The role of the tutor teacher, recently introduced into the Italian school system, represents a strategic turning point for student guidance and support. Originating from the reforms planned under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), this role is not limited to individual dialogue but extends its action to the entire classroom group. The real challenge, and at the same time the greatest opportunity, lies precisely in the ability to manage collective dynamics, transforming the class into an active and aware learning community, where each student can not only find their own path but also contribute to the journey of others. The goal is to save a student’s future through an approach that values both the individual and the group.

This article serves as a practical guide for tutor teachers, offering concrete methodologies and activities for managing the classroom group. We will analyze how to balance tradition and innovation, drawing on the values of Mediterranean culture based on relationships and dialogue. We will provide strategies to foster cooperation, use digital tools, and create a positive classroom climate. The objective is to equip tutors with the necessary tools to guide not just individuals, but an entire group of students toward more conscious and mature educational and professional choices.

The Strategic Role of the Tutor Teacher

The tutor teacher is a key figure introduced by the Ministry of Education and Merit to support students in the final three years of high school. Their task goes beyond the simple transmission of information; they accompany students on a path of personal growth, helping them to recognize their talents and skills. This role becomes strategic when the focus shifts from the individual to the group. Classroom management, in fact, is not just a matter of discipline, but of creating a productive and stimulating work environment where guidance becomes a shared activity and not a solitary journey.

Working with the entire classroom group allows for the activation of mutual support and peer learning dynamics. In this context, the tutor is not a “controller,” but a facilitator who promotes participation and collaboration. Their action is fundamental to building an educational community in which families are involved and students feel they are the protagonists of their own future. Delving into the requirements and selection of the tutor teacher is the first step to understanding the scope of this function, which requires specific relational and organizational skills.

Methodologies: A Bridge Between Tradition and Innovation

For effective classroom group management, the tutor teacher must be able to orchestrate a balanced mix of methodologies, creating a bridge between tradition and innovation. The Mediterranean cultural context, which values relationships, dialogue, and a sense of community, offers a solid foundation. This approach contrasts with purely individualistic models, fostering a climate of trust and mutual listening. The teacher becomes a “director” who does not simply transmit content, but promotes knowledge and accompanies students in developing their skills, valuing the diversity of each one.

Cooperative and Collaborative Methodologies

Cooperative Learning is more than just group work; it is a set of structured techniques in which students collaborate in small, heterogeneous groups to achieve a common goal. Methods like Jigsaw or Think-Pair-Share teach positive interdependence and individual accountability, crucial skills both in school and in the world of work. Students learn to discuss, negotiate meanings, and support each other, becoming valuable resources for one another. This methodology shifts the focus from the teacher to the students, making them active protagonists of their own learning.

Peer Tutoring, or peer teaching, is another powerful strategy. In this mode, a more experienced student (tutor) helps a classmate (tutee). The benefits are mutual: the tutee receives personalized support and feels more comfortable asking questions to a peer, while the tutor consolidates their own knowledge by explaining it and develops self-esteem and interpersonal skills. A practical example is to have pairs of students prepare a brief presentation on a profession of their interest, alternating the roles of who presents and who offers support.

Innovative and Digital Approaches

Innovation in group management also comes through the conscious use of technology. Digital teaching offers powerful tools for collaboration and creativity. Platforms like Padlet for virtual brainstorming, shared documents for the collective drafting of projects, or the use of interactive polls can make guidance activities more dynamic and inclusive. The E-Portfolio, a key tool for the tutor teacher, can be developed through these technologies, allowing students to document their journey in a multimedia and shared way.

Gamification is a strategy that applies game mechanics (points, levels, challenges) to non-game contexts to increase motivation and engagement. The tutor teacher can, for example, create a multi-stage “guidance pathway,” where each completed stage (researching a degree course, interviewing a professional, etc.) awards points to the group. This transforms a potentially tedious task into an exciting challenge, stimulating collaboration and a healthy spirit of constructive competition.

