Ormai è un dato acquisito come anche le istituzioni educative debbano essere considerate, e studiate, come delle vere e proprie organizzazioni di lavoro. Seppur non focalizzate in un processo produttivo in senso stretto, si caratterizzano però di tutti gli altri elementi, strutturali e di processo, che caratterizzano qualsiasi altra organizzazione di lavoro: c’è un’organizzazione delle attività lavorative, una suddivisione dei compiti in ruoli definiti, un passaggio di risorse per la realizzazione del processo organizzativo, un ingresso formale delle persone attraverso il reclutamento e la socializzazione, lo sviluppo professionale, la valutazione, ecc.
Quelle che in questo progetto definiamo come ECEC (Early Childhood Education and Care) institutions, per sintetizzare al meglio l’ottica 0-6 che guida le nostre riflessioni, sono dunque delle organizzazioni di lavoro a tutti gli effetti. Essendo tali, si contraddistinguono per la loro peculiare cultura organizzativa, cioè il sistema di assunzioni, valori e credenze condivisi, che influenzano il modo in cui le persone si comportano all’interno di un’organizzazione (Schein, 1992). Tali elementi condivisi possono avere un impatto molto forte sul comportamento organizzativo, influenzando il modo di personalizzare, agire e realizzare il proprio lavoro.
Tutte le organizzazioni, istituzioni di cura e educazione, e scuole incluse (Sergiovanni, 1991), anche se queste ultime sono regolate da sistemi di norme comuni e uniformi (leggi, regolamenti, circolari ministeriali, …), sviluppano e mantengono una cultura per certi versi specifica dell’istituzione, che fornisce delle linee guida e dei confini ai comportamenti dei membri. Da ciò ne può derivare che non esiste una sola e generalizzata «cultura organizzativa», ma possono esserci tante «culture» per quante sono le istituzioni stesse.
Tale tematica può essere applicata anche ai temi principali trattati nel progetto, cioè la selezione del personale e la valutazione del potenziale, oltre che ovviamente al funzionamento generale del servizio educativo. Ciascuna cultura può personalizzare al meglio tali processi, avendone poi a disposizione una versione del tutto peculiare rispetto alle caratteristiche del proprio contesto sociale e culturale più ampi.
La riflessione che chiediamo, soprattutto ai partecipanti delle recenti “settimane formative” organizzate nell’ambito del nostro progetto, è centrata dunque sul tema delle differenze (o similitudini) culturali, anche organizzative, che possono emergere tra questi diversi sistemi educativi? Quali le peculiarità delle singole organizzazioni? Quali gli effetti sulla realizzazione del servizio educativo? Sulla gestione delle persone? Sul funzionamento generale delle istituzioni?
All organizations (educational institutions and schools included), develop and maintain a culture in some specific ways. This culture provides guidelines and boundaries to the organization members’ behaviors and habits. From this point of view, there is not a generalized “organizational culture,” but there may be many “cultures,” depending on how many and diverse are the organizations.
This topic can also be applied to the main issues addressed in our project, that is the HR management, from one hand, and of course the release of educational service from the other. Each culture can customize most of these processes, then let available to the people inside and outside, rules and values connected to their social context and broader culture all around them.
The reflection that we are asking to you is to focus on the issue of cultural (and organizational) diversities that you have perceived during these days of visits: what are the main differences you have noticed from the organizational culture point of view (among these organizations and between Swedish and Italian contexts)? What are the peculiarities of every single organization you have visited? What are the effects of this differences on the making of the educational service, on managing people, and on the general functioning of these ECEC institutions?
sproutplus 
C’è un’ampia cultura dell’infanzia ma in un mare stracolmo di isole, anche molte eccellenze, il confronto mi sembra indispensabile.
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Il peso delle differenze culturali incide naturalmente sia sugli stili genitoriali che sull’organizzazione dei servizi Ecec. La settimana di mobilità a cui ho recentemente partecipato a Stoccolma ci ha restituito l’immagine di bambini considerati davvero “competenti e autonomi” sia dai genitori che dagli insegnati. In particolare, gli insegnanti della fascia 0-6 mi sono sembrati molto consapevoli degli obiettivi educativi stabiliti dal Curriculum Nazionale svedese (Curriculum for the Preschool Lpfo 98) e, più operativamente, molto concentrati a cogliere, rispettare e valorizzare gli interessi espressi dai singoli bambini.
