In this edition of, ‘The 10 Best International Schools of Italy 2020’ we have featured a few such schools that are backed by teachers who are adapting and innovating themselves.

1. Education. Innovation. Success
NOWLEDGEREVIEW
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E NOWLEDGEREVIEW
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2020 | VOL. - 08 | ISSUE - 01
LITTLE GENIUS
INTERNATIONAL
The 10 Best
INTERNATIONAL
Schools in
Italy
2020

4. EDITOR’SNOTE
The pandemic that is ravaging the globe has disrupted
mostly everything and the fastest sector to adapt to
this was the education industry. Today, kids are being
compelled to open their laptops from home, classes are being
conducted online, assignments and homework are being
submitted and evaluated online and this could possibly be the
start of a life-determining journey.
The response to Corona Virus has taught us how technology is
reforming both teaching and learning. Though the push for the
change existed even before pandemic, it has now been
accelerated. So, what will education look like post Covid-19?
One thing is apparent that the children who will start schooling
now will grow up to be leaders of a digital world and the world in
return will continuously demand new skills, new ways of thinking
and a cross-disciplinary knowledge of all domains.
Hence, for children who will start going to school post the
pandemic will need all social, emotional, academic and
technological knowledge to thrive in life. In short, the
conventional educational strategy (until the COVID-19
outbreak) of ‘Reading’, ‘Writing’ and ‘Arithmetic’ will have a new
addition; ‘Rethink’.
To achieve this, preschools, high schools, and any other level of
educational institution will have to empower their students to
learn by themselves in flexible and collaborative ways both
outside and inside classrooms. Students must also be
encouraged to follow their interests and passions starting from
an early age, familiarize with the competitive world and
challenge themselves when needed.
That being said, the teaching techniques will also need to
undergo a change. Real-time data devices, AI, and the range of
other innovative technical devices will reform the teacher-
student experience, classroom-experience and schools in
whole.
A SHIFT FROM
TEACHING CULTURE
TO LEARNING CULTURE

5. Crescent CU
This means that teachers will have access to
individualized real;-time data on each student’s
progression. It will also help teachers to plan a
personalized lesson plan for their students.
Furthermore, if these data based devices are to be
installed in the school system, teachers will also be able
to create flexible learning spaces and environments
that aid continuous learning.
This helps us foresee that perhaps technology’s most
direct impact will be emergence of people-driven or
personalized learning. As mentioned above, data-
driven information will help teachers to monitor the
holistic growth of each student. Thus, while ensuring
that students reach their academic goal, a personalized
learning strategy will also ensure the character
development, social and emotional development of
each student.
Another development aligned with real data-driven
and personalized teaching can also end the current
cycle of tests and lessons. A test gives teachers a
purview of the student’s performance but it becomes
difficult for them to adjust to their teaching and focus
on students who scored comparatively less. However,
measuring the real-time data will help teachers know
where each of their students stand.
As mentioned before, education will be transformed
and made people-centric. However, for all of this to
work, it is also important that the profession of
teaching should be reformed too. Teaching will move
away from just standing at the chalkboard and
dictating words or giving surprise tests.
This new age data-driven teaching will cultivate model
teacher learners; teachers who will learn along with
students. Such teachers will understand that ‘know it
all; is a failed attempt today and in order to help
students lead the disrupted world they too will disrupt.
Teaching and leading by example will be the new norm.
In order to make students understand the need to be
lifelong learners, they themselves will walk the path of
life-long self learning. Thus in future the ability of
teachers to adapt and innovate will be crucial.
Imagine a world where every child, has a passion for life
long learning, is self educated and a critical thinker, and
behind that student was a new age model teacher who
is a learner (themselves) and even demonstrates the
habits of mind that requires great learning!
Having recognized this, teachers at many schools in
Italy are moving beyond the 40-minute lecture and
test-assessment learning structure rather recognizing
their goal to expand every student’s potential.
In this edition of, ‘The 10 Best International Schools
of Italy 2020’ we have featured a few such schools
that are backed by teachers who are adapting and
innovating themselves.
Featured on the cover of the issue is, Little Genius
International School which functions on the central
philosophy that; ‘the best innovation that inspires
students is the teachers.’
We have also featured; American School of Milan,
Castelli International School, Udine International
School, and Florence Institute Of Design
International for adopting innovative and reformatory
techniques to help students reach their highest
potential.
We would also like to list; Deledda International
School, St. Louis School, Ambrit International
School, Ambrit International School, Cabella
International Sahaja School, and Southlands
International School wherein teachers are making
both teaching and learning joyful.
Also, do take a peek at some exclusive articles written
by education experts and our in-house editorial team.
Happy Reading! T R
Disclaimer: The Knowledge Review does not, to any extent - Legal or Commercial, claim that these are the only 10 Best International Schools in
Italy. This aforementioned listing has been curated on the basis of The Knowledge Review's ranking parameters and we do not imply any notion
of unethical or misleading advertisement.

6. Extracurricular Activities
ACTIVE LEARNING
26
10
Educating Students to Transform into Excellent
Front Runners
Little Genius International
Articles
INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL
OF THE MONTH
Building Community in an
Online Classroom
ONLINE EDUCATION QUALITY EDUCATION
Teacher-Student Interactions
is the key to Quality
Cover Story
34 48
Ensuring Rigorous Education for Students
to Excel in the Competitive World
American School Of Milan
20

7. Contents
Transforming Students into the
Leaders of Tomorrow
Castelli International School
30
Promoting a Progressive and
Contemporary Understanding of Design
Florence Institute of Design
International
38
A Place to Develop International
Mindedness and Compassionate Local,
National and Global Citizens
Udine International School
52
What are the Innovative
Ways TO Encourage Active Learning?
Educator’s Column
44
cxo

10. People behind this issue
Editor-in-Chief Abhishaj Sajeev
Senior Editor
Managing Editor
Publishing Control Team
Anish Miller
Crescent Cu
Shruti P.Jambhale
Art & Design Head
Art & Design Assistant
Visualiser
Co-designer
Art Picture Editor&
Amol Kamble
Asha Bange
David King
Paul Belin
Karan Gaikwad
Business Development Executive
Business Development Manager
Marketing Manager
Stella Hill, John Mathew,
Olivia Wood
Phill Miller
Marry D’Souza
Digital Marketing Manager
Technical Consultants
Technical Head
Assistant Technical Head
Alina Sege
Amar, David, Robert
Jacob Smile
Pratiksha Patil
SME-SMO Executives
Assistant Marketing ManagerDigital
Circulation Manager
Research Analyst
Tanaji
Eric Smith
Renuka, Gemson
Amol Wadekar
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12. LITTLE GENIUS
INTERNATIONAL
Educating Students to Transform into Excellent
Front Runners

13. Education is the key to assisting
students in embarking on the
journey towards success. It
nurtures them to think independently
and make their own decisions.
Encouraging innovation and team
work, education transforms students
into dedicated citizens and leaders of
tomorrow. Students want to pursue
their pedagogy from the best
international schools, which will not
only educate them and prepare them
for a challenging future, but also train
them to establish themselves as
cornerstones of national and social
development.
One such distinguished educational
institution introducing excellence and
innovation in education is Little
Genius International (LGI). The
school lays emphasis on making
learning effective and fun, useful,
practical, and constantly evolving.
Cover
Story
THE
10INTERNATIONAL
SCHOOLS IN
ITALY 2020
BEST

