Per la formazione degli insegnanti di ginnastica in Italia: le Scuole Magistrali (1879-1882) e i Corsi autunnali per i maestri elementari (1878-1883)

This paper analyses the laws, rules and education principles which regulated and ensured the establishment of courses to qualify as a gymnastics teacher in Italy in the second half of the 19th century. The aim of the research is to point out teaching and learning approaches applied in teachers’ schools (so-called Scuole Magistrali) and special qualifying courses (i.e. Corsi autunnali), in order to provide a better understanding of teacher professionalism. Findings regarding Italian teacher training are compared with those collected in other European states in order to highlight the extent to which teacher education programs developed according to similar paths when gymnastics became a compulsory subject in European schools