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La settimana in Svezia a cui ho partecipato è stata davvero interessante. Certamente i servizi educativi e di cura svedesi sono influenzati da un’idea di infanzia tutta la società condivide. Parecchie cose stanno ancora risuonando dentro di me: la responsabilità che riguarda ogni insegnante individualmente e come parte di un team (condivisione dei principi fondanti del servizio, autoaggiornamento); il curriculum, documento entrato nel fare scuola quotidiano delle preschool e che sembra davvero essere lo specchio delle scelte anche politiche e culturali del paese (democrazia, rispetto, inclusione, valorizzazione matematica e nuove tecnologie..); le attività in esterno, come attività sistematica della scuola; i numeri di riferimento insegnante/bambini e asse 1-6 anni visti come un unico step; il valorizzare personalità, individualità, interessi e tempi di ogni bambino; le scuole gender free, bilingui…Sono tornata con la consapevolezza di voler iniziare una certa riflessione sui nostri servizi per un confronto costruttivo non sul cosa manca, ma cosa posso fare per valorizzare quello che c’è alla luce di quello che ho visto….. Osservo le differenze per ritrovarvi le somiglianze !! TACK Sweden
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Grazie Fondazione Franco Demarchi for our pleasant visit in Trentino!
We are very grateful for this opportunity to come and explore the ECEC-institutions in Italy and Trento. We are three colleges from Stockholm, Cecilia Stenman – preschool head and teacher at Förskolan Svanen, Mikael Hermansson – preschool deputy and teacher at Förskolan Svanen and Andreea Carlsson preschool head at Förskolan Pelikanen, Förskolan Plommongården and Förskolan Tärnan.
We got this amazing opportunity to visit Italy thanks to Sweducare and Fondazione Franco Demarchi. We looked forward to see how your split-system works, and how it is possible for children to attend the Nido from the age of 3 months. The last day of our visit was a day of reflection. We were asked to reflect upon the main differences and similarities between the schools in Italy and Sweden.
Organisational differences and similarities:
• There is a lot more teachers in Sweden than in Italy. In Sweden every teacher has between 4,5-6 children each, what we learned from Italy is that they have about two teachers for 25 childrens. That is a very big difference.
• They had cleaning personal working during the whole day. That would be nice for us in Sweden also, but it seems like it’s not a cost-friendly alternative. Insted of cleaningpersonal the whole day they could have more teachers or smaller groups of children like in Sweden.
• In both countries we have a preschool head and a pedagogical leader.
• The rules for having the children in the preschool for long hours are more strict in Italy than in Sweden. In Sweden parents are allowed to have there children in preschool from 6.30-18.30. In Italy most preschools opened 7.30, and had an additional fee after 15.30. Most preschools also closed at 17.30.
• In Sweden children can start preschool earlist at the age of 1. If you have strong reasons to start preschool at 11 months you can get dispenstion but it is not common at all. In Italy the children can start at the age of 3 months.
• The cost for the preschool from the age of 3 is quite similar to the cost of preschool in Sweden. From the age of 3 the parents pays for the lunch in the preschool, and a typical amount would be about 600 euros a year. That is about the same prize as in Sweden. Just like in Sweden the payment is regulated after the parents income and ability to pay.
• The teachers work less hours than in Sweden. They worked about 25 hours with the children and maximum 4 hours for documentation. These 4 hours are kind of a similarity, both it seems to be easier for the Italian teachers to get these 4 hours every week. In Sweden sometimes we must prioritize other matters, and these 4 hours turns into 2 hours.
• In both Sweden and Italy it is quite difficult to get support for children with special needs without a diagnos. But in Italy they get more money for an extra teacher than in Sweden.
• The roles in Italian preschools were alot more defined than in Sweden. Everyone had their role and the things they do and dont, whereas in Sweden its more common that everyone takes responsibility for the general work in the preschool.
• As in Sweden the teachers have development talks twice a year or more times if it needs.
Pedagogical differences and similarities:
• We did not get to see much actual work with the children, we just saw how they worked on the surface. The reason for this is because we came when the children were about to sleep or eat, or in the afternoon and a lot of the children had gone home.
• The children are allowed to be curious and free in both Italy and Sweden.
