Far from traditional classroom teaching, the Backpack-Free School offers active, collaborative, and experiential learning, where children learn by doing, experimenting, and working together. This approach develops independence, critical thinking, and interpersonal skills, guiding students on a journey of growth that goes far beyond academic knowledge alone.

For many families in the province of Turin, at the end of the fifth grade, an important question arises: how can this educational journey continue into secondary school?

For students who attended a Backpack-Free School, the Holden Middle School in Chieri represents a natural continuation of their journey, thanks to an educational program that shares the same educational values ​​and a modern vision of learning.

The Finnish Method at the Heart of the Holden Project

Holden Middle School has chosen to draw inspiration from the principles of the Finnish educational model, internationally recognized for its ability to combine quality learning, student well-being, and personal skills development.

A distinctive element of the project is the significant focus on teacher training. Through Erasmus+ projects, Holden teachers have the opportunity to visit schools, participate in refresher courses, and engage directly with the best educational institutions in Northern Europe. This allows them to bring innovative teaching practices, successfully tested in the most advanced school systems, to Chieri and translate them into concrete experiences for students.

It’s not simply a matter of adopting new methodologies, but of building an educational culture that truly places the student, their talents, and their learning pace, at the center.

The Best Practices That Make Holden Unique

Inspiration from the models observed in Finnish schools translates daily into activities
that make Holden an innovative and dynamic educational institution.
Outdoor lessons, educational and experiential field trips, workshops, interdisciplinary projects, and
learning through experience become an integral part of school life,
allowing students to develop concrete skills and a greater awareness
of the world around them.

Great attention is also paid to study organization. For this reason, much of the homework is done at school, with the support of teachers, encouraging independence, method, and better quality family time.

Among the most popular initiatives are the Parents in the Classroom and Parents in the Cattedra projects, which actively involve families in school life. Professions, passions, skills, and personal experiences become opportunities for authentic learning and a connection between the school and the community.

These are complemented by shared lessons, cooperative activities, interdisciplinary programs, and opportunities for discussion that value the contribution of each student, in full harmony with the principles of responsibility, hospitality, and sharing that also characterize the Backpack-Free model.

A reference point for families in the province of Turin

Thanks to this educational vision, the Holden Middle School in Chieri has become a reference point for many families in the province of Turin seeking a school capable of supporting their children in their personal growth as well as their learning.

For students from backpack-free schools, Holden represents a coherent and natural educational continuity. At the same time, it is an increasingly popular choice for families who have undertaken homeschooling programs and desire a school environment based on active participation, autonomy, and experiential learning.

Holden demonstrates every day that it is possible to teach differently: a school that goes beyond simply imparting content, but also develops aware, responsible citizens ready to face the future with curiosity, competence, and confidence in their own abilities.

L'articolo From the Backpack-Free School to the Holden Middle School in Chieri: a natural educational continuity proviene da Istituto Pascal Chieri.

Today, that role hasn’t changed, but it has evolved to meet the needs of modern families.
More and more parents are willing to travel a few extra kilometers to choose a school that offers a quality education. This is the case of the Holden Middle School in Chieri, which over the years has become a point of reference not only for the Chieri area, but also for numerous families from Turin and surrounding municipalities.

An international educational offering that attracts students from Turin and its province

Holden has built its identity on an innovative educational model, inspired by the Finnish experience and focused on skills development. This is complemented by the Cambridge curriculum for English and the study of Chinese as a third language thanks to its collaboration with the Confucius Institute.

This international outlook pushes many families to consider a school regardless of its distance from home. Indeed, the choice of school increasingly depends on the quality of the curriculum, rather than simply on geographic proximity.

School Shuttle Service: A Practical Solution for Families

When a school welcomes students from different areas, logistics become crucial. For many parents, the real challenge isn’t finding the best educational path, but balancing school and work schedules.
For this reason, Holden has developed an efficient school shuttle service over the years, designed to simplify students’ daily travel and provide families with greater organizational peace of mind.

The ability to rely on dedicated transportation is now an added value increasingly sought after by those seeking a school capable of offering not only quality education but also concrete services to support family life.

Turin-Chieri Bus: Convenient and Organized Connections

One of the most popular services is the Turin-Chieri bus connection, which allows students to reach school safely and in an organized manner.
The school day begins with departure from designated stops and continues with educational activities until the afternoon, including supervised study and homework support. At the end of the day, students can return home using the same service, without requiring additional travel from their parents.

Thanks to the Turin-Chieri bus, families can manage their daily commitments more easily, while students enjoy a comprehensive and well-organized school experience.

