Teacher's unorthodox summer break assignment goes viral

A grade school teacher in Italy has given his students a summer assignment that has been widely shared online.

Instead of assigning the usual academic tasks, he has given them a 15-item list of activities that encourage personal enrichment.

A translation of the document into English reveals that he wants them to walk by the sea, thinking about beloved things and feeling happy.

He also asks his students to write about feelings of turmoil, find the strength to pursue dreams, and fully embrace the dance that is summer.

Learning is still an important part of the vacation, as he tells them to read because they want to be inspired and to use the vocabulary learned in class that year.

According to him, "The more things you can say, the more things you can think; and the more things you can think, the freer you are."

Responses on Facebook have been overwhelmingly positive, with many commenting that they wished they had a teacher like him.