General Information About the School and the Team
During the preparatory visit to the Don Lorenzo Milani Comprehensive Institute in Viareggio, Italy, we became acquainted with the school, its educational vision, and the way it shapes inclusive and innovative education.
The school is under the leadership of principal Nella de Angeli and comprises a lower secondary school for students aged 11 to 14, four primary schools for children aged 6 to 11, and a kindergarten for children aged 3 to 6. The institute consists of a large team of approximately 120 teachers spread across the various schools. Despite the size of the organization, there is good collaboration and a shared vision on education and student development.
The school is located in the southeastern part of Viareggio, in the neighborhoods of Bicchio, Varignano, Apuania, and Terminetto. The social and cultural environment is characterized by a wide diversity of backgrounds, experiences, and origins. The school explicitly views this diversity as an added value. Multiculturalism forms an important educational and human strength and offers opportunities to promote dialogue, mutual understanding, and openness.
Educational Vision: Inclusion, Well-being, and Personal Development
An important pillar of the school’s educational vision is creating an inclusive and welcoming learning environment in which the well-being of every student is central. The school wants all students to feel seen, recognized, and supported, and to be given the opportunity to optimally develop their individual talents and capabilities.
In doing so, the school strives for a calm, safe, participatory, and motivating environment where students are actively involved in their own learning process and feel connected to the school community.
In addition to cognitive development, the school pays great attention to stimulating independence, a sense of responsibility, and citizenship skills. Students are encouraged to take initiative, collaborate, make their own choices, and bear responsibility for their actions. In this way, the school aims to prepare them not only for their further academic career, but also for their role as active and engaged citizens in society.
Inclusive Education and Dealing with Differences n
Inclusion is one of the school’s main strengths. The school does not view differences between students as an obstacle, but rather as an opportunity to learn from and with one another. The diverse cultural, social, and personal backgrounds of students contribute to a rich learning environment in which respect, understanding, and cooperation are encouraged.
To meet the varying educational needs, the school works as much as possible with personalized learning pathways, targeted support for students with special educational needs, and flexible, accessible instruction. The starting point is that every student, regardless of background or support needs, can fully participate in education.
This approach requires education that aligns with the capabilities of individual students while simultaneously offering room for shared learning experiences. By attending to both individual development and group dynamics, the school aims to create an environment in which all students can flourish and discover their talents.
Innovation and Educational Reform
The school is explicitly committed to educational innovation. It is affiliated with the Educational Avant-Gardes movement of INDIRE, the Italian national institute for documentation, innovation, and educational research. Within this movement, developing and applying innovative teaching practices is central.
The school promotes methodologies in which the student is actively involved in the learning process. Collaboration, creativity, independent thinking, and participation play a key role here. This approach offers students the opportunity not only to acquire knowledge, but also to develop skills needed to face challenges and find solutions together.
Digital innovation also forms an important component of the educational vision. The school is equipped with technological facilities and flexibly arranged learning environments that support various forms of teaching. In addition, there are subject-specific practical rooms and laboratories where students can learn in an active and investigative manner.
Through the combination of digital tools, flexible spaces, and practice-oriented teaching methods, the school can offer education focused on discovery, experimentation, collaboration, and the active application of knowledge. These learning environments also contribute to the accessibility of education and make it possible to accommodate diverse learning needs.
Projects and Talent Development
A broad range of projects is organized within the school. These projects cover various subject areas, including languages, mathematics, natural sciences, art, music, theater, sports, and digital technology.
The objective of these activities is to introduce students to new subjects in diverse ways and to provide them with the space to discover and further develop their personal interests and talents.
Activities such as debating, programming, robotics, theater, music, and specialized workshops form key components of this offering. They provide students with concrete and meaningful learning experiences where knowledge and skills are put into practice.Furthermore, these activities contribute to the development of essential competencies such as critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and problem-solving. Self-confidence and the ability to build positive relationships with others are also nurtured. The school therefore views these projects not merely as a supplement to regular education, but as valuable tools to support the broad personal development of students.
International Cooperation and Erasmus+
During the visit, we also met the school’s Erasmus team. This team consists of twelve individuals who are collectively responsible for developing and carrying out international activities. The team makes a dedicated and enthusiastic impression. Collaboration within the team runs smoothly, and there is high motivation to establish international contacts, exchange experiences, and gain new insights.
For the school, this is the first year participating in international exchanges under Erasmus+. Despite this being their initial experience, there is great enthusiasm and commitment to further exploring and expanding international cooperation opportunities. The team sees Erasmus+ as a valuable opportunity to enrich their own educational practice, gather new ideas, and stimulate the professional development of staff.
This introduction provides a solid foundation for exploring how both schools can learn from each other. The educational vision of the Italian school aligns on several key points with themes that are also important for De Plantage, such as inclusion, sustainability, and digital literacy. These themes offer concrete starting points for job shadowing, allowing teachers to observe each other’s educational practices, share experiences, and gain inspiration for their own school.
Additionally, discussions were held regarding the possibility of organizing a student exchange in the upcoming school year. Our students from Grades 7 and 8 (groups 7 and 8) would have the opportunity to get acquainted with Italian education and daily school life. Because the institute includes both primary schools and a lower secondary school, our students can experience both the highest grades of primary education and a portion of lower secondary education. This makes the exchange particularly interesting, as students not only become acquainted with a different culture and language, but also gain insight into a different educational structure and the transition to the next stage of schooling.
Conclusion and Opportunities for Further Cooperation
The preparatory visit to the Don Lorenzo Milani Comprehensive Institute yielded a positive impression of a school strongly committed to inclusion, innovation, well-being, and the broad development of students. The focus on diversity, the active role of students in the learning process, and collaboration with the local community provide valuable starting points for international knowledge exchange.
The school is an attractive partner for future job shadowing, particularly regarding the topics of inclusion, sustainability, and digital literacy. By observing lessons and educational activities and engaging in dialogue with Italian colleagues, we can gain insight into their approach and explore which practices are applicable within our own educational context. The scale of the school, its various educational phases, and its emphasis on innovative learning methods offer numerous opportunities for inspiration.
Meeting the Erasmus team was also very positive. The team consists of twelve enthusiastic staff members who work well together and are motivated to further shape international cooperation. Although the school is in its first year of exchange programs, there is a clear willingness to learn together and gain new experiences. This forms a strong foundation for sustainable cooperation between both schools.
A student exchange in the next school year also appears to be a valuable opportunity. Our students from Grades 7 and 8 would be able to experience both the top classes of the Italian primary school and the lower secondary school. As a result, they will gain a broader impression of the Italian educational system and experience how peers learn and live together in a different cultural and social setting.
All in all, the Don Lorenzo Milani Comprehensive Institute is a wonderful and promising school to visit and a suitable partner for further developing collaboration within Erasmus+.