14. Students undertake Cambridge
International examinations and Italian
national state exams yearly in both
English Maths and Italian. It is an
ecosystem designed to support the
psychological, intellectual, and cultural
development of children rather than
just a simple educational system.
The school’s curriculum is applied via
the Infinite child Evolution teaching
methodology® that is designed to
encourage the intellectual, social, and
professionally grounded awareness of
students. It intends to pursue
sustainability and increase knowledge
related to environmental, economic,
social, and cultural standards. LGI’s
architecture is eco-friendly as within
an A+++ class bio-architectural
building and its practice
environmentally sustainable. It follows
a digital approach to tradition and its
preservation. The school continuously
strives in areas such as R&D, Ethics
and technology with current projects
involving the development of
educational block chain technologies.
Plethora of Academic Activities
Little Genius International aims at
providing quality facilities, that are
child centered encouraging students to
participate actively in academics.
Nursery and elementary schools will
soon be joined by lower and upper
secondary cycles and a startup
incubator for the alumni.
LGI offers many extra-curricular
activities including a very successful
Fablab, Rockband; theatre; sports club;
art and courses on Bon Ton; in addition
to English (with a Cambridge
examination option), Spanish, Chinese,
Italian and French language individual
or group lessons (for children and
adults); music courses dedicated to the
study of: pianoforte, violin, cello,
drums, classic and electric guitar.
The school also offers the option of a
Saturday playgroup. It also offers the
Saturday English course which story-
telling, Other facilities include summer
school: a multidisciplinary school in
English with entertaining academic
lessons, recreational activities and
digital skills.
Emphasis on Enhancing Learning
Little Genius International is a
microcosm of values, built together
within the family context and the social

15. environment a child is living in. It
emphasizes on looking not only after
the children’s contemporary education,
but is also concerned with building
competencies in consideration of future
opportunities, by fostering critical
analysis, creative thinking, and the
opportunity and freedom of choice and
mind in encouraging decision making,
responsibility and reflection on
consequences of action.
The school believes in augmented
learning through the extension of the
ability of elaboration of the human
mind through distributed knowledge
and enabling technologies. This,
together with a position towards open
mindedness leads to continuous
stimulation towards critical analysis
and creative thought processes and in
instilling a habitual re-evaluation of
what is considered to be the truth. Last
but not least, Little Genius is the first
school in Italy to host a co-working
space in the same building, which
allows parents to work close to their
children, saving costs, reducing travel
time, and environmental footprint
suspended temporarily due to
COVID-19 measures.
Monitoring Students’Academic
Growth
Little Genius International adopts an
evaluation system that starts in the
nursery school and extends throughout
the entire educational cycle provided
by the Cambridge International
Examinations board , and the Italian
state “Esame di idoneità”, seated
within an educational curriculum
modelled within the educational
methodology Infinite Child Evolution
®
(ICE ) developed by the founders of
the school and annually attracting
increasing numbers of visitors from
recognized educational institutional
bodies, globally.
Formally the school is engaged its
students in partaking in the Italian
INVALSI examinations holding the
status of being the only participating
international Primary school in Italy. In
both 2014 and 2016, the students of
Little Genius International were ranked
above the national average score in
these national Mathematics and Italian
language exams.
Aiding Students Financially
Little Genius provides students not
only with excellent educational

16. facilities, but also offers financial
assistance to families in supporting
their children throughout their
academic path. Various financial
conveniences provided by the school
include:
Agreements; The school provides 15%
off on education fee for the second and
third child. It offers 10% off to children
of people working in firms with which
it has an agreement. Additionally,
students can avail of 10% discount if
they bring a friend to enroll.
Exchange of Goods: The school has
rediscovered the ancient form of
exchange with barter. Goods, objects,
services, even time can replace money.
When a family has difficulty coping
with school fees, but academic
performance is not sufficient to
guarantee scholarships, it may also
require a multi-year agreement in
which it formally proposes the
exchange of goods or time, subject to
formal and guaranteed agreement.
Scholarships: The school also offers
scholarships for merits and school
performances to families with
demonstrable income needs.
Crediper: The school considers that
tuition fee is also among the purchases
included in consumer credit and
therefore, it can be financed 100%.
The school has achieved many goals under the dedicated
leadership of Ruhma Yusuf Rinaldi, the Founder. She is
driven by the zeal to develop an Italian educational reality
wherein humanism technology, ethics, and a respect for the
power of languages combine into educational excellence, a
truly innovative educational ecosystem that LITTLE GENIUS
now offers to other schools
( to improvehttps://www.icemethodology.com/?lang=en)
their academic, social and economic performance. Working
daily with her associates on governance and management of
activities across the institute and internationally to train
teachers to adopt new educational methods, her passion
remains in class teaching Ethics.
AN EMINENT PERSONALITY

17. This new unique financial product in
Italy is proposed by Little Genius
International exclusively, thanks to a
cooperative Bank. The CREDIPER
financial credit will be available to all
families who need financial support
and can apply for it to cover the school
expenses of their children enrolled at
Little Genius International.
Noteworthy Milestones
Little Genius has achieved many
accolades throughout its glorious
journey of imparting exceptional
educational facilities. It is an official
Cambridge International School,
certified by the largest and most
eminent provider of academic
programs for 5 to 19 year old pupils.
Little Genius International was the first
school in Europe to be certified as a
Benefit Corporation, reaching a record
score 146.5/200. This record is still
unbeaten and it has been recognized as
an institution that stands out for its
achievements in environmental and
social sector.
In the rating scale, the school has
reached top level, platinum and gold in
the GIIRS rating, winning five stars for
the overall rating, as a result of global
importance. The reasons for this
prestigious achievement lie in the

18. excellent ability to recognize economic
models aimed at solving social and
environmental issues, in guaranteeing
its users, be they customers or
employees, benefits under multiple
levels and being the custodian of a
management and of an innovative
modus operandi. Little Genius
achieved in 2020 a baseline score in
the Sustainable Development Goals of
82.5%. Furthermore, it is a member of
the Rome International Schools
Association (RISA).
Major Collaborations
Little Genius always aims that students
are provided with the best
opportunities to thrive and excel in
their respective careers. With this
perspective, it regularly collaborates
with many renowned academic
institutions around the globe, from as
far afield as Canada, England,
Germany, Korea, Turkey, and China.
It also associates with other innovation
driven national education systems. The
school partnered with the University of
Tor Vergata - Department of
Economics and management in the
creation of the new Masters degree
course in Social Accounting Innovation
and Sustainability (MARIS).
Embracing Technological
Advancements
Little Genius has recently completed
the first phase of an important research
project that will introduce the usage of
wearable technologies in classrooms.
The students attending the school have

