From April 21st to April 23rd, 2026, a delegation of teachers from our institute participated in a professional Job Shadowing mobility at a partner Kindergarten (Scuola dell'Infanzia) in Prague. Target Student Group: 5-year-old children. Participating Teachers: Grazia D’Amico, Maria Carmela Maiorana e Vissia Rossana Famà
Field Observations & Professional Exchange
The three-day mobility focused on observing daily routines, outdoor education strategies, and classroom management in the Czech early childhood education system. Key areas of observation included:
Morning Routine: Analyzing how the hosting teachers welcome children, structure the transition into the school day, and foster independence from the early morning.
Outdoor Playtime: Observing recreational and social dynamics during unstructured play in the school courtyard.
Outdoor Gardening Activities: Monitoring a hands-on outdoor session where the host teachers guided children through planting various flower seeds, promoting environmental awareness and sensory learning.
Implemented Activities: "The Enormous Turnip" Project
In addition to observation, our teachers actively implemented a mini-project based on the traditional tale The Enormous Turnip, integrating storytelling with active and creative learning:
1. Storytelling, Dramatization & Outdoor Education
The Session: Teachers introduced the story using engaging storytelling techniques, followed by a dramatic play session where children reenacted the characters pulling the giant turnip.
Seed Bombs Workshop: Connecting the story's agricultural theme with outdoor education, the children participated in a hands-on workshop to create "seed bombs," combining soil, clay, and flower seeds to be planted outdoors.
2. Creative Laboratory: The Leporello Book
The Product: Children created a personalized Leporello (accordion-fold book) representing the narrative sequence of The Enormous Turnip. This activity enhanced sequencing skills, fine motor skills, and creative expression.
Professional Impact & Sustainability
This job shadowing experience provided valuable insights into the integration of outdoor learning within the early years curriculum. The practices observed and the activities implemented will be shared with our school community to enrich our pedagogical approach to environmental education and storytelling in early childhood.