A Peek Inside Preschools in Italy, Germany, and Austria: Global Perspectives on Effective Teaching

Dr. Saab, from West Virginia University (WVU), didn’t waste any time initiating the session – which is good because she had a lot of information to share! The graduate program in Early Childhood Education at WVU includes study of international early childhood education programs from Reggio Emilia Preschools [Italy], Montessori Schools [Italy], Forest Kindergartens [Germany & Austria], Head Start Programs [USA], and a wide variety of program models used across the United States and the world.

Italy
•1980 Exhibit “The Hundred Languages of Children”
•1994 Reggio Children and Friends
•Creating community
-Classrooms open to a center piazza, kitchens are open to view, and access to the surrounding community is assured through wall-sized windows, courtyards, and doors to the outside in each classroom.
-In each classroom there are studio spaces in the form of a large, centrally located atelier and a smaller mini-atelier, and clearly designated spaces for large- and –small-group activities.

•Room for All
-Children with ‘special rights’ are given first priority for enrollment in these Italian schools.

•Reggio’s Third teacher: the environment
-Entries capture the attention of both children and adults through the use of mirrors (on the walls, floors, and ceilings), photographs, and children’s work accompanied by transcriptions of their discussions.

•The Poppy Experience: Art as Expression of Experience
•The Story of the Theater Curtain http://www.reggioemilia.org.nz/content/view/19/19/
-Professional Artist’s Curtain
-Creation of the transformation circle

•La Villetta Preschool: The Story of the Lions
-Pink marble lions
-Shadow play (with overhead projectors)

•The Amusement Park for Birds
-Friends and Homes for the Birds (clay friends and places to put food)
-La Villetta Preschool

International Montessori, Vienna
•The concept is total immersion, which means children will hear and use English the entire time.
•As the immersion research presents, the children learn all necessary language skills for functioning throughout the day within 2 months.
•There is a long wait for admission into this 2nd language school.
•The kindergarten is truly multicultural and has children from 30 different countries around the world.
•Documented with photos from their trip to the zoo.

Waldorf School, Vienna, Austria
•A lot of working with natural elements.
•Elements common to a “Forest Kindergarten.”
•Natural light was common to all places.

Private School, Vienna, Austria
•Outdoor brought in – tree branches hanging from the ceiling.
•Some English focus but not like at the International Montessori and 2nd Grade Pulic in Weiten, Austria.

2nd Grade Public Weiten, Austria
•Big focus on English language learning.
•Slide built into the hillside.
•Music equipment – real guitars, electric piano, etc. They were always there. Not just “brought in” by music teacher.

Public Kindergarten Klien Pochlarn, Austria
•They use the forest with a clearing
•Indoor garden that is child made using paper, soil, bricks, etc.
•Tree stumps! Basket with child size hammer, saw, etc. Let children hammer nails into the tree stump.
•Tunnel in the side of a hill with dirt over it.

Educational System of Germany
•The city of Munic offers English.
•No plastic is common in Reggio-inspired schools. Children are trusted with real materials (including ceramic plates and glasses).

Dr. Joy Faini Saab
College of Human Resources & Education
West Virginia University
Joy.saab@mail.wvu.edu