• Some of the preschools we visit were working with small projects that was started by the kids in the class. This is a similarity with the swedish preschools, only that the Swedish projects last a little bit longer than the projects we saw.
• The biggest difference that we think influenced both the organisation and pedagogical differences is that the Italian preschool is lacking their own curriculum. It is up to every counsil to form their own goals for the schools.
• Equality and work with gender differences didn’t have a strong presence. In opposite of Sweden it seemed to be accepted, for example pink colours for girls and blue colours for boys.
• In the nido they told us that the floor is the childrens territory, therefore the teachers sit in small stools and chair on the floor. In Sweden our goal is to be a part of the childrens play and explore the enviroment together with them.
• Like in Sweden all the material was within the childrens reach, making it meaningful to them.
Enviromental differences and similarities:
• In relation to the Swedish law about the workenvironment, Italy has a poor enviroment. The acoustics are bad and amplifies the noise, causing headaches and can damage the hearing of the workers. From what we understood, they have to interpret their workenviroment-law.
• The enviroment also were bad at times for the children, as an example they had very warm radiators that the kids could burn themself on.
• In Sweden we use enviromental friendly and perfume-free cleaning products. It was obvious they did not think about this in the Italian schools. Perfume can cause allergies and asthma attacks, and that is why we avoid this in Sweden. We also have restricted the materials that we use when it concerns plastics, because unknown plastics can contain toxic materials.
• The sleeping arrangements in Sweden and Italy was quite similar.
• The aesthetics seemed to be more important in Italy than in Sweden. In Sweden it’s not important if the childrens drawings and creations is beautiful or not. For us it is more important to display the creations from the children and to inspire them.
• That alot of the space in the preschools were unused, and if there were things on the walls, then they were made by the teachers. In Sweden we value the opportunities to put things made by the children on the walls. It felt like the documentation where more there because of the ”beauty” theme the Italian preschool have rather than an actual practical use.
Cultural differences and similarities
• In Italy the teachers seems to listen more to the parents requests. For example the parents don’t like it if the children is outside if it is a little bit windy and so on. It’s not like that in Sweden, but maybe it is that way in Italy because in Sweden the preschool has more mandate because of our curriculum. The childrens clothing are not appropriate to be outside to play in, maybe that is so because the parents in Italy only wants the children to be outside in perfect weather conditions? They only had proper clothes in the Montessori preschool, in that preschool they ”educated the parents first”.
• Something we quite envy is that the parents seem to be much more engaged in their childrens schools. They spend more time there and contribute more to the preschool.
• Just like Sweden the Italian preschools accept and are interested in the different cultures in the preschool. The difference is that in Italy they think it is more important to work with the Italian culture than the other cultures, to keep it strong. In Sweden it is almost the opposite since the Swedish culture is all over the society and the holidays are always seen in the preschools. In Sweden we therefore work more with the other cultures that we have among the children in the groups.
• In Italy we saw a lot more grandparents getting their grandchildren, before the preschools start to cost extra money. As we understood it it was because of the value of spending time together with the whole family and also because of the extra money for preschool.
• Teachers and all auxiliary staff are very proud both of their work and preschool, very engaged and enthusiastic. One could read passion in their eyes. They didn’t seem stressed at all, we didn’t hear anything of stressed teachers. This is very common in Sweden, many teachers experience stress at work, a phenomenon called “stress teachers”.
Thank you for this experience!
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Interessantissima visita a Stoccolma grazie alla Fondazione Demarchi. E’ stata una splendida occasione di confronto su tematiche scolastiche e sul sistema del Walfare svedese. L’impressione generale è stata quella di un paese dove le procedure sono estremamente semplici e chiare, comprese le indicazioni pedagogiche del curriculum nazionale della scuola dell’infanzia. Indicazioni chiare, leggibili, alle quali tutti si attendono pur nella scelta di modalità organizzative differenti.