19. the opportunity to use a wearable
device to experiment a new approach
towards learning processes through
digital devices, more natural and
engaging.
Remote controlled interactive boards
and touch screens, 3D drawing, virtual
painting, remote control of robots, and
3D printers are just some of the
applications that will be made possible.
This year, LGI has followed up the
pilot project stepping up towards block
chain driven education and proceeds to
next aim towards monitoring of well-
being parameters of students,
concerning environmental and personal
data (anonymously and with the aim of
real time monitoring of well-being,
basic for efficacy in learning).
Shaping Careers
Team Little Genius opines that the
labor market has a very high pace of
change, and so do the professionalism,
needs, and skills required by it. It
focuses on implementing a prospective
education through prototyping,
robotics, microelectronics, semiotics,
and drone piloting. This helps students
to consolidate social and professional
purpose of digital skills, for example,
artisan skills, enhancing the manual
work in technological terms.
Little Genius, with its Education 4.0 –
ecosystem implemented, thanks to the
®
proprietary method called ICE -
prepares students from the age of 3-4
years for a more intense learning of
current and future skills, concretely
addressing the issue of skill shortage,
preventing it.
The Future Frontier
®
ICE methodology is growing as a
learning ecosystem, in which
knowledge, skills, and civic awareness
flourish. Thanks to an exclusive patent
of LGI, the methodology will soon be
joined by a block chain algorithm
through a ‘SMART CONTRACT’ that
allows students to certify their studies,
accumulating value proportionally to
the effort and results obtained during
the school and civic life.
Moreover LGI intends to build a
campus of international education of
excellence with an environment
suitable for the well-being of children
and consequently to cognitive and
learning processes. This year, the
school has achieved the objective
named ICE2. It is a patent block chain
driven education linking the ICE
methodology to the block chain wallet.
Furthermore, the school also plans to
launch its next five-year plan, which
will focus on opening lower and
middle school, opening a startup
accelerator on campus, a research
center on future educational models,
and developing future skills since
young age.

22. AMERICAN
SCHOOL OF MILANEnsuring Rigorous Education for Students to Excel in the Competitive World
INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF THE MONTH
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23. Every educational institution aims to deliver the
best-in-class facilities to the students, while
preparing them to face the stiff challenges of
tomorrow. They provide the students with the updated
knowledge while igniting the flame of curiosity in them.
One such leading institution standing tall at the peak of
academic excellence is the American School of Milan
(ASM).
Founded in 1962, the school started with humble
beginnings, and eventually grew to enjoy the role of an
educational leader in Milan and Italy. Today, ASM has 920
th
students from PreK through 12 grade, graduating about 70
students per year. The school is focused to provide modern
and rigorous education for international students to excel in
the changing world of tomorrow.
Graduates of ASM attend top universities around the world,
including Stanford University in the USA and Oxford in the
UK. It is one of only a very few non-profit, truly diverse
international schools in Milan. Currently, students from
over 50 nationalities are enrolled and pursuing education
from the school. ASM serves the diplomatic community of
Milan, including the US Consulate.
Excellent Infrastructure
ASM has a purpose-built campus located approximately 8
kilometers from Milan city center. Located in the
neighborhood of Noverasco, it is flanked by a golf course
and features a wide open soccer pitch. The school houses
two full gymnasiums and over 50 classrooms, including
well-equipped science labs.
Its library serves all students ranging from preK-12 and the
school cafeteria offers delicious and nutritious food. ASM
opened a 500-seat auditorium in 2019, capping a five-year
expansion that saw new classrooms added, the cafeteria
remodeled, and several infrastructure upgrades related to
the needs of a growing campus.
Dynamic Leadership
ASM has been led by the dynamic leadership of both past
Directors and the Board of Trustees. In the late ‘60s and
early ‘70s, visionary leadership allowed the school to
relocate from separate campuses downtown to the current
campus in Noverasco. This gave it space to grow and
support its American-style education with spaces for
physical education and performing arts. Carl Immordino,
Trustee and ASM parent, was a prime mover in the effort to
relocate the campus. His vision and that of the board at the
21August | 2020

24. time, has allowed ASM to become the preeminent
international school in Milan.
Ensuring Academic Excellence
ASM offers an American style education, providing a well-
rounded program aimed to educate the whole child. In
addition to various core subjects, it offers elementary
students the option to choose from physical education,
music, art, and Italian classes. Two dedicated science
teachers bring their experience to elementary classes,
allowing the students to explore the world and learn more.
ASM’s middle school offers many innovative elective
th th
courses to students from 6 through 8 grade. These include
drone building and forensic science, in addition to their core
th
subjects. From 6 grade, ASM offers French and Spanish in
addition to Italian, which is offered starting in the
Elementary School.
In 2014, ASM opted to abandon the MYP program in favor
of a home-grown curriculum designed to better meet the
needs of the children and to prepare them for the rigors of
the IB program. This change included the addition of
th th
advanced math classes from 7 through 10 grade.
In High School, ASM offers the IB Diploma program. In
the last five years, three ASM students have scored a perfect
45 on the IB. ASM employs three counselors at the high
school level, two of whom focus specifically on college
counseling, assisting the students in applying to their ‘best
fit’ universities.
Further, ASM promotes exploration and appreciation of its
th
host country, Italy through Field Trip Week, which sees 4
th
through 11 graders traveling around the country to various
th
locations. In 2019, the school’s 8 graders hiked up Mt.
Etna in Sicily, witnessing the puffing steam of an active
volcano.
Focus on Development of the Students
ASM aims to ensure that students not only excel in
curricular activities, but also succeed in various other
endeavors. The school’s performing arts program allows
students to explore their creative side on stage in theater
and music classes, which include band, choir, and orchestra.
Its new auditorium is a glorious venue, which provides
room for the students to demonstrate their skills and
creativity.
ASM supports several STEM initiatives, under which it
observes Coding Week. The middle school has a maker
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25. 23August | 2020
THE
10INTERNATIONAL
SCHOOLS IN
ITALY 2020
BEST

26. class as well as a drone building. In the high school,
students are offered ‘How Things Work’ elective, which
offers students the opportunity to learn about gears,
hydraulics, and other technological advancements.
ASM’s service program allows students to interact with the
community. Recent activities have included neighborhood
clean up and visits to an elderly care facility. The student
government fosters leadership at ASM, and active student
councils in all divisions allow students to express their
opinions.
The school’s sports and activities program provides many
outlets for the students to stay fit and compete in local and
international sports events. ASM is a part of the European
Sports Conference, and the school’s athletes travel to
competitions in Germany, Switzerland, Spain, and other
locations in Italy. Various activities and programs serve
students from elementary through middle school, and
includes rock climbing, gymnastics, cooking, and many
other enriching activities.
Putting Students First
The school appoints dedicated teachers and offers an
enriched curriculum to small classes. It presents students
with interesting concepts while giving individualized
attention. Students are encouraged to ask questions, given
opportunities to debate, and are called upon to lead change
and development.
ASM is an EcoSchool, and students have led the way in
making changes for many eco-friendly operations. This
includes healthier foods in vending machines, campaigning
(successfully) for a salad bar in the cafeteria, and pushing
the administration to implement a ‘plastic free’ campus.
ASM students are educated to be mindful, compassionate,
and considerate activists.
Financial Assistance
As a private, independent international school, all programs
of ASM are tuition-funded or supported by gifts to its
annual fund, the Fund for Excellence (FFE). The FFE has
provided the opportunity for ASM to host visiting authors,
artists, and speakers who have brought passion, inspiration,
and expertise to the students. The recent FFE-supported
artist organized a graffiti workshop for the school’s art
students and left ASM with a wonderful panther mural that
graces one of its lovely outdoor patios.
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27. Success Stories of ASM
ASM has always focused on delivering the
best, when it comes to providing brilliant
curricular and extra-curricular opportunities. It
has been rewarded for its dedicated endeavors.
The school is accredited by the American
Middle States Association of Schools and
Colleges, as well as by the International
Baccalaureate Office, which authorizes the IB
Diploma program.
ASM is also recognized for various initiatives
towards green operations. The school is a
member of the Mediterranean Association of
International Schools (MAIS) and the
Educational Collaborative for International
Schools (ECIS).
Mapping the Future
ASM continues to develop its programs and
offers the best international education in Milan
and Italy. It is investigating the expansion of
the innovation and design offerings, adding the
character-building Duke of Edinburgh program.
Furthermore, the school continues to build the
offerings of the service program, ensuring that
the students have both sharp minds and caring
hearts, as they enter the dynamic and changing
world of tomorrow.T R 25
August | 2020

