In this book, William Corsaro and his Italian co-author, Luisa
Molinari, tell a complete and important story about the lives of
children as they grow from young preschoolers to preadolescents in
Modena, Italy. The authors both fully explore and participate in the
rich, complex history and development of the Italian early education
system. This compelling ethnographic study:
* Documents how young children in Italy are prepared, or primed, for the transition from preschool to elementary school.
*
Examines how the transition relates to academic and social development,
including details about the children’s school and peer cultures before,
during, and after the transition.
* Includes interviews with
parents, teachers, and children, engaging anecdotes, and examples of
children’s art and literacy projects.
* Suggests dramatically
different approaches that schools and communities can take to support
children’s and families’ development and learning.