The Istituto Comprensivo Borgese-XXVII Maggio in Palermo "operates in a suburban area in the northwest of the city and is divided amongst three buildings: the main school in the “Pallavicino” Neighbourhood, the “Domino” School in San Lorenzo and the “Olimpo” School in “Partanna- Mondello-Valdesi”. Each of these neighbourhoods has seen an influx of middle classes that now live together with the original residents. The school, which is located in a heterogenous socio-cultural context and welcomes foreign, disabled and disadvantaged students, must provide answers to different educational needs. In fact, its objective is to educate on different cultures and provide students with the competences necessary to know themselves and relate to others, acquiring the key competences of each subject and make pondered decisions.”
Project OpenSpace – Spaces for Active Participation of the Educational Community is an integral part of the school’s curriculum, because “it provides students with the opportunity to attend make-up and additional lessons and arts and theatre labs in the afternoon. The labs aim to reduce and eliminate the difficulties related to learning and help students acquire fundamental didactic knowledge and motivate them to understand resect, civil coexistence and the meaning of community. Moreover, there also are courses for parents.”
First-year classes are currently attending an introductory activity course for digital manufacturing. What’s a Fab Lab? What does it produce? The young makers are supervised by local educator Daniele Crisci. Next week, they will start activities in the fab lab, working on the artistic and creative recycling of waste materials.
Project activities are documented by partners on the Percorsiconibambini.it Blog, an on-line space reserved for projects selected by Con i Bambini as part of the Fund to contrast the educational poverty of minors (Adolescence Call).
OpenSpace is a four-year project that aims to make communities more inclusive and responsible, promoting the educational and cultural growth and the empowerment of pre-adolescents and adolescents. The project is being held in suburban areas of Bari, Milan, Palermo and Reggio Calabria.
