations of professionals from Italy and around the world (e.g. 2025–2026: Singapore, Palestine, Pakistan, Korea, China, USA, Brazil, Japan, Spain, Germany, UK)
- Hosting of interns from Italian, Norwegian and Spanish universities and schools
- Training through conferences, seminars and workshops in Italy and abroad (Vietnam, Brazil, South Korea, China and Spain)
- Collaboration with the University of Parma
- Collaboration with the Emilia-Romagna Region on the development of regional guidelines for outdoor education for children aged 0–6
- School website and social media
Objectives:
- To further promote this approach in primary schools through the provision of shared training programmes
- Expanding our collaboration with academic community to promote the core values and practices of our approach
The steps you can take are:
Visit our website at www.scuolaingolena.it, and follow us on Facebook and Instagram
Read our book and explore the values underlying our educational approach
Take part to our training
Train educational staff, organize outdoor excursions, and involve families and the community
Observe, document, and reflect on the materials gathered to help share this educational innovation
