Learning outcomes

Educational experiences are grounded in relationships. Educators have an active role in these relationships and, as adults, their role is to lead the educative experiences in order to acknowledge children and to support the flourishing of their life. In order to get this aim the educator’s competences have to be active, rather than fixed. Competences have continually to be replaced in accordance with the different settings and subjects involved in the educative relationships.
To build flexible competences, the educators need to reflect on their professional experience, in particular on their personal stance.

Starting from these premises, the course aims to provide students with:
- knowledge about some educative perspectives focused on relationships (such as the care perspectives);
- development of reflexive competence, in particular on personal standpoint;
- knowledge about educative methods to be employed in different educative settings, such as early childhood services, extra school activities, foster and care centers etc.

Program

Course summary
The course is articulated in two parts. The first one aims at presenting some educative theories, with particular attention to care perspective, which focuses on people in terms of their connectedness and relationships with others (books A and B).
The second part of the course aims at introducing educative methods, taking into consideration the several different settings in which education occurs:
- early childhood services;
- services for children and adolescents with behavioral problems;
- schools (with particular focus on research methods).
For this second part the texts are to be chosen from a list, divided following the previous three settings (books C, D and E).
Other resources and references will be available in the e-learning section, that will be open at the beginning of the course.

Didactic methods
Lessons will be planned using:
- theoretical presentations;
- group activities;
- reflexive activities, focused on videos, narratives and other texts.
The resources for group and reflexive activities will be available on-line.

Textbooks and references:
A. Mortari, L. (2006) La pratica dell’aver cura, Mondadori: Milano.
B. Lizzola, I. (2009) Di generazione in generazione: l’esperienza educativa tra consegna e nuovo inizio, FrancoAngeli: Milano.


Early childhood services
C.Galardini, A. (2003) Crescere al nido. Gli spazi, i tempi, le attività, le relazioni, Roma: Carocci Faber;

D. Belotti, V. e Moretti, R. (2011) L'Italia "minore". Mappe di indicatori sulla condizione e le disuguaglianze nel benessere dei bambini e dei ragazzi, Questioni e Documenti, 51, Firenze Istituto degli Innocenti.
This book is available on the e-learning's page.
(The following chapters: Prefazione + Elementi di un quadro d'insieme (pp. X-XV); Verso le mappe degli idnicatori (pp. 1-22); Tra stabilità e cambiamento nel tempo (pp. 23-76)).

E. Manini, M., Gherardi, V. e Balduzzi, L. (2005)Gioco,Bambini, Genitori. Roma: Carocci.
(Two chapters:Dalla Convenzione sui diritti dei bambini e delle bambine alla legge 28 agosto 1997, n 285; Servizi educativi e servizi sociali. Lo spazio della prevenzione e del sostegno. pp. 21-55)

Services for children and adolescents with behavioral problems
C. Bertolini, P. e Caronia L. (1993) Ragazzi difficili. Pedagogia interpretativa e linee di intervento, Scandicci: LaNuovaItalia.
(Chapters available on the e-learning's page: Devianza minorile e paradigma pedagogico; Verso una pedagogia dei ragazzi difficili; Conoscere e comprendere; Verso il cambiamento: le prime strategie educative; La dilatazione del campo di esperienza; La figura e il ruolo dell'educatore professionale; La costruzione di una nuova visione del mondo).

D. Relazione sulla condizione dell'infanzia e dell'adolescenza_2008-2009, a cura dell'Osservartorio Nazionale per l' Infanzia e l'Adolescenza.
This book is available on the e-learning's page.
(The following chapters: Favorire la partecipazione sociale e negli ambiti della vita quotidiana (pp. 1- 30); Promuovere i rapporti tra le generazioni (pp. 31-54); Contrastare l'esclusione sociale e la povertà (pp. 98-112); Incrementare il processo di sviluppo di una retedi servizi integrati (pp. 131-156).

Schools (with particular focus on research methods)
C. Mortari, L. (2009) La ricerca per i bambini, Milano: Mondadori.

D.Perry, B. e Dockett, S. (2011) 'How' bout we have a celebration!' Advice from children on starting school, European Eraly Childhood Education Research Journal, 19 (3), pp. 373-386.

E. Mortari, L. (2011) Thinking silently in the woods: listening to children speaking about emotion, European Eraly Childhood Education Research Journal, 19 (3), pp. 345-356.
(The scientific articles are available on-line from Universe)

Examination Methods

The learning outcomes of students will assess with a written examination; in some cases an oral examination will integrate the written one.