Italy is the preeminent location to conduct research on the role of the teacher in an early childhood setting, particularly in a classroom with shifting demographics. As the home to the Montessori approach, a world renounced form of preschool education, I find it intriguing to study the experiences of teachers and their classrooms as Italy transitions into a multicultural nation. My study is a comparative view of early childhood education in Italy and the United States via the politics of caring. In this essay I use the politics of caring as a method or principle that utilizes the dynamics of nurture, compassion, and communication to effectively transmit information and knowledge. With the changing composition of the Italian population, teachers are behooved to accept a different method of teaching, to one that incorporates the diversity of the students. The United States unlike Italy, has a longer history in accommodating to the new global issue of multiculturalism. Themes such as subtractive schooling and intercultural education have either sprung or been elaborated on in the United States. The longer amount of time and experience that the U.S. has with multiculturalism in education has by no means been executed successfully. The lack of ‘caring’ on behalf of teachers and students fosters subtractive schooling, the theory that institutions subtract resources from the student. An ideal solution to the problem is intercultural education which will be discussed towards the end of the essay.
Literature Review: Source of Interest and Method of Research
The subject of this study was fostered by my interest in the book “Subtractive Schooling: U.S. Mexican Youth and the Politics of Caring” by Angela Valenzuela. The book provides an open space for the unraveling of the negative stereotypes associated with Latinos in the US and education. The negative stereotype of youth is that they reject education, the truth of the matter is that they don’t reject education, they “reject schooling-the content of their education and the way it is offered to them” (Valenzuela, pg 18). In describing the mentality of US Mexican youth, I couldn’t help but to make personal connections to the text. I agree with one of Ms. Valenzuela’s findings that, “immigrant students often share their US born peers view that learning should be premised on a humane and compassionate pedagogy inscribed in reciprocal relationships” (Valenzuela, pg. 14). In other words, education should be based on a personal level where mutual respect and care is conveyed between the teacher and their students.
Immigration is a global issue. As daughter of immigrant parents raised in a society different from that which my parents were raised, I’m aware of the challenges that both sides, the public school system and foreign families, endure in formalizing the education, life and job outlook of an individual. As a future educator, I am concerned with the factors that may stray education into an impersonal institution, a couple of which include the teachers role in adopting to a shift in classroom demographics (i.e. diversity of the students, number of languages spoken in the classroom) and limited access to resources. I’m interested in the tension that teachers in Italy face as they undergo the early stages of multiculturalism in education. Through qualitative research via the forms of interviews which pertain to the issue of young teachers in schools and observations of a preschool classroom in Iqbal Masih of 17 students from the ages of 3 to 5 years old with the exception of 3 six year olds (an autistic child and two Roma students), as well as a collection of information from various sources from class lectures and the internet. I explore Italy’s future predicament where student-teacher relationships can and are becoming frail and analyzing to what effect or extreme intercultural education has in a preschool setting.
Background
I would like to depict (to my best knowledge) the administrative pressures that Italian teachers experience on a daily basis. Immigration affects a nation on a macro and micro level. Teachers feel the repercussion when they endure changes within the make-up of the students in their classroom and have to adapt to education legislation targeting the ‘new’ classroom. Approximately 10 percent of the student population are immigrants. Beginning in 1994, all students, regardless of type or in some cases lack of documentation, were mandated to attend school. Because of the diversity among the student population, in 1998 a law focusing on immigrant students was passed in which language and culture had to be protected and respected by the school system, it also introduced cultural mediators, whom are facilitators focused on bridging the gap between school and the home. In due a success, cultural mediators have proven to bridge the misunderstandings that exist between the child’s home and school. The only problem with this attempt is that there are not enough cultural mediators and they only serve families for a short amount of years. Further legislation concerning immigrants in the education system continued in 2008, when the Italian education system began to count children of immigrants who were born in Italy (second generation) as stranieri (Italian for foreign). This is an imminent problem as most of the stranieri students are Italian, who speak perfect Italian and are aware of the culture, and are subjected to different curriculums or programs than their native Italian peers. I bring up the educative legislation that deals with the immigrant student population to better depict the mess that Gelmini, the head of the education department created when in 2009 slashed funding and segregated classes for immigrant students by limiting the number of immigrants in a given classroom to 30%. This reform passed with many protests ( Varghese Lecture, 24.01.2011). In the face of multicultural schools where the percentage of foreign students is higher than 30%, this legislation is call for tragedy.