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Active Learning

29. 27August | 2020

30. one are those days, when education used to be
Gconfined within the walls of an institution. Now a
days learning has transcended numerous
boundaries incorporating innovative ways and
st
technological advancements. In the 21 century, the
education system is paving its way to new methods by
incorporating all round development of the students. All
round development includes the intellectual, moral,
sensible, physical and social development of a student. This
can be achieved by maintaining the balance between the
curriculum and co-curricular activities.
Extracurricular or Co Curricular activities are those
additional activities taken up by the schools apart from the
academic curriculum. The activities range from sports to
music and theater. For many students, extracurricular
activities act as an opportunity to know their interests. For a
student who is not gifted academically, these activities can
help the student shape their careers around it.
Extracurricular Activities
Some of the major Co-Curricular Activities are as follows:
Ÿ Physical Development Activities: These activities
include games, sports, athletics, yoga, zumba,
swimming, etc. The students involved in sports or
physical activities have many health benefits. These
students possess a healthy self image, better exercise
capacity, lower odds for emotional distress, etc. All
these traits help the students lead a healthy mental and
physical life.
Ÿ Academic Development Activities: Academic
development can be achieved through clubs organized
by the school like, science club, math club, book clubs,
newspaper reading, etc. These activities are a bonus to
the students in order to improve their academic
knowledge. It not only helps them excel in the particular
subject but also makes the experts of the same. These
activities help them improve their grades too.
Ÿ Literary Activities: Literary activities can be said as
those which improve the literacy of the students. Book
reading, debates, essay writing, magazines, symposium,
etc. are activities that are incorporated by schools to
improve literacy among the students. Poem writing,
publication of school magazine, bulletin board write-ups
are also some of the activities held by schools for
students to develop their literary ability.
Ÿ Cultural Development Activities: Activities like
painting, dramatics, folk dance, folk music, celebration
of festivals, visiting cultural places, etc. can be counted
as cultural activities. These activities help the students
understand the cultural values of festivals, places, etc.
Cultural development is easier in schools as it is a place
of diverse people, religions, cultures, etc. Students can
learn about culture better in such an environment.
Ÿ Activities for Social Development: Bringing a social
responsibility among the students in the school is very
necessary as it is easy to adapt at a younger age. For
bringing social development among them, activities like,
National Cadet Corps, National Service Scheme, adult
education, red cross, etc. are organized in schools.
Ÿ Leisure Time Activities: These activities are also known
as hobbies. These include coin collection, stamp
collection, soap making, photography, candle making,
etc. The students are taught to spend time wisely. Some
activities that can be done at home during the leisure
time are taught at school itself.
Common Problems faced due to Extracurricular
Activities
As much as these activities are helpful, they can be a
problem too. Some students take up too many activities and
lack to cope up. They need to prepare a schedule in advance
of a semester or year that helps them balance school,
homework, after-school activities and personal life. The aim
of these activities is to make the students have fun and not
turn it into stress. At the same time, the school grades
should not be affected by these activities. The main part of
schooling is academics and there should be no compromise
in that.
st
The extracurricular activities are a part of the 21 century
schools. These activities are carried out by schools to make
learning fun. However, these activities are multipurpose in
nature as they do not fulfill only one aim. The activities are
discovered and chosen carefully in order to make it suitable
for students. It also aids students to find a balance between
academics and other activities. Such activities help nurture
the students’hidden talents and might also lead to
becoming a career opportunity. These activities also help
many students have successful careers in life.
- Shreevarshita Gupta
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32. CastelliInternational SchoolTransforming Students into the Leaders of Tomorrow
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33. Education is essential to ensure that individuals
achieve success in various endeavors while
building a bright career path. In order to
accomplish this objective, many students focus on pursuing
excellent education from international institutions of repute,
which provide a lasting educational experience,
accompanied by superior infrastructural facilities and a
career-oriented perspective.
One such leading institution focused on attaining excellence
in academic endeavors is Castelli International School.
Situated a few kilometers south of Rome, the school aims to
develop, inquisitive, caring, and well-rounded global
citizens.
Throughout the excerpts mentioned below, the school
shares its incredible journey of academic excellence.
1. Please tell us about the School and its mission/vision and
its various infrastructural facilities.
Founded in 1977 Castelli International School (CIS) is
situated south of Rome overlooking the city with St.
Peter’s in full view. It is nestled in between vineyards and
olive groves in the smog-free Castelli Romani hills. The
school’s garden plots, educational greenhouse, multi-
purpose court (tennis, basketball, volleyball) and 2
AstroTurf football pitches provide for plenty of fresh air
outdoor learning activities. The elementary and middle
school libraries, computer room and interactive whiteboards
motivate the student’s inquisitive nature to further explore
the realms of knowledge.
Our mission is based on three major forces expressed so
well by Rudolf Steiner:
“Our highest endeavor must be to develop free human
beings who are able of themselves to impart purpose and
direction to their lives. The need for imagination, a sense
of truth and a feeling of responsibility-these three forces
are the very nerve of education.”
The basis for this is clearly expressed in the Chinese
proverb:
When I hear, I forget.
When I see, I remember.
When I do, I understand.
2. What steps are you taking to ensure the development of
the school?
The best way to express the development of the school is by
quoting the letter from the Head:
“It was a dream… how to start a school, to integrate a rich
and vast Italian programme into an international school
curriculum. It was a dream … to create a unique school
where, for children coming from all over the world,
learning becomes a continuous and exciting experience of
joy, hardships, perseverance, determination and final
realization that all obstacles in life can be overcome with
patience, respect, consideration, acquisition of culture and
love.
Thanks to: an unforgettable parent who introduced Steiner
education and believed that I, unknowingly, was a
‘Steinerian’ educator; an exceptionally creative and
intelligent Science teacher who gave birth to the School’s
name with a quick 5-minute sketch of the school that
became the first school logo.
I still remember the first day of school when our excited
students received the very first huge whiteboard, a gift from
a loyal and supportive parent, which we still use in our
library! Throughout the years parents continued to
contribute their energy, passion and know-how to keep the
school spirit going.
The school was rustic, to say the least, with 5 professors
and 7 students starting at 11 yrs, through 16 yrs. The
location was an abandoned peasant abode amid vineyards
and olive groves. Building is not allowed because the
beautiful property is environmentally protected.
The kitchen became the science room, the bedroom, a
library and the living room the classroom. The students
began to arrive from north and south Rome and the Castelli
area. The ‘adventure’ had begun. During cold days students
went out to get wood to warm the antique clay stove that
was our central heating. As the school kept growing we
moved into abandoned cantinas, wine cellars, stables,
chicken coops and pig stys. With our creative instincts and
the hard work of our students, storage rooms were emptied.
The wine cellar became the library, cement wine vats were
transformed into reading cubby holes. An old swimming
hole was made into the science room.
The remaining stables, pigsties and chicken coops became
classrooms! And the last storage room full of bottles, kegs,
and even snake skins, was transformed into Kids Point,
named so by my second son, which is the central social
gathering and snacking place for students and parents.
We were the first school to acquire a Sharp computer. There
were no websites, no apps, no internet connections. Our
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34. students had to learn how to program their own work! They
succeeded in creating tests for their peers, preparing reports
without the ‘help’ tools and ready-made sites available
today. The school kept growing until there were no more
cantinas or storage rooms left to ‘exploit’. A waiting list
began. Sadly, we could not accept everyone but had we
been allowed to build, our healthy green environment
would have been destroyed.
Today the physical appearance of the classrooms is much
improved and the need to fit them into the existing
structures made each classroom original and unique. What
is most precious to this ‘dream’ is that the spirit remains:
one of adventure and learning, forging ahead as the world
around us continues to change, thanks to our faculty, staff
and staunch support of our parents and friends.”
3. Kindly describe to us the different courses offered by
your school.
The CIS curriculum is based on a unique ‘marriage’
between the Italian Ministerial programme and the English
based Cambridge curriculum. The Italian Ministerial
programme offers a very extensive, globally based and
structured curriculum covering all STEAM subjects
(Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Maths). All
subjects are taught in English except for languages (Italian
and French) which are taught by mother-tongue teachers.
As the English programme uses more of a hands-on
