Giving Voice, Nurturing Relationships, Building Partecipation: the Implicit Pedagogy of Alberto Manzi

Abstract

One hundred years after his birth, Alberto Manzi’s thought proves to be remarkably relvant to early childhood pedagogy. The article explores three key aspects of his “implicit pedagogy”: giving voice to children, building authentic educational relationships, and fostering participation as a democratic practice. Through his teaching practices and narrative works, Manzi viewed children as active subjects, capable of critical thinking, imagination, and responsibility. The paper connects his legacy with contemporary pedagogical perspectives (Malaguzzi, Rinaldi, Tonucci, MCE), highlighting both continuity and relevance for today’s 0-6 educational settings. Revisiting Manzi means reimagining school as a laboratory of listening, storytelling, and citizenship.