The Toddlers’ section is aimed at children between 2 years old (birth day within Decmber 31st) and 3 years old (not turned yet). The new educational offer, in-between the Nursery and the Kindergarten, does not however present features comparable to the Nursery and Kindergarten, but it is a real innovative service which takes into consideration some attentions connected to the specific age group it caters.
Around 22-24 months the child shows some strategic developmental turning points, and opportunities are seized for turning abilities into skills, which means passing from being able to do things to being aware of one’s capability to do the thing.
PROJECTS AT THE TODDLERS’ SECTION ACTIVITIES
The child discovers the world: they handle, assemble, build when immersed in a positive and respectful environment which allows them freedom of movement. The approach to the activities is slow in time and short in duration, so as to enable the child to experience without fears, or performance anxiety, but sharing their interest with the peers.
Discover the world with creative labs: the children are engaged in activities of handling and pouring, movement and ‘dirty’ activities (cream, clay, poster paint).
Play: through exploring and discovery the child learns to observe the reality which surrounds them and become aware of themselves. The development of the sensory and perceptive skills is essential for all forms of intelligence and colour is one of the first features which hit the child when seeing an object. Each activity involves the cognitive, expressive, socialising and communicative area.
Bilingualism is one of our great concerns. The teacher takes advantage of dialoguing with children in English language only in several moments of the day. This allows children to familiarise with the language having fun by listening to songs, colouring, drawing, dancing – carrying out the usual routines.
PRE- AND POST-SCHOOL: to help working parents children can arrive at school at 7:30 and stay there until 18:00
CANTEEN: a service directly managed by the qualified school personnel, who proposes every year a project of food and environment education such as the vegetable garden or the best menu
Children can benefit from the post-school service from 16:00 to 18:00. In these hours an educator leads the children through playful, creative activities.
English language: a language enhancement project is planned to take advantage of the child’s natural aptitude to experience different linguistic codes, which are a tool for the child to expand their potential, read and decipher the world. Children are approached to linguistic sounds in various moments of the day in a natural and playful way.
Vertical orientation: the creation of a Toddlers’ section is the outcome of a double need – both a social and a pedagogical one, and it offers a guarantee of an educative continuum in the passage from the Nursery to the Kindergarten. This is promoted through a pedagogical plan enriching the project of the continuum between Nursery and Kindergarten.
In the Toddlers’ section the child’s central role is safeguarded: the child is a thinking individual who demands to be loved, understood, listened to and respected in their time and rhythms. This is why the toddlers are given throughout the year the chance to share experiences with their peers but also with older ones, through tailor-made activities and paths.
ORGANISATION OF THE ACTIVITES AT THE TODDLERS’ SECTION
The activities are carried out from Monday to Friday and follow the calendar according to the adjustments yearly introduced by Regione Lombardia, and with the variations agreed upon with School Board consultations. Activities end on June 30th.
TIMETABLE
| 8.30 – 9.00 | reception |
| 9.00 – 9.30 | beginning of activities – roll out and snack |
| 9.30 – 11.00 | didactic activities and free play |
| 11.00 – 11.30 | tidy up and personal hygiene |
| 11.30 – 12.30 | lunch |
| 12.30 – 13.15 | play |
| 13.00 – 13.15 | first part-time leave |
| 13.15 – 15.15 | nap time |
| 15.15 – 15.45 | wake up and personal hygiene |
| 15.45 – 16.00 | reunion |
| 16.00 – 18.00 | post-school, upon request |
Schools recognised by the state are the public schools recognised by the Ministry of Education according to the law n. 62 of year 2000.
The school manages the didactic and educational orientation project in full autonomy but respecting the ministerial normative.
Teachers are thoroughly chosen by the School Director and supported to favour the pedagogical continuum.
Classes are composed of few students so that all can be individually looked after and valued in their school path.
By enrolling their children to the school, families are part of the school community. Families have an essential role in the realization of the school’s educational project and commit themselves to promote the observance of the set of rules aimed at a correct unfolding of the didactic and educational activities. A serene environment of trust and cooperation can’t but favour the educational action of the school.
The enrolment is requested by the parents or who acts in their stand through the compilation of the form available at the School Director’s office. Upon completion all parents will need to provide a self-declaration certifying immunization to diseases or the vaccinations foreseen by the ministerial notice n. 1622 with regard to compulsory vaccinations as per law n. 119 dated July 3rd 2017 ‘Urgent instructions with regard to vaccine prevention’
THE HISTORY
Rigola, today a comprehensive institute recognised by the Italian state and composed of a Toddlers’ section, Kindergarten, Primary school and first stage of Secondary school, looks back on a long and fascinating history.
In 1885 don Carlo San Martino founded in Milan the Pio Istituto pei Figli della Provvidenza, aiming at building a serene and welcoming environment for young people in difficulty.
THE SETTING
The location, whose original body dates back to the 17th century, is surrounded by an exquisite Italian-style garden and disposes of ample external and indoor spaces: courtyards for outdoor play, salons for breaks, dining rooms, a theatre, a gym, reading halls, multimedial classrooms, science, art and language labs and a chapel. In the park we can find the old oratory of Madonna della Neve.
“ Children’s play is not playing, and we have to consider it as their most serious actions”
Michel De Montaigne
