Pedagogia del corpo-Embodied Pedagogy: an Italian Perspective

In this contribute we want to present and share the perspective of Pedagogia del corpo-Embodied Pedagogy, a quite recent teaching in Italian Academic System. It was founded about fifteen years ago by the researcher Ivano Gamelli at the University of Milano Bicocca, Department of Science of Education. The basic assumption of this pedagogical approach is to reconsider the role of embodied knowledge in educational processes, connecting areas that in Italian schools but also in the curriculum for professional educators are traditionally divided like thinking and perceiving, speaking and acting, moving and teaching/learning. The aim is to draw educational principles from different practices and body disciplines with artistic, rehabilitative and educational background (Dance, Theatre, Feldenkrais Method, Psychomotion…), and transfer them into educational settings. Through a constant field research work, which blends narrative and autobiographical techniques with moving and body expression, this academic teaching wants to retrace new pedagogical approaches for projects addressed to children and adults. Describing practical examples, we will outline the theoretical landscape of Pedagogia del corpo. In particular we will present some paradigmatic frames coming from workshops with students at the University of Milano Bicocca. The workshops are built with an interdisciplinary approach that involves body expression, dance and theatrical techniques, autobiographical writing and sharing materials. The aim is to give students- who are going to become teachers or educators- the chance to contact and work on embodied knowledge, especially on Presence and Listening, as important resources for their future profession.The educative training to somatic experience makes our perception more sensitive and open to what happens around us; and this is precious for educators, because they are always deeply and dynamically engaged in a living, perceiving relationship with the others.