London January 23/2016 international conference : VIG in early education,
VIG in an Italian Kindergarten
Personal and Organizational Development
Francesca Oliva - Italy
VIG has been applied in Italy for the first time in a Kindergarten that looks after children from the age of 6 months to 2.1/2 years. This has been in the context of my first
stage of VIG training.
NEEDS
THE CONTEXT
PROCESS
Each pair of teachers established the Helping Question during
the group meeting
Children’s needs: inclusion,
wellbeing, love and
acknowledgment
I did individual shared reviews, except with one pair
 A public kindergarten with a long established and well
defined practice
 6 teachers working in pairs . The teachers have been
working there for 25 years
 I supervise the Kindergarten staff (teachers and
assistants) once a month
 I attended VIG training and started my VIG supervision
with Helen Gibson in 2014
 I am an Appreciative Inquiry practitioner
Client Cycle Sharing
s
review
A&M 2
Together
My needs
as the teachers’
supervisor and as a
VIG trainee
Teacher’s needs
Improve effectiveness with children
Improve professional relationships
Provide visibility to their work
EXPLAIN AND ‘SELL’ VIG
• I’m the first Italian using VIG…. Supervision in
English and via skype … Will I be able?
• Sometimes some children have attention
problems, aggressive behaviours
• Sometimes some children have difficulties in
staying and playing with the others
2
2
CB
C
1
1
Individually How to help Do to be relaxed and play, to be independent from adult attention?
Individually How to help G. be more involved in playing with other children?
Measurements
 Rating the accomplishment of VIG goals for each cycle,
 Asking each teacher ‘what did you learn from this activity?’
 Follow up interview with teachers about the 4 kids mentioned in the Helping
questions at the beginning of the new school year.
 Observation of teacher’s interaction and decision process during our supervision
meetings.
• Lack of VIG knowledge and experience in
Italy: how to introduce It in the
Kindergarten?
• Sometimes, among teachers,
lack of motivation, low selfesteem, some conflicts and lack
of communication : how to remotivate them and to improve
awareness of their strengths?
S
L
How to keep attention longer and promote attention in a group activity/structured
activity? How to keep the group quiet during lunch. How to make lunch time an
effective and joyful moment for each child?
Individually How to help M. become more independent
Individually How to help D. to be more focused, less aggressive and more obedient
MEASUREMENTS & OUTCOMES
CHALLENGES FACED
• , My personal concerns to experiment with
VIG during my training : eg. How to use
video recording in a group situation?
Helping Questions
I explained to the teachers during our monthly group
meeting the advantages in using VIG, presenting it
as an opportunity to be more aware of their own
strengths, characteristics, approaches and with
both children and colleagues.
I also explained my personal training needs.
I underlined the fact that they were ‘pioneers’ by
using VIG in Italy.
Outcomes
• Children’s behaviour - improved in the direction hoped by the helping questions.
• Teachers ‘ awareness and self – esteem - improved awareness of strengths,
approach and method used with children.
• Teachers’ visibility in their own institution – the new elected Mayor encouraged
them to explain and clarify their approach as a distinguishing characteristic of this
Kindergarten.
• Teachers’ commitment to change - At the beginnning of the new school year,
teachers have been able to change their usual organization.