European Classical Studies
February 3, 2022 2023-02-28 15:44European Classical Studies
The ‘Liceo Classico Europeo’, opened in the boarding school in the school year 1994-1995, operationally interprets and applies the European Community’s programmatic lines on education defined in Maastricht in 1992.
The curriculum, defined based on the traditional layout of the Italian education system’s ‘Liceo’, is innovated by:
- The balanced development of the three main subject areas that characterise the European ‘Liceo’ (upper secondary school): humanities, languages, sciences;
- Five-year presence of subjects such as Law and Economics, strengthening of the science area, study of the grammar and culture of two European languages (English, German).
- Lesson-workshop during which the student, guided by the teacher and with the assistance of an educator, systematises the sets of knowledge acquired.
- The DSD (Deutsches Sprachdiplaimed at preparing for the Deutsches Sprachdiplom der Kultusministerkonferenz, certification of the A2-B1 (DSD I) and B2-C1 (DSD II) levels. (DSD II). This allowsdirect access to German universities without the need to take admission tests for language skills and is, throughout Europe, recognised as valid for obtaining employment.
- Geography in English, which allows during the five years of Liceo to acquire high proficiency in the English language alongside the normal classroom hours of English.
- The CLIL program in German, with the study of Art History modules guided by a German native speaker teacher.
Twenty-two schools in Italy have been admitted to this project and can boast the constant support and monitoring of German authorities. The Educandato SS. Annunziata boarding school is also a formal examination centre.
All of the students of these classes are prepared for the exam, but the decision to take it or not is left to them.
The curriculum also offers students exchange or stage experiences in Germany, guided tours of museums, exhibitions and places relevant to the programs undertaken and aimed at allowing them to acquire a harmonious human and cultural education.
Thanks to such a broad and articulated structure, the European Classical studies Liceo offers all the necessary skills and abilities required to gain admission to the degree programs of the most prestigious European universities.
Activities and Projects
The organisation of the European Classical studies Liceo envisages class hours equally distributed among the three teaching macro-areas (classics-humanities; sciences; languages).
The mainstay of this Liceo is the breaking up of the total amount of hours for each subject matter into classroom hours and workshop hours. Workshop hours are meant to allow students to go over the content of the frontal lessons with the guidance of teachers and with the support of educators.
Humanities
Participation in the “Narrativa Giovane” (young fiction writers) contest
The purpose of the “Narrativa Giovane” contest, sponsored by the Fondazione Spadolini foundation together with the Regional School Directorate, the City of Florence and the Fondazione ChiantiBanca foundation that is funding the project, is to promote the circulation of the ‘Nuova Antologia’ magazine among young secondary school students.
The project involves fourth year Liceo students of several upper secondary schools in Florence and in Tuscany in general, freely selected by the teachers.
Participating students and teachers receive a one-year subscription to the “Nuova Antologia” magazine, ten for each school. The contents of the articles can therefore be read individually or collectively discussed in class.
The contest rules require students to individually write a short fiction story (3-4 pages of the “Nuova Antologia” magazine – maximum 11,000 characters spaces included) that talks about contemporary society issues (non-fiction is not allowed).
The juries on the prize awarding panel are:
- Cosimo Ceccuti, president of Fondazione Spadolini Nuova Antologia,
- Milva Segato, member of the regional school directorate,
- Cristina Giachi, Deputy Mayor and alderman for Education of the City of Florence,
- Stefano Mecocci, president of Fondazione ChiantiBanca,
- Francesco Carrassi, director of La Nazione,
- Rodolfo Cigliana and Paola Maresca representing Italian Schools,
- Paola Lucarini, poet,
- Roberto Marcori, editor
- Caterina Ceccuti, journalist, award secretary.
- The winner will receive the publication of his/her article while all of the student authors of the articles selected will receive a certification of participation.
Theatrical performances
The following link provides all of the information regarding the viewing of the performances:
http://www.indafondazione.org/it/
Participation in the ‘Certamina di Latino e Greco’ (Greek and Latin Contest)
Participation in the ‘Concorso Talenti per il Futuro’ (‘Future Talents’ Contest)
The following link provides all of the information regarding the participation in the Concorso Talenti per il Futuro contest: http://www.dialogosbassano.it/?cat=6
Arts
A Museum Area was opened in 2014 inside Villa del Poggio Imperiale, that has been an educational institute for over 150 years.
The Institute is thus considered a School-Museum where the boarding school students, after obtaining a license as ‘Guida del Poggio’, carry out internship work as Museum guides. These students act as tour guides, providing in various languages all of the information regarding this unique cultural asset as part of their School-Work Alternation program.
Sciences
Pianeta Galileo lectures-meeting
The lectures proposed stimulate the students’ reflection on scientific culture and bring them closer to the world of Science and Research using specialised scientific language that is at the same time made easier to understand so as to facilitate their dialogue with the speakers.
Geology-oriented excursions are also organised to foster knowledge of the territory, visits to City and Italian museums and activities at the Museo Galileo museum.
For further info:
http://www.consiglio.regione.toscana.it/pianeta-galileo/
Participation in the Mathematical Olympiad
For many years now, several students selected among those attending the various types of Liceo have been participating in the Mathematical Olympiad, achieving excellent results.
For further info:
http://olimpiadi.dm.unibo.it/chi-siamo/cosa-le-olimpiadi/
Festa della Matematica (The Mathematics Festival)
In the past few years, the boarding school teachers have been organising various initiatives aimed at bringing students closer to the world of mathematics. One of these events is the so-called ‘Mathematics festival’.
This event aims at proposing several moments of reflection about the concept of mathematics as the key to interpreting the reality that surrounds us, showing how it does not end in the abstract knowledge of the discipline but is a highly creative human activity that has been closely linked to everyday life since time immemorial.
Languages
Enhancement of the English Language
The Educandato welcomes and embraces the European Commission’s indications aimed at promoting the teaching of languages so as to enable citizens to communicate in at least two foreign languages.
To this end, the boarding school has activated English language Enhancement courses for the achievement of Cambridge certifications, based on the Common European Framework.
The school has been a Cambridge Training Centre for years now, and as such organises ESOL examination preparation courses and assists students in registering for final exams.
Cultural Exchanges in German
The purpose of exchanges is to allow students to become immersed in the culture, language and school system of the host country by staying with a local family. The ‘exchange’ should be organised in such a way that each student has a corresponding peer that he/she can host in his/her own country and then be hosted in turn by that peer in his/her own country.