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Nel corso del mese di gennaio ho avuto la possibilità di partecipare al viaggio-studio a Stoccolma, grazie alla Fondazione Demarchi. Un’esperienza indimenticabile e arricchente, sotto tutti i punti di vista, da rifare mille volte. Tra le molte cose che conservo con cura nel mio “cofanetto interiore” rispetto a questa esperienza, ve ne sono alcune che meritano una nota particolare: il viaggio in gruppo ha permesso una riflessione professionale e culturale quotidiana e costante tra i partecipanti, rispetto alle diverse esperienze con cui si è entrati in contatto; i principi pedagogico-educativi (esplicitati nel curriculum nazionale svedese) su cui si fondano le strutture visitate rispecchiano una visione culturale “molto alta” di società, basata su una reale valorizzazione della persona umana. Durante le visite alle strutture educative, dai confronti con le educatrici, con i relatori e con le varie persone incontrate, ho potuto percepire una comunanza di intenti nel condividere una “prospettiva sociale lungimirante”, al cui interno il bambino occupa un posto fondamentale: un investimento (anche economico) sicuro sui puntare tutte le attenzioni, le risorse e le energie necessarie. Spunti da cogliere e riportare nel contesto culturale italiano, per rilanciare i nostri pensieri sull’infanzia e sull’esistenza umana in genere, con maggior vigore e freschezza.
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Anche noi ci ritroviamo dopo un po’ di tempo per condividere alcune riflessioni sull’esperienza svedese, che ci è rimasta impressa per la ricchezza sul piano professionale e umano e che ci ha permesso non solo di integrare le nostre conoscenze dei possibili mondi educativi per i bambini di età prescolare ma anche di crescere come persone impegnate con ruoli diversi nell’ambito dei servizi per i bambini e i genitori. Per questa preziosa opportunità ringraziamo la Fondazione Demarchi e Sweducare!
Innanzitutto confermiamo l’impressione generale rispetto all’adozione di un curriculum 0-6 nazionale, mirato a sostenere la crescita educativa di individui non solo competenti ma soprattutto responsabili e solidali, inseriti in una società aperta che rispetta le differenze e promuove l’integrazione tra culture, orientamenti e scelte di vita. Il documento, caratterizzato da un linguaggio immediato, sintetico e non connotato dai tecnicismi che spesso appesantiscono i nostri molteplici documenti pedagogici di riferimento, si apre con la definizione dei valori fondamentali alla base dell’organizzazione dei servizi e su cui si fondano pensieri, azioni e progettualità di tutte le figure professionali che compongono ogni team di lavoro. Siamo rimaste colpite da quanto ogni persona con cui ci siamo confrontate ci abbia trasmesso la forte adesione al curriculum e la convinzione nel tradurlo operativamente nella relazione educativa con i bambini, le famiglie e i colleghi. Rileggendo le nostre piccole realtà di lavoro, come pure il contesto nazionale così complesso e frammentato dal punto di vista normativo e delle culture pedagogiche, che si trova di fronte alla necessità di lavorare sempre più in un’ottica 0-6, ci chiediamo come e se sia possibile ri-pensare e formulare orientamenti nuovi più integrati, condivisi e “comprensibili” per tutti.
Un aspetto fortemente connesso, che abbiamo riscontrato sia nelle visite ai servizi che nell’incontro formativo sulla selezione del personale, è la centralità data alla responsabilità individuale di ogni teacher per la cura individuale e la possibilità di personalizzare il proprio percorso professionale, a partire dalla formazione. Fin della selezione e successivamente nell’aggiornamento continuo in servizio, ogni teacher viene guidato/a e accolto/a nelle proprie necessità e riconosciuto/a nelle proprie competenze e risorse. Pur se in parte dovuto alla contingente carenza di personale specializzato con la qualifica di preschool teacher, riteniamo che quest’attenzione per la continuità e la valorizzazione del ruolo professionale non sia scontata nei servizi ECEC e costituisca un punto di forza.
Un’ultima riflessione che ci portiamo via da questa esperienza è legata alla contemporaneità ed essenzialità dello sguardo sulle esperienze dei bambini e di come sostenerne lo sviluppo in chiave ecologica: non solo per l’importante connessione con l’ambiente naturale reale ma anche per tutti i possibili strumenti di espressione, comunicazione e di apprendimento sia materici che di tipo tecnologico presenti nella realtà quotidiana degli adulti e dei bambini di oggi. E’ stato molto interessante osservare come un utilizzo ben gestito delle nuove tecnologie possa realmente contribuire a facilitare i processi di comunicazione, progettazione e documentazione nel lavoro educativo.
