Learning outcomes

The students are expected to achieve the following goals:

− To understand the roots and the main conceptual frames of early childhood education, with a specific focus on care
− To explore the critical points concerning education for children aged from 0 to 6 years starting from the analysis and discussion of one’s own images of child, family, learning, educational relationships during childhood
− To get to know the contemporary Italian and European offer of services for early childhood
− To be able to analyze practices and educational models in early childhood education in a pedagogical perspective
− To be able to design interventions in early childhood education, adapting to the child’s needs and to the specific environment

Program

Course's contents
Care work as a complex cultural practice
Competences and practives in care work
Care in early childhood education settings
Basic knowledge of the United Nations CRC (Convention on the Rights of the Child)
Participatory methods to involve children's perspective in education, work records, evaluation

Texts for the exam:
- Andrea Bobbio, Pedagogia dell’infanzia e cultura dell’educazione, Roma, Carocci, 2013
- Luigina Mortari, Filosofia della cura, Milano, Raffaello Cortina, 2014
- Donata Ripamonti, Paola Tosi, I momenti di cura nei servizi e nelle scuole per l’infanzia, Bergamo, Edizioni Junior
- Alison Clark, Peter Moss, Ascoltare i bambini. L’approccio a mosaico, Bergamo, Edizioni Junior, 2014
- Convention on the Rights of the Child (1989), available also in English on the e-learning space

During the course, if necessary, the teacher will give further documents and references on specific topics. These materials are part of the syllabus and will be available on the e-learning space.

Further references (suggestions - not part of the syllabus)
- Bosi R., Pedagogia al nido, Carocci, Roma, 2002
- Galardini A.L., Crescere al nido, Carocci, Roma, 2003
- Musi E., Invisibili sapienze. Pratiche di cura al nido, Edizioni Junior, Bergamo, 2010
- A. Infantino (a cura di), Pratiche educative nei servizi per l’infanzia, Franco Angeli, 2014
- A. Infantino, Il lavoro educativo con la prima infanzia. Tra progetto pedagogico e scelte organizzative, Junior, Azzano S. Paolo (Bg), 2008.
- P. Braga (a cura di), Gioco, cultura e formazione. Temi e problemi di pedagogia dell’infanzia, edizioni Junior, 2005
- Braga P., Mauri M., Tosi P. (2009) Perché e come osservare nel contesto educativo. Presentazione di alcuni strumenti, Junior, Bergamo.
- F. Caggio, A. Infantino (a cura di), …con bambini e famiglie. Un’esplorazione in luoghi d’infanzia, edizioni Junior, 2008
- A. Infantino (a cura di), Il lavoro educativo con la prima infanzia. Tra progetto pedagogico e scelte organizzative, edizioni Junior, 2008
- S. Mantovani, L. Restuccia Saitta, C. Bove, Attaccamento e inserimento. Stili e storie delle relazioni al nido, Franco Angeli, 2000

Methods
Lectures
Group works on specific topics proposed by the teacher
Individual work on themes and issues emerging from the discussion

Examination Methods

The teacher will verify the students' learning through:
- prospective individual productions (on a voluntary basis)
- a written examination (including multiple choice and open-ended questions)