The age-of-three break.

The different training paths for educators in the 0-6 system, between historical heritage, cultural representations and mechanisms of social reproduction

Abstract

In the realm of childhood education, initial teacher training in Italy is structured around a break between educators for children 0 to 3 and 3 to 6. This break implies different practices but also different employment conditions and legal backgrounds.

This article aims to propose some research paths about the historical and cultural reasons of this break, a subdivision of the seven-year structure to be found in the Corpus Hippocraticum and variously recollected in Renaissance literature on education. Moreover, it will try to outline the main social representations of childhood and educators implied and reproduced by this break. The analysis will be conducted on various sources, among which Italian law and provisions from the last century up to the most recent documents. The conclusions will consider the role of ethics education in providing continuity in teacher training, and its importance when conducted in critical terms.