Shuttle School Turin: a Service Adapted to Students’ Needs

One of the service’s distinctive features is its flexibility. Each year, the route is updated based on the students’ residences, thus meeting the real needs of families and optimizing travel.

This attention to organization makes Holden a true shuttle school in Turin, able to accommodate students from various areas of the city and the province without creating logistical difficulties.

The presence of a dedicated shuttle also expands the options available to families who wish to access a quality education without having to face long daily car journeys.

School Buses in Turin: Why School Transportation Is Increasingly Important

Today, a school bus in Turin represents a concrete solution to the needs of many families. The ability to rely on an organized transportation service contributes to improving the quality of daily life and makes high-quality educational programs more accessible.

The journey to school also continues to maintain an educational and relational dimension. During the journey, students chat, review lessons, share interests, and build friendships that often last for years.
Ultimately, even in the age of smartphones and chat rooms, travel remains one of the first moments of the school day. And perhaps this is precisely why, even today, the journey to school represents much more than a simple commute: it is the beginning of an experience of growth, learning, and sharing.

L'articolo Turin-Chieri school bus: when travel becomes part of the educational experience proviene da Istituto Pascal Chieri.

I believe there are no definitive answers; or rather, the answers are entirely subjective and depend on age, upbringing, and the way each person chooses to entertain themselves during their free time. Personally, I try to stay away from electronic devices. Perhaps, having abused them during the work months, I prefer to return to the old, healthy habits of isolating myself from any form of distraction other than the chirping of birds or the sound of a summer storm. Books are part of my cultural baggage: going on vacation without a book is a bit like climbing a mountain barefoot. During vacation, a book is a faithful companion; it’s a window into an imaginary world, a non-place where characters, over the course of the story, become friends, antagonists, lovers, children, or grandchildren.

A book opens a door to a parallel world: when I’m homesick for Paris, I pick up “Bel-Ami” and stroll the streets with Georges Duroy, imagining I’m Madeleine Forestier, the most cultured woman of the Third Empire. And if I feel like adventure, I pick up old Jules Verne and descend 20,000 leagues under the sea, drawn and frightened by sea monsters, fantastical seabeds, coral gardens, and sunken shipwrecks.

Finally, if I want to explore the Orient through the eyes of a special journalist, I turn to Tiziano Terzani. I identify with him and lose myself in the enchanting and merciless world of Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, and India. I follow his reasoning, try to understand the nature of those places, and strive to experience the civilizations of places I’ve visited briefly, places of which I retain a nostalgic, bittersweet memory.

I close with the usual question: could a smartphone replace these emotions?

L'articolo The Magic of Books: Rediscovering the Pleasures of Writing proviene da Istituto Pascal Chieri.

Bloggers, coaches, spiritual trainers, teachers, psychologists, and influencer moms are the main figures dispensing advice on social media and in specialized magazines. Fundamentally, there are two schools of thought: the first, which I’ll call the concessionists, is represented by those who allow their children freedom of expression, from choosing the color of their socks to summer vacations; the second, which I’ll call the prohibitionists, includes those who oppose any kind of decision proposed by their children. In this jumble, it becomes truly difficult to find a balance, but as always, the solution, which is not absolute but partial and personal, lies in common sense.

Trying to analyze the issue while distancing oneself from extremism, I think the only advice we can give today’s parents for raising their children peacefully revolves around the quality of time they dedicate to them and, consequently, how to fill their children’s free time.

Allowing children to experience the outdoors, to embark on adolescent adventures, and to unleash their imaginations could be a first piece of advice. Naturally, I would suggest avoiding allowing them to use cell phones, although I understand the anxiety of parents who fear losing control over their children.

The second piece of advice is to encourage their children to read, trying to transform that book, often considered boring, into a magic key to accessing fantastic worlds, unlikely stories, and timeless heroes.

A last, but not least, piece of advice is to introduce children to any kind of sport, not necessarily to win, but to work as a team, boost their self-esteem, face their fears, and learn the values ​​of loyalty and respect that only sport can teach.

I have no other advice to give parents, but I firmly believe that even a little boredom can help children and adolescents approach their growth journey calmly and serenely, finding opportunities for personal reflection in moments of inactivity.

L'articolo Three Simple Tips for Raising Your Children Peacefully proviene da Istituto Pascal Chieri.

Finland is renowned for its innovative education system, which prioritizes active learning and student well-being. Here, homework is minimal, and during summer vacation, teachers tend to assign almost no homework. The goal is to ensure students have a period of rest and recuperation, promoting creativity and play. This approach reflects the Finnish philosophy, which considers free time essential to children’s well-being and development.