approach whereas the Italian one has a more theoretical
approach, combining the two makes the whole curriculum
more challenging and enriching. Examples of both can be
seen in the photos below: here you could put in a photo of
the shadoofs and one of kids sitting and doing their temas.
4. What steps are you taking beyond the traditional
curriculum to ensure overall development of the students?
To further enliven their learning experience all students
from elementary through middle school take educational
trips to enrich their studies. The elementary grades take day
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35. trips ranging from nature reserves, concerts, museums to
appropriate ballets. The fifth graders get their first overnight
trip by spending the night in a simulated Etruscan village
where they experience how the Etruscans lived. The middle
school students go to expositions dealing with the arts and
take weeklong trips. For example the 6th and 7th graders go
to Florence, or Verona, Vicenza and Venice (called the 3-V
trip) among other cultural sites to supplement their studies
in the medieval and Renaissance periods. In the graduating
year our students participate at the Harvard Model United
Nations Conference in Boston which they have been doing
for 18 consecutive years.
5. Kindly enlighten us about the various accomplished
alumni of the school.
Our alumni are working around the world in various sectors
and companies many having pursued their passions in
careers like engineering, finance, journalism, medicine and
education.
6. Please tell us about the major achievements of the
school.
Castelli International is one of the founding members of the
Rome International Schools Association (RISA) and is a
Cambridge International School. It is one of the first
schools in Italy that incorporated Food Studies lessons into
its curriculum, where students are introduced to the
pleasures of whole foods via sensory-based exposure.
Therefore, beginning at a young age, students learn to eat
healthy whole foods and, as a consequence, develop a
healthy habit that promotes wellness and prevents disease.
For many years Castelli International was the only school
from Italy represented in the annual Harvard Model United
Nations conference (HMUN).
Over the years Castelli International has supported and
encouraged local educational ventures like Antiquitates, an
archeological, hands-on learning centre close to Rome.
7. Kindly enlighten us about the major collaborations of the
school.
This year, Castelli International has participated, together
with other international schools in Rome in the Campaign
for Plastic Reduction (CPR). This project was successfully
implemented throughout the entire school community,
greatly reducing the consumption of plastic at school, in our
lunch services, the school office and home-brought plastics.
The school collaborated with schools in England and the
USA on nutrition projects, where students communicated
with each other on results achieved. Collaboration with
foreign schools and the exchange of methods and ideas are
actively encouraged among students as well as teacher
trainees through the ERASMUS program.
8. Where is the school heading towards? Kindly tell us
about your future plans.
The school works towards zero waste by continuing to
improve infrastructure which will favour our growing green
environment, like collecting and reusing precious rainwater
in water collection tanks, installing alternative energy
sources and planting trees on Earth Day.
We strive to teach our students to become responsible
leaders of tomorrow by encouraging teamwork and
collaboration in order to form caring, well-rounded, global
citizens who will take an active role in the 2030 Sustainable
Development Goals. T R
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37. BuildingCommunityinan
CLASSROOM
ONLINE
Online Education
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38. W
e all know how important it is to create a
positive community in the classroom. It
leads our students to feel confident and
comprehensive and teaches them empathy and many
other social skills. In a healthy group, students know
that failures are truthful and they work hard to learn
from each other’s mistakes. We work hard to build a
sense of belonging and pride that is generated from our
participation in society from this first day of school. But
how does that work in online teaching? Let’s find out.
All on the same page
If it is the first day of an online class, or whether you
have switched from an old to an online course, schedule
some fun activities to understand one another. This
might be as simple as a wide Zoom meeting, or Google
Hangout, where everyone takes a minute to introduce
themselves. This section is vital for creating a group,
ensuring that your students connect, even it is live in a
video.
Clear Lines of Communication
Students must feel confident contacting teachers and
know the best way to connecting them. If this is a
completely new community of students, teachers can
commence from each student by making telephone
calls. This could be done briefly and via Google
Hangout; the key here is to form a clear communication
line which is transparent from both sides.
Beyond this initial telephone, they can share a platform
for communication; whether it is an e-mail, office times
in open-conference video/call, or via a message board.
Let the students know how they can contact their
teachers and how easily they can expect a response.
When these guidelines are defined, teachers must
adhere to them. Consistency is the key here in building
trust and culture.
Two-Way Communication
Meaningful learning should not rely on stagnant
awareness and the repetition of anticipated answers.
Students are eager to be on a research trip, and while
the tutor of the student can definitely play a role in
enlightening considerations and tools, they will be even
more enthusiastic when they create shared information
that is richer in complexities.
That kind of engagement promotes social and
emotional learning and motivation, which is in addition
to this kind of engaging and informative learning.
Teachers can form their paths and promote risk-taking
and audacity along the way. They can show that they
appreciate the fascinating inputs of each participant.
Team Building Activities
Since these initial experiences don’t stop building your
group. Maintain the energy of normal action. Teachers
can introduce a ‘Student of the Week’ program in which
a different student is exhibited and displayed every
week. Teachers can also seek to give students the
opportunity to share positive news frequently with the
school. Again, teachers must ensure that they promote
positive conversation and ask students to reply with
polite, all the while encouraging words to each other’s
message.
Co-operative Learning Activities
Even in an online environment, teachers can have their
students engage in cooperative learning. It can be
convenient for students to ask each other questions or
for two students to collaborate on a report. Teachers
can also put reading pairs with other readers with
similar skills and promote weekly reviews. A somewhat
more complicated alternative would be to set up study
groups or book clubs that digitally meet to train
themselves for analysis or discuss a popular novel.
Teachers can ensure that students have the ability to
work together and learn from each other while
preparing their own lessons.
Student-Teacher-Parent Interaction
The final step in creating a healthy culture in the
classroom is to include students’ families. Make sure
that they are up-to-date and know how to get in touch
with the educator. Teachers can share this information
by emailing it weekly or by maintaining a platform that
they update every week. Educators can also find it
beneficial to survey the careers, interests, and passions
of students via their parents.
It is often found that a parent has an interest in a topic
and teachers know students are intrigued by it and, as
such, may invite parents to share their interests as
special guests. Parents may also give a lesson on their
professions to elder students or read to a younger child.
Teachers must help them to appreciate their skills and
to see them as a partner in the learning of their child. It
will help create good relationships in the long-term.
It is important for remote learning to build a sense of
belonging and culture. The key thing is to promote a
multi-channel learning environment so that students
don’t feel alone and educators get a clear way of
teaching.
- Anmol Preet Singh
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41. ducation helps an individual to open their mind, expand it, and explore
Edifferent horizons. It prepares them to make learned decisions and to
embark on a journey of career excellence. Accordingly, they aim to
pursue education from the leading institutions, which offer brilliant educational
conten, accompanied by excellent infrastructural and career-development
facilities.
A noteworthy school transforming education by embracing excellence is Florence
Institute of Design International (FIDI). Since its establishment in 2008, the
mission of the institute has been to foster a dynamic learning environment where
international students are taught about the foundations of Italian design by
combining modern technologies with Italy’s imaginative culture. Located in the
historic center of Florence, FIDI is situated within two stunning historic baroque
palaces, Palazzo Marescialla and Palazzo Fossombroni. Classrooms with frescoed
vaulted ceilings have been outfitted with the latest technology to facilitate the
teaching of the modern design curriculum.
The city of Florence, known as the international crossroads for designers,
provides a rich backdrop for learning the Italian creative process. With a primary
focus on encouraging the growth of students as creative and innovative
professionals, personalization of studies and small class sizes provide students
with the opportunity to thrive within an engaging design studio environment.
The Leading Light of FIDI
The institute makes rapid strides towards excellence in academic and career-
development facilities under the creative direction of Arch. Leonardo Rossano.
He joined the institution in 2011 as an instructor of furniture design and has since
been appointed the department head of the bachelor program.
Rossano is a prominent furniture designer who has been active in Florence for
over 25 years. His work has been included in numerous important exhibitions and
publications during his prolific design career. He has many pieces in production
primarily through the companies of True Design and Lapalma.
39August | 2020