Teaching, an occupation less sought after
I wanted to address the negative stereotypes that are associated with teachers in western society and how this image has influenced many youth, including the Italian youth into not pursuing an occupation in education. In interviewing a current graduate student and a substitute teacher as to why there a small number of young teachers in schools exist. The graduate student responded that educators have a low-wage job and that often time, “teaching is a back-up plan. Those who end up teaching are those who failed whatever they were trying to pursue.” There is a small percentage of Italian youth who obtain a higher learning degree. The substitute teacher blamed elderly teachers, who wait until retirement age to leave the schools and ultimately, limit the number of employment opportunities for the younger generation. The substitute teacher also mentioned that older teachers are outdated in technology and have no interest in learning about it. The absence of young teachers in school and the limited mobility on behalf of older teachers to learn about the new generation has created an intense situation, where faculty and schools are limiting a great resource to obtain creative approaches that address multiculturalism in school settings.
It is a fact. Teaching is an occupation characterized by low pay and high levels of stress. How high are the levels of stress among Italian teachers? A study conducted in Eastern Europe describes stress among teachers as being, “related to the motivational behavior that guides teachers in their professional choices…the relationship with supervisors, the size of the classes, pupil indiscipline, and poor career opportunities.” It comes to no surprise that many teachers after a few years of working find themselves burning out. As supported by a study the term burnout is described as the “state of ill health of the individual” that is “negatively related to one’s effectiveness and efficiency in the job setting.” Italian and French teachers participated in this study, which sought to prove that depending on professional and cultural settings of a teacher the amount of stress levels that they endure, will vary. The findings of this study revealed that Italian teachers are emotionally more exhausted but professionally more satisfied. Positive feelings in forms of personal accomplishment were reported more frequently by Italian teachers than from the sample of French teachers (L. Pedrabissi, Luigi Rolland, J.P).
Hope remains. Although confronted by many administrative pressures and negative stereotypes, Italian teachers remain hopeful of their profession and of the impact that it indeed creates. The collective optimism of the teachers is reflected in the environment and missions of the schools in which they teach, such a school is Iqbal Masih Elementary School. It is with this positive note that I begin to address my observations of an Italian preschool classroom and how the ‘politics of caring’ that the teacher possessed were fundamental in the success of intercultural education.
Observation of a preschool classroom in Iqbal Masih
Based on my observations from the preschool classroom, the teacher is doing an exceptional job in fostering a positive environment where her students are free to voice their opinion, are accepting of cultural differences and on their way to becoming global citizens. The success of the curriculum implemented by the teachers in the classroom transcended my expectations. The children were not the only ones to benefit from the curriculum, I also benefited and was able to learn about the Italian and preschool culture by ultimately keeping from feeling like an outsider.
The ‘politics of caring’ in the classroom were influenced by the role of the teacher. An article named “Intercultural Education: A Way of Learning” written from an Irish perspective, addresses the issue of inclusion of different cultures in the curriculum. I took a particular liking to this article as it provided useful information that teachers can utilize in their classrooms, a couple which included the use of music and the importance of parent involvement. The various components that the teachers in the Iqbal Masih preschool classroom incorporated included these tactics.
Lets Sing a Song We All Know. Music is an agency for communication across cultures. Due to my limited Italian, one of the forms in which I was able to connect with the children was through song. My first day in the classroom I sang the song “The Itsy-Bitsy Spider.” The melody and repetition of the song allowed for the children to easily follow along. We allowed the rhythm and melody to become our new language. Through the exchange of songs we were able to learn each other’s language, at least I know I benefited more as I was able to learn the Italian language at a much quicker pace. Music is a tool not only utilized in the classroom but also in the community. Iqbal Masih Elementary School hosts a kids and adult choir. The participants of the choir come from diverse background, although they might not speak the same language, their music heritage provides the platform for dialogue. As Paola, a teacher at Iqbal Masih and conductor of the choir commented, “Music is the common link among children. It gives them the chance to learn a different language and it also establishes equality.” The subliminal message is of this activity is that ‘difference make society richer’; social interaction and music can impact the mindsets of the students.
Bring Your Parents to School and Share Your Favorite Book. Parent involvement is a source of culture and self-esteem booster for the child. During my bi-weekly visits I had the opportunity to meet two parents who came in during their designated day and hours to read to the class. The engagement and attention that the children bestowed to their peers’ parents surpassed that which they normally give to their teachers, not to mention the enthusiasm and confidence that the parents create in their sons or daughters is indescribable. Although parent involvement was present in this preschool classroom, the truth of the matter is that this can’t occur everywhere. Having every student’s parent come read to the classroom is unrealistic. Especially in a society where both parents are working, or where the parents don’t speak the predominate language of the classroom. Nonetheless, it should be highly recommended. Parents don’t have to read a book, they can tell or perform folklore tales and bring in visual aids to the classroom. Interpreters can be utilized in the process. The methods of participation are endless.