In Italy, the situation is more variable. There is no ministerial requirement for summer homework for all students; the decision is up to individual schools and teachers. Many teachers assign revision work for core subjects like Italian and math, but some schools also overload students with homework and exercises that take up significant amounts of summer vacation time.
In the United Kingdom, schools may assign homework during the summer holidays, but again, there is no fixed rule. Some teachers offer revision activities, readings, or creative projects, while others leave students completely free to do so. Summer holidays last about six weeks, and the choice of assignment depends greatly on the school and the individual teachers’ educational philosophy.

In France, summer holidays are long, but teachers often assign homework to students, especially in secondary schools, where students can receive exercises to keep their preparation fresh. This approach is seen as a way to ensure students don’t lose their momentum during the summer.

In Germany, the situation can vary greatly depending on the type of school. In primary schools, summer homework is generally limited. However, in secondary schools, students may receive more substantial assignments. Many teachers also encourage reading books during the holidays, emphasizing the importance of reading as a summer activity.

In short, holiday homework practices across Europe show a wide spectrum of approaches. While countries like Finland tend to emphasize summer freedom, others, like France, Italy, and the United Kingdom, may impose homework to ensure students stay engaged. This diversity reflects the different educational and cultural philosophies present in Europe, highlighting the importance of finding a balance between study and leisure.

In my opinion, homework is now done with a single click thanks to artificial intelligence. It’s not uncommon to see students quickly completing their assignments, losing sight of the value of real learning. For this reason, I’m inclined to provide reading material, novels, and anything that can keep students engaged. A book review that shows they’ve read isn’t enough; you need to invent something new that excites students about reading and keeps them glued to it, like when there were no cell phones and we all read great novels under the beach umbrella. Reading should return to being an engaging and stimulating experience, capable of transporting young people to new and fascinating worlds, far from the superficiality of the click.

L'articolo Summer holidays: homework or no homework? proviene da Istituto Pascal Chieri.

It was clear that Nadia was looking for a place where Luca could learn without fear of asking the teacher for a second explanation, where, in addition to the standard classroom activities, workshops were offered, in-depth language study, and the school day concluded with homework completed directly at school.
Toward the end of the conversation, Nadia confided to me: “I don’t know how much a private school costs in Italy. I’ve only been in Chieri for a short time… I looked on AI. The answer was that the average cost for a private school is €700 a month…” In that moment, I understood the power of artificial intelligence to misinform.

In Mrs. Nadia’s search, the artificial intelligence provided incorrect answers. The search was clearly superficial; it averaged the data it selected without delving deeper. When I mentioned that our school’s tuition, including afternoon activities, was €400 a month, I sensed a certain incredulity in my interlocutor.
We continued the conversation; I explained the afternoon robotics courses, the Cambridge curriculum, and the collaboration with the Confucius Institute for Chinese teaching. At the end of our meeting, Mrs. Nadia, relieved and smiling, agreed to the proposal to have Luca attend a morning class to meet his future classmates and teachers.

After saying goodbye to Mrs. Nadia, I thought back to the artificial intelligence’s answers. I, in turn, asked the question: how much does a private school cost? After a few seconds, a brief discussion appeared on the screen, listing costs that were completely inconsistent with our tuition.
I smiled. If artificial intelligence had been a colleague, I would have pointed out the huge mistake, but since it was simply an unreal and disembodied data collector, I forgave it and moved on!

Leaving aside artificial intelligence and all the rapidly developing data collection technologies, as I suggested to Mrs. Nadia, for transparency’s sake, our school is disclosing the costs on its website. Anyone interested can learn more by clicking this link without bothering artificial intelligence.

For more information on costs, follow the links:

• Daisy Elementary School Info and Costs
• Holden Middle School Information and Costs
• Pascal High School Information and Costs

L'articolo How much does a private school cost? proviene da Istituto Pascal Chieri.

The first step is certainly the origin of the term: “Republic” derives from the Latin “res publica“, meaning “public thing“. This term refers to a political system in which power is held by elected representatives and the people themselves, as opposed to a monarchy or autocracy.

I’ll stop here; quoting Cicero, Plato, or Livy would seem like pointless cultural self-celebration. Today, by searching the internet, you can quickly find all the Latin and Greek writings that have addressed the concept of a Republic. It’s therefore important to explain, without the aid of Google, what a Republic means and how we can convey its value to our students. Starting from the meaning of Republic, or “public thing,” we can begin our reflections.

