College of Education Students Tour Early Childhood Programs in Italy

Eight students from Niagara University's College of Education recently returned from a week-long trip to Italy, where they experienced its rich history and culture and had the unique opportunity to tour several early childhood programs.

Accompanied by professors Dr. Norline Wild and Dr. Michelle Ciminelli, and Molly McDermott, graduate assistant dean of the college, the students explored the cities of Rome, Florence, and Venice, and engaged firsthand with Montessori- and Reggio-inspired practices in each location.

Visits to La Giocomotiva schools in Rome and Florence and to the International School of Venice in Mestre were facilitated through longstanding relationships with these institutions and intended to broaden the students' understanding of diverse educational philosophies and cultural perspectives. They also inspired them to integrate innovative, child-centered playful approaches into their own classrooms.

Junior Vanessa Woolery from Syracuse, N.Y., was especially interested in visiting the Montessori schools and working with the children there. She said that participating in the trip was a once-in-a-lifetime experience to do so, and was able to observe "a different way to educate our young and impressionable children."

"I learned that you can use a lot of natural materials and experiences within and outside the classroom, and that even children as young as 3 years old can have some level of independence," she said. "We should be nurturing their curiosity, while at the same time providing them opportunities to be responsible for themselves."

"In Italy, the teachers incorporated so many natural materials and allowed the students to explore with the resources they had placed in front of them, rather than the teacher explaining directly to them how everything worked," added Madison Piggot, a junior from Buffalo, N.Y. "They also embraced the 'mess' that kids would create with the supplies, because it meant they were exploring and learning how it all worked. I hope to incorporate these ideals into my own classroom one day and remind myself messes can always be cleaned up and kids are so curious, let them explore rather than telling them the answers."

Sara Reese, a junior from Lewiston, N.Y., who plans to work as a social studies and special education teacher, went on the trip to learn about the difference between educational settings in Italy and in America and plans to use this new knowledge in her lessons.

"I can discuss connections between the American and Italian cultures and share stories with students regarding the historical sights we visited,'" she said. "I will also use my experience working with children abroad to be open-minded about working with students of all ages."

Michael D'Angelo, a first-year graduate student studying K-12 Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages from Williamsville, N.Y., also plans to teach history. He said he gained "invaluable insights" during the trip.

"I've always loved history, so getting the chance to visit a place as rich in history as Italy felt like a dream come true. I was also excited to visit Montessori schools and see how they teach, especially their approaches to language learning, since that ties directly into my master's studies," he said. "This experience will help me become a better teacher in both history and TESOL! Visiting all those historical landmarks across the three cities really gave me a deeper appreciation for how history is everywhere. Additionally, visiting Montessori schools and observing their language teaching methods really gave me valuable insights into strategies for supporting English language learners."

Sarah Laugher, a junior from Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada, appreciated the opportunity to work with students who are much younger than those she plans to teach when she graduates.

"I have always known that I wanted to teach high school, so I have never experienced a preschool teaching environment before," she said. "I was pleasantly surprised to find out that I loved it! I had so much fun with the students in Italy, and I feel strongly that I gained knowledge there that I will take with me into my future high school teaching."

Dr. Wild noted that the experience was transformative for the students, both personally and professionally.

"They developed strong connections with one another, deepened their appreciation for Italy, and for many, sparked a desire to return-perhaps even to teach there in the future," she said.

That aspiration resonated with Brayden Cox, a sophomore from North Tonawanda, N.Y.

"This experience has taught me that there are more paths in teaching that I can go down other than teaching in the U.S." he said. 'It made me realize that teaching abroad is definitely possible and something I can possibly see myself doing someday."