42. Rossano brings his many years of professional experience
into the classroom, and ensures that students are guided
through every phase of the design process. Students benefit
from Rossano’s individualized guidance and commitment to
helping them realize their design projects. In addition to
teaching, Rossano has also given many enlightening
lectures about his design process to the FIDI community.
His passion for design inspires enthusiasm and dedication
in his students.
Plenty of Academic Offerings
FIDI offers a wide variety of courses, which assist the
students to strengthen their foundation in the principals of
design, while building both their technical and conceptual
skills. This foundational knowledge is then directly applied
within the rigorous studio-based curriculum.
Students are encouraged to complete different projects
using the latest industry standard software, while
incorporating elements of modern and traditional design.
Classes on art history and history of Italian design provide
students with the unique opportunity of learning about the
rich Italian culture.
Students also get to visit some of the greatest artistic and
cultural treasures in the world. Specialized classes such as
app design, interactive media, 3D printing, and lighting
design ensure that the students develop a diverse and
comprehensive skill set as they prepare to enter the
workforce. Through individualized attention and creative
tools, the students thrive while developing their own design
sensibilities and artistic vision.
Ensuring All-Round Development
The institute takes up various initiatives to ensure the
development of the students, academically and beyond. As
part of its robust lecture series, some of the most important
designers, architects, artists, and respected figures in the
world of Italian design and culture are welcomed to FIDI to
share their work and process with the students. Noted
designers from other key cities such as London, New York,
and Barcelona are also invited.
Team FIDI is of the opinion that lectures are a great way for
the students to gain interaction with professionals and attain
firsthand knowledge of the industry. It believes in giving
students all the tools needed to step confidently out into the
field of design.
Students also gain real-world experience through
internships, participation in design competitions, and
collaborations with prominent Italian design companies.
This past summer, as part of a lighting design internship, a
group of students designed and presented their work to
representatives of the lighting company, Lighting in
Progress.
Numeorus conceptual workshops provide students with the
unique opportunity of learning from world renowned
designers and architects, including founders of anti-design
groups such as Archizoom and Superstudio, while
generating innovative solutions in a few productive weeks.
Field trips bring students out of the classroom and give
them exposure to the methods of fabrication, artisanal
production, and some of the most prominent expositions
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43. and fairs in the design industry. Gaining exposure to the
latest developments in the field allows students to build this
knowledge into their own design process.
Achieving Glory
FIDI has made many achievements throughout its journey
of delivering excellent academic and career-development
facilities. It continues to be recognized as one of Italy’s
leading international design schools, which provides
education of the highest quality in design. Many of its
alumni have gone on to do extraordinary things and
contribute greatly to the design fraternity.
Alumni of the institute have designed and realized a
prominent restaurant in New York and have created
advertisements for Coca Cola, Huawei, and Renault. They
have also produced a commercial which was aired during
the Superbowl, and was shortlisted for the World
Illustration Award by the Association of Illustrators.
In addition to offering a 3-year bachelor degree accredited
by the University of Chester in the UK, FIDI has received
accreditation through the region of Tuscany. It is a
destination school for design students from the ITESO and
IBERO Universities in Mexico as well as schools in the US
and Brazil.
On the Career Front
Team FIDI states that interior and graphic design continue
to be some of the fastest growing professions. An education
in design provides considerable opportunities in a wide
range of creative industries. It has produced many graduates
who went on to work in distinguished design firms around
the world.
Many alumni of FIDI have established their own companies
and have quickly built up a portfolio of clients and projects.
Furthermore, the students are well equipped to seek out
specialized competitive careers or forge their own path as
an independent designer.
Towards a Splendid Future
Stepping towards a new decade, the institute will continue
to provide its students with an exceptionally unique
international learning experience. It plans to incorporate
more cross-disciplinary course work and immersive
workshops, which will ensure that the institute is promoting
progressive design curriculum for its diverse student
population.
Several upcoming design projects supported by FIDI will
contribute to the rich and thriving florentine design
community. Since inception, the institute has undergone a
huge amount of growth while increasing in diversity and
expanding its offerings and facilities. Through all of this, it
has remained a design-driven program made up of
passionate and dedicated staff, students, and faculty.T R
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46. This is a great question and one that we need to ask
ourselves on a frequent basis. In fact, it is the
question, par excellence, that all educators must ask
themselves. Happily, what a delight it is to sit down with
our Pre-Primary and Primary teachers and discuss great
ways to engage all our students in their learning.
First, we believe that our very environment sets the tone.
Although, in our case, we are a relatively new
British-international school in Mexico City, banish the
thought of our vibrant community working within the
confines of a concrete campus. Rather, think of a semi-rural
site on the city’s western edge, basking in sunlight most
days, and all surrounded by low smooth hills carpeted with
trees. And fortunate enough to have a purpose-built first
construction using spacious, light-filled classrooms in
which teachers experiment. With children hailing from
some thirty countries, and Buenos Aires sitting down with
Berlin, wonderful cross-cultural friendships burgeon.
To be truly modern and creative, innovative educators
continually need to mix the old with the right amount of the
new, furnishing pupils’ learning styles with sufficient
variety. To make our motto “Strive, Learn and Serve” a
reality, we also operate with the International Primary
Curriculum (both its Early Years, and its mainstream
Milestone programmes). The projects we select from it
always allow us that flexibility in both content and skills so
useful to any enthusiastic teacher’s heart. Teachers are not
trammeled, then, in what they can attempt to do with the
curriculum. In our planning, main classroom teachers work
hand-in-hand with specialist classes. We especially promote
music – every post-Kindergarten child plays a stringed
instrument – also linking it wherever possible to many
discrete subject areas within bespoke IPC projects. Wasn’t
it E. M. Forster who once said, “Only connect”?
“Serve” is extremely important to our school community,
providing us with plenty of opportunities to be innovative.
Classroom teachers very deliberately fuse the IPC with our
School of Character, exploiting teachable moments to
promote positive values. Moreover, innovative learning
stems from pupils – in an age-appropriate
way – researching and selecting practical initiatives to help
others. For example, it was the pupils, not the teachers, who
opted for writing letters for lonely old folks (and visiting
them subsequently), creating a whole World Cup football
competition with a local Primary, composed of fifteen full
teams, plus an extensive toy collection and distribution
campaign for the less fortunate in society. When children
sense the justice of something, they grow in confidence and
display tremendous drive.
Holding fast to the ‘traditional’ in education, the things time
and cultures have told us work, we have ensured we have
placed the library at the heart of our campus. Three of its
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47. About the Author
|Tom Wingate
Founder
Educator's Column
Tom Wingate, Founder of The Wingate School was educated at St. George’s College,
Weybridge, Surrey, in Great Britain. His school’s mission is to touch lives, promoting excellent
academic standards imbued with values. He completed his undergraduate degree in English
and History and Theory of Art from the University of Kent and postgraduate degree in
teaching from the University of Leeds. He kick-started his career as teacher administrator at
an international school in Mexico City. Later, in the 1990s, he served as the Principal and
Assistant Headmaster of a developing high school, also receiving his Masters in
Administration and Supervision from Georgia State University. Head of the intake Year 9 at
City of London School in the early 2000s, he coached many successful public speaking and
debating teams, winning the ESU's British and International Debate Competition in 2006. He
also holds a postgraduate degree in Victorian Studies from Birkbeck College, University of
London. Tom has taught from kindergarten to teachers in their Masters programmes. He is an
artist and photographer, greatly enjoying history of art. An avid collector of old documents,
with a special interest in the life of Dickens, he also contributes to the international
“Dickensian” magazine.
45August | 2020