We are the Republic: it is the citizens with their actions, it is all those who make up a nation. For this reason, precisely because we are part of this nation, we must love public things, respect them, and help them grow.
An attentive student might ask me: “How can we kids feel part of the Republic? What should we do?” Indeed, for a young person, the concept of the Republic may seem abstract, a topic reserved for the adults who govern it. However, it is crucial to overcome this initial impasse. If I teach students that the right to property, clearly understood by them, coincides with the perimeter of their parents’ garden or the walls of their apartment, I can explain that in the concept of the Republic, this right is expanded and that the respect each of them has for private property must be translated into the public good, found in the gardens and streets of their city. This could be a good starting point.

A second insight I could share with my students to understand the concept of the Republic could concern the idea of ​​participation, the duty each of us has towards public affairs as citizens, indeed as good citizens. We are called to participate in the elections of political representatives, to monitor the city, to collaborate with law enforcement, and to be examples of integrity and morality, precisely because we are part of a large, shared body. The Republic is the sum of millions of adults, students, seniors, and foreigners, and the concept of the Republic, born in Greco-Roman culture, urges us to be an active and constructive part of it. The Republic is us and all those who have given their lives to fight injustice and authoritarianism, giving us the country in which we live peacefully every day.

Nicoletta Coppo

L'articolo Republic: a concept for the new generations proviene da Istituto Pascal Chieri.

When asked by the journalist how to keep children away from cell phones, Tonucci explained: “…So I proposed a trade: they’d give up their phones if their parents allowed them to go out and play wherever and with whomever they wanted, and if teachers stopped assigning homework in the afternoons, on weekends, and during holidays. This is, rightly, already illegal in many countries.”
The issue of homework bounces around like a ping-pong ball. Everyone knows that the homework load is enormous, and that almost all parents who can afford it hire a (paid) tutor to help their children with their homework in the afternoons. Teachers know that children aren’t independent and are supervised either by their parents or by a private tutor. Furthermore, it’s clear that as they grow, children complete their homework in a matter of minutes, cleverly using artificial intelligence.
Tonucci insists: “Homework is absurd. The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which Italy has also signed, recognizes children’s right to rest, leisure, and play. No one takes this into account.”
So, why do teachers continue to demand pages and pages of homework from their students?
Perhaps because school time is limited?
Tonucci continues: “If homework is needed because a child didn’t understand the lesson, it means something went wrong in the classroom. And if that’s the case, the teacher must fix it in the classroom. Once home, children need to have other, free experiences, otherwise the damage will be evident in adolescence.”

My reflection develops in continuity with the training we attended last winter in Helsinki. It’s well known that in Northern European schools, homework is not assigned to students. In Finland, I found confirmation that it’s the teachers who do it! This paradox implies that teachers dedicate their time to their own training. A teacher’s professional growth directly impacts the classroom: a teacher who is constantly updated, in tune with the pace of changing generations, is able to adopt a constantly fresh and dynamic approach, suited to their students. School time is sufficient to complete all the activities envisaged by the national curriculum, ensuring that no one is left behind.

I’d like to share a thought with the parents reading this article: it would be appropriate to have specific university programs for teaching. If I decide to become a law teacher, I should pursue a training program that prepares me exclusively for teaching law, without the intention of becoming a lawyer in my spare time. Another consideration concerns targeted training for all teachers, which shouldn’t be limited to simply collecting points to advance in the rankings.

All of us, as professionals, dream of an ideal school, a place where children can be happy and where teachers can do their best, educating future generations with passion and dedication. The real challenge is to turn this dream into reality, creating an educational environment that values ​​both students and educators.

L'articolo Some thoughts on homework proviene da Istituto Pascal Chieri.

Importance of Bees in the Ecosystem:
Main Pollinators: It is estimated that approximately 75% of crop pollination is due to honeybees.

Food Security: Without pollination by bees, the production of fruits, vegetables, and forage crops would decline dramatically.

What you can do on your own
Plant bee-friendly flowers: Choose nectariferous and native species (such as lavender, rosemary, sunflowers, and clover) on your balcony or in your garden.
Create a “watering trough”: Place a small, shallow dish with water and stones so bees can land safely and drink.
Avoid pesticides: Reduce or eliminate the use of chemicals and herbicides in your green space.
Support local beekeepers: Purchase organic, local honey to support your local sustainable economy.
A few simple steps are all it takes to ensure they have the safety they need to carry out their valuable work.

