2024年4月18日

Study abroad trip to 意大利 exposes education students, faculty to different teaching practices

By Georgia McGonigle, communication assistant

Students and faculty in the 教育学院 at Northwest 密苏里州 State University returned this spring to Reggio Emilia, 意大利, where they spent a week learning about the region’s approach to preschool and primary education.

Assistant Professor of Education Dr. 贝基摩尔 and Associate Professor of Education Dr. 桑迪Seipel led the study abroad experience March 22 through March 30 and were accompanied by Professor of Education Dr. Nissa英格

“Experiencing other cultures and methods of teaching provides such a rich opportunity to learn,英格拉姆说. “Getting out of our comfort zones is important to shaking up our thought processes and opening our mind to new possibilities and opportunities for our students.”

The Reggio Emilia approach is an educational philosophy developed for preschool and primary education that encourages play and exploration as a vehicle for learning. The study abroad experience provides participants with hands-on, profession-based experiences to reinforce their corresponding academic coursework.

While younger grades in the Horace Mann Laboratory School and the Phyllis and Richard Leet Center for Children and Families utilize practices inspired by the Reggio Emilia Approach, students and faculty of the 教育学院 believe it is important to develop a deep understanding of the methods from experts to employ them in their careers as educators.

“重要的是，网上赌博网站十大排行, as teachers in the Leet Center and Horace Mann, learn first-hand about the approach so we can not only work with our young students using this approach but also exemplify the approach when working with our college practicum students,英格拉姆说.

In 意大利, Northwest students and faculty visited with experts of the approach. The group learned the history of Reggio Emilia practices by visiting locations that remain vital to the approach’s development, such as the Loris Malaguzzi International Centre, 历史中心, information and experimentation related to the Reggio Emilia Approach. During their visit to the Centre, the group attended lectures, 旅游, question-answer sessions and hands-on ateliers.

雷切尔雷德, a junior early childhood education major from Lawson, 密苏里州, enjoyed learning about the impacts of the learning environment and the community of teachers and peers on a child’s education. 

“I learned the importance of intent and to put purpose behind everything I do in the classroom,拉德克利夫说. “I also learned the importance of reflecting on myself as an educator – to better myself, 我的同事和同学们. My values are reflected in the classroom.”

In addition to learning about Reggio Emilia pedagogy, the group spent two days touring the city and other Italian towns such as Milan, Bellagio and Como to experience the country’s culture.

詹娜销, a junior early childhood education major from St. 约瑟夫, 密苏里州, said the experience of witnessing a new culture also served as an opportunity for learning and reflection.

“There were lots of aspects of 意大利 and the people there that felt so similar to us and what we experience,科特说。. “然而, there was so much about 意大利 and its culture that is so different from us and made me think about what we could do differently (in the United States).”

乔纳森·罗尔, a junior studying elementary education from Clearmont, 密苏里州, said exploring Reggio Emilia was beneficial to his career development as the trip exposed him to new ways of thinking about teaching and the classroom setting.

“This experience has helped me to think about how I set up my classroom and how I speak to my students,罗尔说. “Other teachers truly matter, as they influence how my students will learn within my future classroom.”