48. four sides are largely composed of glass. Children, walking by, both inside or out, cannot but help to peer in,
see and be intrigued by the constant activity. It welcomes them; it engages. With much mobile library shelving,
its spaces are instantly and effortlessly ‘redesigned’. Activities held there typically include: ICT classes using
Chromebooks; weekly assemblies underpinning IPC topics; drama practises; much live reading to groups;
personal assistance with book selection, and – naturally! – quiet reading and book processing.
(For books - new, old, bought, donated - are constantly being added.) Matching expressed interests, books are
frequently given to children by the school to keep, too. Books, stimulating innovative lines of thought in young
minds, still very much count and always will.
Yet, as we rocket into the new millennium, we inevitably reach out to the innovative and the new. Deliberately
sited within that large open library, staff and children access a lot of our technological gadgets. They are mere
tools to our academic ends, but, what tools! (We are setting up audio and visual contact with divers on the
Great Barrier Reef, in real time.) Most of our Smartboards are fixed within classrooms. However, others kept
in the library can be wheeled into action, like strange wooden fire engines fomenting those intellectual
“conflagrations” poet Alan Paton spoke of, rather than putting them out. What, then, is the nature of the
modern library? The speed of technological advance today is mind-boggling. Thus, the jury is still out, because
the fascinating conversation constantly twists and turns.
The classroom, where teaching and learning occur, now is so much more than a big box. We encourage a host
of innovative afternoon activities where young pupils (and their parents) can begin to choose less orthodox
areas of interest. For example, highly athletic Irish dancing can and does complement our official P.E
curriculum. Gardening Club, linked to the Royal Horticultural Society levels for schools, is ripe for
innovation. (For one, pupils have chosen where new bird boxes will adorn the campus.) Gardening, along with
woodland walks for our pupils in the huge ranch in which we are located, opens up so many avenues, both for
hands-on experiences as well as for incipient science-inclined minds. We have a Debate Club, too.
When all is said and done, our teachers’ collegiality is the engine that powers the active, innovative learning
throughout the school. However, as we genuinely try to put our pupils at the heart of our project, their sense of
contentment and ‘voice’ also are extremely important to us. Our pupils constantly use personal (but shared)
agendas in which all constituents – line managers, all teachers, the pupils and parents – write reflective
contributions. When ‘in class,’ collating knowledge, pupils are much encouraged to work in various teams.
They are crucibles in which to learn content and, more than that, the arena where they acquire and practise
transferrable skills. Invariably, their strengths and weaknesses are tested in the general give and take. That way
they, and their teachers, understand better the needs of patience and teamwork, analysis and critical thought.T R
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50. Teacher-Student
INTERACTIONSINTERACTIONSINTERACTIONS
is the
KEYKEYKEYto
QUALITYQUALITYQUALITY
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51. Teachers make innumerable real-time
choices every day and facilitate dozens
of interactions with their students.
Although educators throughout the world share
this commonality, they often talk in different
ways about these decisions and interactions.
Teacher-student interaction is the key to building
positive classrooms that work, determining what
teachers expect from students, and what the
students expect from teachers. The interaction
between teacher and student is a two-way road
with pupils are connected to teachers and
teachers to pupils. If a teacher builds on self-
esteem and mutual respect in the classroom, the
teachers develop positive relationships with
students in their classrooms.
Class Organization
A class outlines ten teaching dimensions related
to student performance and social development.
Each of the ten dimensions belongs to three
broad categories: emotional support, organizing
classes, and support in training.
The first, emotional support, is intended to assist
children to build loving relationships, to
appreciate and to encourage them to learn, to
feel confident in class and to experience a
degree of autonomy or independence.
The source of emotional support is:
Positive environment; The emotional
interaction among teachers and students,
alongside the nature of the relationships between
the peers.
Negative environment; Negativity of students
and/or teachers in the classroom, for example,
wrath, hostility and aggression; responsiveness
to the response of instructors to the students’
academic needs.
Sensitivity for instructors; Response to
academic and emotional needs of students.
Teacher’s perspective of the students; To the
degree of emphasis on student’s interests,
motivations, and points of view in the teacher
interactions with students and in school
activities.
Quality Education
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52. Classroom organization refers to ways that teachers help
children develop their own behavioral skills, learn the most
each day, and keep an eye on learning, including:
Management of conduct; How well teachers monitor,
prevent, and redirect misconduct.
Productivity; How well a school works in terms of
routines, how well students understand routines and the
level of activities and guidelines provided by teachers so
that maximum time can be spent in learning.
Learning formats; How teachers engage students and
facilitate activities to maximize learning opportunities.
Training support
Training support concerns ways of effectively supporting
the cognitive development and linguistic growth of students
by teachers, including:
Conceptual development; How teachers use educational
discussions and activities to promote students’ skills and
knowledge as opposed to a focus on rote instruction.
Feedback quality; How teachers increase participation and
learning through student feedback.
Modeling of language; The extent to which teachers
promote the use of language by students.
Teacher-Student Interactions
The interaction between students and teachers can be
summed up in:
Children interacting individually with teachers: Pupils in
the same classroom learn differently and predict just how
well they will adapt to the schools in their individual
attitudes. The positive feeling towards teachers among
young children tends to improve academic and social
performance and children are more successful in their
classroom tasks and activities. There are many ways
through which teachers can unlock and build upon the
specific features and behaviors of children in order to
promote their success.
Content of instructional interactions: Well-organized
instructional content can help teachers to interact with their
students more efficiently. In contrast to rote learning,
teachers can help, for example, to develop child thinking
and analytical skills for a problem or project-based
activities. This kind of training can take place in the
traditional academic arenas as well as in-direct social,
emotional, and self-regulatory skills.
Teacher capabilities: Teachers can interact with children
with certain personal capabilities. The quality of classroom
interactions has been improved by two capabilities. They
are the ability of teachers to follow children’s indications
