School subjects didactics in the history of education. Sources and methodology. Italian studies

The history of school subjects is rather recent: it started in the last four decades,in France. It shows not only the influence of so-called ‘high-sciences’ on school, but also the internal and local production of ‘school culture’, that has its own dignity and indeed its effects on society. The article rapidly reconstructs the birth and development of this field, pointing out the most relevant sources to be used. It then highlights the most recent results of the Italian research into this topic, showing cases of gap between school official rules and prescriptions and real teaching in classes in the last two centuries. The latest Italian books on the teaching of History, Latin, Geography, Italian, Calligraphy are remembered, as well as new methodological approaches.