The Liceo “F.Buonarroti” was born in 1974 as on the one hand the Province of Pisa had built a modern school complex, gifted with a lot of facilities like a library, a swimming pool, disciplinary labs, an auditorium and a canteen, and on the other hand there was a group of teachers coming from the traditional Liceo “U.Dini” who wanted to experiment new methodologies and techniques.

 

It was during the years 1974- 1977 that the teaching body of the new  Liceo worked out a project of maxi-sperimentazione, which aimed to provide:

  • a wide basic knowledge through a so- called “common area” of disciplines;

  • the possibility for students to deepen some school subjects, even according to their future choices, through an “optional area”; 

  • a teaching methodology no more based on “transmission and repetition” but on the discovery of the school subjects and on the research on them.

 

From 1977 the courses of maxi-sperimentazione  were set up together with the traditional courses of Liceo Scientifico and this relationship and comparison between the two different courses was particularly fruitful for the whole school.

 

Then in 1992-93 there was a new change in the structure and teaching methodology of the school: the two courses (scientific and linguistic) were created. And soon after that in 1994-95 it was introduced another course (technological) according to Programmi Brocca, while the traditional courses were closed by the decision of the Ministry of Education.

 

 

 

In 1997-98 the Liceo “ Buonarroti”, like other eighteen schools of the “Classic Department of the Ministry of Education” started the new project, sperimentazione dell’autonomia, that is based on three courses  (Linguistic, Scientific and Scientific-technological), in which school subjects are organized into three main areas:

  1. an area common to all students, with core subjects (area di equivalenza);

  2. an area with subjects typical of the course (area di indirizzo);

  3. an area dedicated to project work (area dell’integrazione).

In this structure the first years (biennio) are aimed to direct students in their choices, while in the following three years (triennio) the more specific school subjects in each course tend to create the different profiles of the students.

There is a certain amount of hours dedicated to co-teaching projects, and two new subjects (Law and ITT) have been introduced into the biennio.

As for the structure and the evaluation, the school year is divided into four modules (two months each), at the end of which there is the assessment of students, based on the competences achieved in school subjects.

 

Finally

The new reform, just introduced, of the secondary school system confirms the present structure of the Liceo “F.Buonarroti” which includes the Linguistic, Scientific and Scientific-technological courses, and restates the school methodological choices so far carried out, that is:

 

  • his/her needs and process of growth, on the cognitive, affective and meta-cognitive aspects as well as relationships.

  • characterized by the acquisition of strategies and skills, by curiosity, interest and a growing consciousness of the self- as an individual and a citizen. 

 

Among the projects carried out inside the school the following are worth mentioning:

  • “Fare spazio ai giovani” , afternoon activities for the students of the school;

  • PEG and “Europa club”, dedicated to the development of forms of active European citizenship;

  • Scientific and environmentalist seminars;

  • Certification for ECDL and for foreign languages;

  • m@tabel project for the teaching of mathematics in the “biennio”;

  • Educational Health project;

  • Exchange projects.

 

Throughout years the Liceo has consolidated contacts and relations with foreign institutions abroad- in France, Holland, Norway, Poland and Spain- with which the school has cooperated to plan  projects and organize visits.