and to regulate their own emotions and stress. A better
understanding of these skills would help prepare and
develop teachers.
Leads Path to Quality Measurement
The quality of the program is often determined by structural
qualities, such as school day length, class size, and
qualifications for personnel. For example, research has
shown that class sizes above 20 are associated with poorer
child outcomes.
Sharing equipment from the playground to maintaining
hygiene to the interactions between staff, children, and
parents also generally measure quality through observation
of different aspects.
The research-based evidence clearly promotes quality
definition in terms of teacher interaction between children’s
classrooms instead of combining many types of features.
Unique Effects on Learning and Development
Different studies examined the various quality indicators,
including structural elements, physically-based
characteristics and teacher and peer interactions. These
studies reiterated the fact that children that interact with
teachers gain in a unique and positive manner.
According to a study of more than 1,000 children, children
whose lessons were more supportive and well managed
showed a greater degree of social skills and fewer behavior
problems. Another showed that interactions with teachers
that foster language and cognition enhance the academic
achievement of children.
Leaving behind the academic success, knowing your
students can improve behavior management in the
classroom. Teachers who work with students as a mentor
are more likely to develop behavior with social adequacy. If
their teachers treat struggling students as bad or
unintelligent, they are unlikely to change. However, these
students are more than growing when teachers strive to care
and help them.
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54. UdineInternational School
A Place to Develop International Mindedness and
Compassionate Local, National and Global Citizens
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55. The School’s Philosophy
The Udine International School (UIS) is committed to
developing high educational standards, fostering character
development and nurturing an international approach. The
school is driven to develop in students their capacity for
individual growth, with the ability to apply knowledge and
adapt skills in this rapidly changing world.
UIS believes that high-quality learning:
• Is engaging, relevant, and stimulates an inquisitive mind;
• Is differentiated for diverse capabilities;
• Encourages reflection and self-assessment and happens
when students embrace challenges and mistakes in a safe
environment in order to grow and learn;
• Allows for creative expression and creative problem-
solving, while encouraging the development of student’s
voice;
• Aims to develop critical and independent thinkers;
• Encourages students to use initiative and use a variety of
resources to actively enhance their learning;
• Promotes global awareness, environmental
consciousness, and ethical values.
The School
UIS is located in Udine, a beautiful city of rich historical
and cultural importance and growing internationalism. The
school is situated in the quiet greenery of the Istituto
‘Monsignor F. Tomadini’, a campus ideally located on the
outskirts of the city with convenient and easy access by car
or public transportation.
The professional and dedicated faculty bring to UIS an
outstanding level of pedagogy from a broad range of
diverse educational systems where they have completed
their training and gained their prior experience.
The school is divided into three sections: Early Childhood
for students aged 2-5; Elementary School for students aged
6-10; and Middle School for students aged 11-13. It sets
high expectations for its diverse students in both academic
and personal development, encouraging and supporting
them to become global citizens of high integrity. UIS has
developed a strong home-school partnership, the success of
which is centred on a real understanding of its mission and
vision and of what is genuinely international education.
Facilities
The school offers excellent educational facilities. The
Elementary and Middle School section is in the main
building of the compound and comprises of three floors. It
has a cafeteria as well as various other specially equipped
classrooms: the computer lab (with Wi-Fi throughout the
school), the art room, and the library with a rich selection of
reading and reference books and DVDs in English, Italian,
French, and German. There are projectors in every
classroom to enhance learning.
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56. The Early Childhood Centre, which is housed in a recently
constructed building, is designed to provide the ideal
environment for a child’s academic and personal
development. The centre has bright and colourful
classrooms containing the latest educational and playtime
equipment, the cafeteria, and a large common area where
children can take part in activities outside their primary
classroom such as theatre and shows. It is surrounded by a
spacious and secure garden/playground area.
The school is equipped with a modern kitchen where a hot
and nutritious lunch is prepared daily. Sports facilities
include a playground, astroturf football field, volleyball
court and basketball court. The school also has access to the
Istituto Tomadini facilities, which include a large indoor
gymnasium with numerous sports facilities, an Olympic
sized heated indoor swimming pool and a large soccer field
immersed in the quiet greenery of the compound.
The auditorium, which is located in the main building, is
used by students for theatre, school shows, visiting
speakers, or for important ceremonies.
A Dedicated Educator
An important personality behind the success of the school is
the Principal, Mrs Sarah-Jane Green. Hailing from
Bristol in England, she has been working internationally for
nearly twenty years. She graduated from Exeter University
in the UK with a Bachelor of Arts in Education (Honours)
and has a Master of Arts in Education from the Open
University.
Mrs Green has worked in a range of settings and with
various curricula, and with children across different age
ranges. She feels fortunate to be able to work with such a
group of experienced and caring teachers at the Udine
International School. She believes that children have the
potential to do amazing things if they are properly nurtured
and inspired. She loves to see children having the
opportunity to shine, whether it is through the arts, on the
sports field, or in the classroom.
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57. Accreditation and Affiliations
UIS is accredited by the Council of International Schools (CIS), a global non-profit membership organization working
collaboratively to shape international education. This recognition signifies that the school has completed a comprehensive
self-study and international peer review as part of a continuous improvement process focusing on standards and indicators
that promote the development of student knowledge, skills, attributes, and actions aligned with the CIS's definition of global
citizenship.
Since 2017, UIS has been a part of International Education Systems (IES). It is one of the few international organizations in
the world to offer a structured program of studies from early childhood education (pre-school) through to university level
studies. The relevant national education authorities officially recognize IES schools and all qualifications offered have both
national and international recognition. T R
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