Ciao, di nuovo! 

Continuiamo la conversazione della scuola in Italia e alcune differenze tra i due paesi. Let’s continue the conversation about school in Italy and some differences between the two countries.

1. Gli insegnanti si spostano tra le classi 

Teachers, not students, move between classrooms. Typically there are 20-30 students in one classroom, and they stay together in the same classroom all year long. They do not have armadietti, lockers, because they always have all their books with them. Ci sono alcuni positivi e alcuni negativi di questa sistema. Students become quite close amici, friends, but could you imagine if you had nemici, enemies, in the same classroom all day and all year? Un incubo, a nightmare.

2. La scuola è per l’apprendimento

School is strictly for learning. There are no sports or extra-curricular activities that are connected to school. If students want to play sports they will need to join a private club in the city which could be quite expensive. There are no school plays or musicals, no talent shows, and no typical American school dances.

3. La scuola non è gratuita

School is not free. Parents have to pay a school tax, tasse d’iscrizione, of around 20 euros a year, as well as pay anywhere from 200-400 euros a year on textbooks and supplies. Transportation is not provided unless you are more than 2 miles away from school, and in that case transportation is provided at a monthly fee of around 15 euros a month.

4. Aspettative rigorose

Schools in Italy are rigorous. There are many standardized written as well as oral exams that must be passed. If an exam at the end of the year is bocciato, failed, students will need to re-take the exam in September. If they fail again, they will be held back. There is no grey area with this, no arguing of a grade, or asking for credito scolastico extra, extra credit. Teachers are strict and students know what is expected of them, they either study hard and rise to the occasion or fail and get held back.

Students spend 6 days a week in school, lunedi – sabato, from 8.30 to 13.30, and it is typical that they spend multiple hours a day studying outside of school as well. They only get a 15 minute break during their school day to have a quick spuntino, snack. They have about 5 subjects a day.

Tedesco – German

Matematica – Math

Storia – History

Scienze – Science

S.c. Motorie – P.E. (Sport, Corpo, Motorie – Sport, Body, Movement)

Religione – Religion (this is not obligatory, students can opt out, but schools must offer it)

Approfondimento – In-depth studies in literary subjects

Musica – Music

Arte – Art

Inglese – English

Tecnica – Technology

Lettere – Italian literature, grammar, writing

Geografia – Geography

 

Alla prossima!