Practical Activities for Classroom Group Management

In addition to methodologies, the tutor teacher needs a repertoire of concrete activities to animate the group guidance journey. These activities must be designed to stimulate reflection, dialogue, and self-discovery in a collaborative and non-judgmental context. The goal is to make students not just recipients, but active builders of their own life project, starting from a greater awareness of their own inclinations and the outside world.

Group Guidance Workshops

Circle Time, adapted for high school, is an exceptional tool for creating a space for listening and sharing. Seated in a circle, students, guided by the tutor in the role of facilitator, can express doubts, aspirations, and fears about the future. This method fosters empathy and mutual understanding, showing students that their uncertainties are often shared by their classmates, thus reducing anxiety related to making choices.

The World Café is a participatory conversation technique that simulates the atmosphere of a café. The classroom is set up with small tables, each dedicated to a prompt question about guidance (e.g., “What talents would I like to use in my future?”, “What does success mean to me?”). Students move in groups between tables, enriching the discussion with new perspectives. A “table host” at each table welcomes newcomers and summarizes the ideas that have emerged, creating a rich tapestry of collective thoughts.

Storytelling and Testimonials

Storytelling is a powerful lever for learning. The tutor can invite alumni, professionals, or parents to tell their professional stories, highlighting not only successes but also mistakes and unexpected turns. These narratives make career paths concrete and human, moving away from abstract and unattainable models. Listening to direct testimonials helps students visualize different possibilities and understand that a professional path is often non-linear.

A practical activity is to have students create a narrative artifact about their future, such as a “letter from the future” or a short video in which they imagine themselves in ten years. This exercise, carried out in small groups that give each other feedback, combines personal reflection with creativity and peer support. Measuring the effectiveness of school guidance also depends on the students’ ability to imagine and narrate their own future.

Creating a Positive and Inclusive Classroom Climate

No methodology or activity can be effective without a positive classroom climate. This is the foundation upon which every successful intervention by the tutor teacher is built. Creating a serene environment based on trust and mutual respect is an essential prerequisite for promoting learning and participation. The tutor must work from the outset to establish clear and shared rules, not imposed from above but built together with the group, so that every student feels part of a safe and welcoming community.

The tutor teacher also acts as a conflict mediator. In group dynamics, disagreements are natural and even formative if managed correctly. The tutor must teach students to communicate assertively, to actively listen to the other’s reasons, and to seek compromise solutions. These relational skills are fundamental for the well-being of the group and represent a valuable asset for life. Proper classroom management and assessment are closely intertwined with the quality of relationships.

Finally, it is crucial to value diversity as a resource. In a multicultural classroom with different backgrounds, each student brings a unique perspective. The tutor teacher has the task of bringing out these differences not as elements of division, but as a source of richness for the entire group. Promoting inclusion means ensuring that every voice is heard and that every student feels recognized and appreciated for who they are, helping to form aware and open-minded citizens.

Conclusions

Classroom group management represents one of the most complex and fascinating challenges for the tutor teacher. Their role is not limited to one-on-one dialogue but finds its fullest expression in the ability to orchestrate a plurality of voices, transforming the class into a true learning community. The effectiveness of their intervention is measured by the creation of an educational ecosystem where each student feels supported not only by the teacher but also by their peers.

To achieve this goal, an integrated approach that can merge tradition and innovation is essential. Cooperative and relational methodologies, rooted in our Mediterranean culture, must interact with digital tools and innovative approaches like gamification. This balance allows the person to remain at the center while enhancing student engagement and motivation through languages familiar to them.

Ultimately, the tutor teacher who masters the art of group management does not just provide answers but teaches students to ask the right questions, to collaborate to find solutions, and to build their future together. It is a role of great responsibility, which has the potential to profoundly impact not only individual choices but also the ability of an entire generation to face the challenges of tomorrow with competence, awareness, and team spirit.

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