Research & Outreach - The ESSE Study Abroad Program
General Program Description
During the Maymester, 15-20 students and UGA faculty directors will have a unique opportunity to work with pre-school, elementary, and middle school students and teachers in Modena, Italy. This trip will enable participants to experience Italian culture and to compare and contrast the American and Italian systems of education—with an emphasis on Reggio Emilia in the pre-school programs. The program is open to undergraduates and graduate students from any major.
Participants will have the opportunity to work 5 mornings a week with a teacher in an Italian school, live with an Italian host family, study Italian, learn about the teaching profession in Italy, and experience Italian culture. Student involvement will range from helping children learn English to teaching American songs and games and helping children complete homework. The children also enjoy teaching Italian to their new American teachers.
While in Italy students will participate in planned seminars, gather field-based observational data, teach lessons in Italian schools, visit sites of educational interest, and take excursions to sites of historical and cultural significance. Sites visited will include an overnight stay in Venice and an overnight stay in Florence.