L'articolo Bee Day proviene da Istituto Pascal Chieri.

For our young students, every adult has become an essential member of this second family called school. Everyone has their role. As in all families, there’s the strictest parent, who in the school family should be the principal, and then there’s the sweetness of the mother, whom every child sees in their favorite teacher. There’s also the older brother or sister, represented by their high school classmates who come to help them study in the afternoon. And then there are the grandparents, the elders from the “Un abbraccio alla dementia” group, whom our children visit every month, bringing games, songs, and lots of fun.

There are also dedicated spaces: the kitchen, represented by the large desk where all the children gather to listen to the Italian teacher’s lessons; the living room, represented by the sofa in the hallway, where they can relax and chat with friends. And then there’s the garden and the courtyard, where the children play, have fun, dress up, shout, score goals, hug each other, and share their plans for the future.

I like to think of our school as one big family. When I enter the Daisy courtyard, the little ones come up to me and hug me, as if I were an aunt bringing a breath of fresh air to their daily routine. I love it when we gather with parents to celebrate at the Pessione rugby pitch, as distances are shortened: there are no more teachers’ desks, electronic registers, blackboards, or red pens. There are parents who love their children, we teachers who love our students, and there are adults who have discovered themselves, finding affinities, common ground, and plans for the future.

The school is our big family, and we are lucky to do this work, even if, in all honesty, it’s not a job for everyone!

L'articolo The school is like a family proviene da Istituto Pascal Chieri.

These are the questions parents typically ask the principal when gathering information for their children’s future school. Parents are increasingly concerned about their children’s well-being, which means a welcoming and bright environment. Nature is essential for children’s development; being able to spend time outdoors, play, have green spaces, and have lessons under a tree are common desires among both parents and students.

Children at Daisy come to school from 8:00 to 8:30. Typically, at the start of class, the teachers form a large circle and ask the children what they enjoyed about the day. Then they file into their classrooms to begin their lessons. The teachers are careful to explain, following the principle of experiential learning: everything the children learn is contextualized in reality, making the walls, corridors, and floors places of study.

At mid-morning, the children go down to the courtyard to run, climb, and have breakfast. The Daisy school is located on the peak of the San Giorgio fortress, surrounded by trees, gardens, and pedestrian walkways. The view of the bell tower of San Giorgio and the spires of the church of San Guglielmo from the windows is enchanting.

At 12:30, the children head to the cafeteria. Some bring a delicious meal prepared by their mothers, while others choose to eat a meal provided by the local deli. The children tidy up the cafeteria just as they do in their classrooms. They love keeping their spaces tidy, cleaning the desks, arranging the chairs, picking up the paper, and ensuring that the common areas are always clean and welcoming.

After lunch, some run, others play or climb, while others still sit on the sofas and deckchairs to read or relax. Then the afternoon begins, dedicated to workshops, sports, swimming, golf, fencing, and homework. At five o’clock, everyone is free to go home. Occasionally, someone will bring home a book to read or a page to study, but for the most part, the afternoon is free to spend time with their parents. By the way, before five, the children have a snack of cheese and spreads from our sponsor, Inalpi.

At 5:00, the parents arrive; some have forgotten their sweatshirts, others want to stay at school a few more minutes to play, while still others miss their mother. They say goodbye, happy to see each other again the next day.

L'articolo What does a day at Daisy look like? proviene da Istituto Pascal Chieri.

In museums and large international venues, the public is engaged in interactive experiences where itinerary choices, viewing preferences, and feedback become implicit evaluation data for the exhibition experience, often collected via apps and tracking systems, as in the immersive exhibitions on the great masters Van Gogh and Klimt. The public is encouraged to be active participants, offering suggestions and expressing opinions. I wonder if this choice is intended to be a democratic opening toward those who enjoy art, or simply a new ploy to acquire market, sales, and production data?

I like to think that the choice is made democratically, giving space to the sensitivity and intelligence of the user.
At this point, I’ll go a step further: it might be interesting to give readers of this blog the opportunity to express their own opinion. This opinion should concern the school, the place that hosts one’s children and educates them until they reach adulthood. At this point, I would ask readers to write in the comments what strengths lead a parent to choose a particular school. What would induce a parent to opt for school A rather than school B? What are the essential characteristics of a school that a parent cannot do without? Is there a positive term that describes all the qualities a parent seeks in a school for their children?

I would like to open a debate, a discussion, giving space to parents, teachers, and institutions.
I can’t wait to hear the readers’ comments!

L'articolo A word from the parents proviene da Istituto Pascal Chieri.