An important key to note is that the implementation of these tactics is not enough to ensure that every student will be on their way to becoming a global citizen. The role of the teacher in creating an environment where there is an equal and safe playing ground is essential.
Discussion
Today’s public education system is too ‘institutionalized’, frigid, impersonal. Personal connections are needed between children and school. Based on my observations at Iqbal Masih, I realized the importance of care and respect among teachers and children. In the US, physical affection such as kisses on the cheeks or hugs are prohibited. In Seattle, my favorite preschool classroom was led by preschool teachers who embraced the idea of showing affection to their students, who by doing so created an atmosphere of familial and mutual respect. The politics of caring (from my definition) are nonetheless politics. Today’s connotation of teachers being affable is that of them being ‘too friendly’. Parents, as is their responsibility, are concerned for their children’s safety. Kids might mistaken teachers being friendly with inappropriate ‘acts’ or behavior. Yet, there is where the problem lies. In the idea that teachers lack or should lack ‘politics of caring’.
In order for students to succeed in school and in life they must know ‘who they are’ and ‘where they belong.’ Schools are one of the few spaces left in society where such education can be given. Where groups of diverse individuals can interact and not only learn something about themselves but also something of their peers. The classroom curriculum must take into consideration the cultural and ethnic backgrounds of the students. By failing to identify and recognize the identity of the children, children do not only feel unwanted among their school but also among their peers who share similar backgrounds as themselves, as was the case with U.S.-Mexican youth in Angela Valenzuela’s study, where summed up nicely she states “There is no stronger lesson in school than to devalue the Spanish language, Mexico, Mexican culture, these biases in turn close off social and linguistic access to their immigrant peers” (Valenzuela, pg. 19). You know you have a problem when you turn people of the same background against each other. What is driving mainstream institutions to fail students, their very source of existence? Is education a mere puppet of political and societal issues? Where is the human element?
Conclusions/Recommendations/Limitations
Teachers endure many pressures from society, education administration, and parents to ‘educate’ their children. There is only so much that a teacher, one individual, can do to ensure that a child is prepared to face the world. In my opinion, teaching is a shared profession, it requires the attention and participation of all influential members that form part of a child’s support team, in order to ensure that children learn the ultimate lesson and that is to learn how to be constructive individuals in a progressing world.
As a future educator, I hope to instill the ‘politics of caring’ within my classroom. Ultimately taking up a role where I can foster an environment of comfort and passion for education among students and to make school something to look forward to. Taking universal themes such as music, art, values, and emotions and incorporating them in a curriculum already created by higher administrations.
There are many biases within my research, foremost I still know very little of the Italian education system. I also walked in to Iqbal Masih with many impressions and generalizations of a preschool classroom. I only spent on average 5 hours in the classroom a week. There were also many limitations within my case study and that is 1) my limited Italian left for huge gaps within my interpretation of the events in the classroom and 2) the observations I conducted in the classroom are not going to be the same as those of a higher grade level because preschool is non-compulsory. My recommendations to improve the study are many. A few including an interpreter who is informed of the education system, interviewing parents and inquiring about their satisfaction with preschool education, and of course making more visits to the site.
Works Cited
Valenzuela, Angela. Subtractive Schooling: U.S. Mexican Youth and The Politics of Caring. State University of New York: State University of New York Press, 1999.
LPedrabissi, Luigi Rolland, J.P.ast, . "The Journal of Psychology." Stress and burnout among teachers in Italy and France. 127.5 (1993): 529-35.
MaryJ79, . "Intercultural Education-A Way of Teaching." 11/04/2010. n. pag. Socyberty. Web. 2 Mar 2011. <http://socyberty.com/education/intercultural-education-a-way-of-teaching/>.
Manrique, M. The 'Politics of Caring': An Approach to Multiculturalism in Education. Intervew by Brenda Martinez. 03 04 2011.
S., Federica. The 'Politics of Caring': An Approach to Multiculturalism in Education. Intervew by Brenda Martinez. 03 04 2011
Varghese, Manka. "Education." Honors in Rome Winter 2011. UWRC, Rome, Italy. 24/01/2011
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