Barbara, Coordinatrice Pedagogica Nido Università di Trento
Francesca, Servizio “Un tempo per madri e padri”- Sportello Genitorialità 0-6 Unitn
Patrizia, Coordinatrice Pedagogica Nido Aziendale APSS di Trento
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Early Childhood Education and Care services have an important role – a cornerstone for a modern society with many dimensions – both in Sweden and Italy.
It’s about knowledge and education, health and living conditions, integration, reduced exclusion, demographics, gender, family life and career, while it is also a facilitator for economic growth.
Swedish and Italian preschools can benefit from exchanging ideas regarding various aspects concerning Early Childhood Education and Care. This has absolutely been shown during the SProUT-project, especially during the transnational training. We know that the Swedish groups have gained a lot of inspiration from the visits in Trento.
I recognize many things that are similar in Swedish and Italian preschools, but also differences. In Sweden the national curriculum is very important, as well as the unitary system for children between 1 – 6 years. In Italy, there is no national curriculum, and the split system is very different from a Swedish point of view.
The preschools and nursery schools that we visited in Italy are very beautiful, and it was truly inspiring to see how the esthetic is used to promote a positive learning environment. I also think that the preschools/nursery schools in Italy, among many other things, are very succesful in creating a close collaboration with the parents.
– Many thanks to the all the people we met in Italy, and all the preschools/nursery schools as well as the museum we visited. Many thanks to Fondazione Franco Demarchi for organizing the program.
Kind regards,
Catrin Mattsson, Sweducare
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First of all, thank you for a wonderful week. Everything was great and professionally arranged. We were well taken care of! Grazie!
The Italian Preschool teachers seem to be proud of their work. They have a longer education than in Sweden. They looked happier. It may be explained by the fact that they work less hours in the children’s group. The teachers seem to have a higher status compared to Swedish colleagues.
In Sweden, the preschool teachers are members of the work team, working together with the child minders. The preschool teachers in Sweden, besides the responsibility of leading the pedagogical activities, are often involved in other activities, such as setting the tables, cleaning et cetera. The number of children in each group is higher in Italy than in Sweden. We saw quite large children’s groups and fewer adults in the Italian preschools and nursery schools, compared to the Swedish case.
The children’s attendance time is shorter per day in Italy; in Sweden it is not uncommon for 10 hours per day, even for the youngest children. In Sweden, the minimum age to attend a preschool is 1 year, in Italy 3 months. The families in Sweden benefit a lot from the Swedish generous parental leave. An advantage in Sweden is the maximum fee for childcare, which make childcare in Sweden considerably cheaper than in Italy. And the Swedish fee will become even lower in the autumn 2017. Children between 3-5 years will pay for part-time only, even if they are full-time at the preschool. And if the children are maximum 15 hours /week at the preschool, it will be free of charge.
About the study visits in Italy:
I got the feeling that we saw the best and most beautiful preschools. Preschools where most of the children have highly educated parents. I also had the feeling that the preschools we visited had been set up for our visit, extra clean and presentable. At least we don’t have everything so clean and in perfect order all the time…
We saw cleaners everywhere, going with their cleaning tools after the kids and the staff all the time. At my preschool, all the staff needs to do the cleaning by them self, regardless if you are a child minder, preschool teacher or a manager – in addition to teaching.
It was interesting to see all the preschools. I noticed that in Sweden we are more often, and for a longer period of time, outdoors with the children, regardless of weather conditions. I noticed that in the Italian cubbies there the garments were hanging, the children had very beautiful shoes and clothes with laces etcetera. No practical boots and “galonisar”(a typical rainwear that is kind of mandatory in Swedish preschools) , except for at one place, the Sevola maternity Zanella, Montessori School, the preschool that impressed me most. It reminded us more of our preschools. The manager was very engaged and passionate about his preschool”! It felt like he “fought for his children”! They had arranged a nice round trip, which ended with a lovely buffet!
– Forza Sevola Materna Zanella!
The entire Tuesday in our program was dedicated to lectures with Professor Rita Chiesa. Maybe this segment could have benefitted from being a bit shorter. I would have preferred two morning sessions with Professor Rita Chiesa, instead of one full day.
The visit to the museum Muse was great and above all expectations, with the world’s best guide!
Many thanks for a great week! Arrivederci!
/Brita (Piita) Scheweleff, Sverigefinska Förskolan
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