Istituto Comprensivo "Manzoni-Poli"

Istituto Comprensivo "Manzoni-Poli"is a school in Molfetta, a small town 25 km far from Bari, in Apulia, South Italy. It is made up of eight schools (five Nursery schools, two Primary schools and one Low Secondary school or Middle School, as it is called in Italy) located in different areas of the town. Its users come from different social backgrounds and have also got different educational needs. Nursery school pupils are from age 3 to 5, pupils from Primary school are from age 6 to 11 and Secondary school sudents are from 11 to 14. In all the different schools of Istituto comprensivo "Manzoni-Poli", like in all Italian schools, there are students of all abilities and also disabled students who are supported and helped by specialized teachers. The school year starts in September and finishes in early June . School time is differently scheduled: from 8 am to 4pm in the five nursery schools, from 8 am to 1.30 pm or 4 pm in the primary schools and from 8 to 1pm or 2 pm in the secondary one. Our school aims at: - raising the levels of education and skills of students - contrasting social and cultural inequalities - preventing early school leaving - realizing an open school as a permanent research and experimental laboratory of didactic innovation and education to active citizenship -guaranteeing the right to study and to equal opportunities for successful education -teaching the respect for the environment and cultural heritage In order to achieve these aims the school offers : -afternoon activities that aim at the enrichment of students' skills and knowledge as well as at the improvement of slow and special need students' abilities -innovative teaching based on the use of computer technology -laboratory activities to help the learning process, enhance self-esteem and stimulate creativity -vertical continuity paths between nursery-primary schools and primary-secondary schools -orienteering activities for further education in high secondary schools. Apart from core subjects such as Maths, Italian, History Geography and Science and foundation subjects such as technology, art, music PE and RE, in the primary schools students learn one foreign language, English , whereas in the secondary school they continue to study English and start studying French too. In the secondary school there are also volleyball tournaments that involve different classes and artistic gymnastics activities. Students have different cultural activities and visit the main sights that are in the area. Once a year they go on a one day school trip whereas in the third year of secondary school, the school trip may last more days, generally three days. Teachers take part in activities aiming at improving their teaching methods and try to be interactive by proposing activities (dialogic and group lessons, problem solving...) and researches in order to promote and develop assumption of responsability in the school work, motivation, emotional involvement, self committment, .