Open letter sparks debate about training system in Italy.
A Finnish household who moved to Sicily final summer season left the southern Italian island after two months over claims that the college system was insufficient, as outlined in an extended open letter to native paper Siracusa Information.
Elin Mattsson, a 42-year-old painter, is a mom of 4 kids aged 15, 14, six and three. Collectively along with her husband, a 46-year-old IT supervisor who works remotely, the household moved to Syracuse in August.
“We wished to expertise your wonderful local weather and tradition however sadly our keep didn’t go as deliberate” – Mattsson wrote in her letter which was republished extensively in Italy – “We have lived in each Spain and the UK earlier than and (naively?) thought the training system can be related throughout the Mediterranean, however boy, have been we flawed.”
Mattsson stated it “took us simply a few months” of college in Syracuse to “realise that it wasn’t value it”.
‘“Mother they’re yelling and banging the desk” says my six 12 months outdated. “Sure, it is loopy that they use the whistle and shout,” says the 14-year-old, “and I do know English higher than the English instructor himself!”.’
The issue, in response to Mattsson, is that “the college system is so poor. My doubts began from the primary day I set foot at school to register: the noise of the lessons was so loud that I puzzled how the hell it was potential to pay attention with that noise. That day I additionally caught a glimpse of a classroom the place a boy of about seven was doing an train in entrance of an indignant instructor who appeared down scornfully not solely on the boy on the blackboard however on all of the pupils. It was surprising.”
“The college day is spent in the identical chair from morning till you go house. What? “Are there no breaks the place motion is allowed?” I ask. “Simply little breaks in the identical classroom” was the reply I obtained.”
Stressing the significance of recent air and breaks for focus, Mattsson wrote: “If solely the federal government understood the advantages! In Finland, college students have a 15-minute break between classes, and go away the classroom to play collectively within the backyard/patio. A instructor or two retains an eye fixed on them whereas they’re out. Finland realises the advantages of youngsters shifting, enjoying, shouting and working freely outdoor to eliminate extra power and get recent air, thus attaining higher leads to college.”
“I even have a 3 12 months outdated and was capable of see the kindergarten exercise as properly. I used to be nervous after I noticed the kindergarten backyard (patio). Nothing to play with? The place was all of the climbing stuff? Nothing? I imply, I’ve seen gear for teenagers to play in metropolis parks, in order that they definitely know find out how to get it. Should not kids additionally play in kindergarten? No, an empty backyard across the perimeter of the constructing. It wasn’t good….”
“Are the kindergarten children principally sitting inside, sitting nonetheless round a desk doing little issues with simply their palms? For actual? Fully loopy. Having outside experiences is important for each learner. Kindergarten instructing ought to come from play. Free play! Youngsters ought to be kids so long as potential, for those who do, you’ll do properly at school. Making an attempt to drive them to study various things too quickly could be deadly. The mind should be sufficiently developed earlier than instructing can start.”
“In Finnish kindergartens the kids exit each morning between 09.00 and 11.00, they’ll play freely (they’ve toy vehicles, climbing objects, sandboxes to play with, every kind of toys just like these discovered right here within the parks). As soon as lunch time arrives, you go inside. Subsequently, indoor actions happen after which outside video games once more within the afternoon from 13.00 to 16.00 (dressed in response to the climate).”
Mattsson additionally referred to as into query the “pedagogy of lecturers”, asking: “Do they examine it of their coaching? The strategies I’ve experimented with have been nothing like that (yelling on the high of my lungs in all probability does not work that properly, does it?) however I can perceive the power degree of youngsters after they haven’t got time to bodily launch it (like in breaks). Allow them to play outdoors! Allow them to get the air they want a lot!”
One other difficulty she addressed in her letter to Siracusa Information was city journey and site visitors administration: “How is it potential to assume that the numerous adults who rush to highschool each morning and each afternoon could be purposeful? Is complete site visitors chaos (and the surroundings right here?) sensible for households?”
“In Finland, kids (seven-12 years) go to highschool alone; they use a bicycle or stroll and in the event that they reside greater than 5 km from the college they’ll go by taxi/college bus. They’ve lunch at college, then go house alone when the college day is over. If desired, the kid can go to a different place (corresponding to a day membership) till the dad and mom go away work.”
Mattsson concluded with a sequence of open questions to the authorities answerable for the college:
“Why should not all kids have the most effective circumstances for studying? Why do not you realise the advantages of recent air? Play and study! Realise the advantages of outside breaks and flip schoolyards into enjoyable locations to play.”
“Keep away from stuffing children like sausages (aka an excessive amount of studying for undeveloped brains). Why do not you supply lunch at college? (That is maybe the one dietary meal for some households). Why do not you see the advantages of youngsters going to highschool and residential on their very own? I am certain you may do it in several methods, in order that the site visitors will get used to the pedestrians.”
“In Spain that they had older kids who stood at intersections with neon lights and stopped site visitors within the morning and afternoon when the youthful ones crossed. In Finland you educate your kids find out how to behave in site visitors to allow them to go by themselves. Bye bye Syracuse and hola Espana”.
Picture Siracusa Information
