Peer to peer training and tutor for newly hired teachers in the italian school context : a professional development path at Roma Tre University

To improve the quality of teachers' professional development paths in the school context, peer to peer training activities take on a strategic role (Heilbronn et al. 2002; Ingersoll & Strong, 2011; Kent, Green & Feldman, 2012). In Italy, in order to manage the induction phase of newly hired teachers, a strategic figure was recently recognized: the tutor of the newly hired teacher; tutors manage typical functions of middle management (Law 107/2015). The tutor has the task of carrying out tutoring actions to support novice teachers in the phases of insertion into the school community and for this reason his professional practices are strategic for the in-service training of the new employee (Bleach, 2013; Kemmis et al., 2014; Mangione et al., 2016; Moretti, 2019). In particular, teachers that have the role of tutor favor the active participation of the novice and contributes to improving their professional profile and teaching practices through mutual observation activities in the classroom. The recognition of the figure of “tutor of newly hired teachers” poses in Italy today the problem of identifying national training courses and forms of professional recognition of the role played (Fiorucci & Moretti, 2019). The contribution presents the results of a professional development path aimed at tutors of newly hired teachers that was designed for three consecutive years by Roma Tre University in collaboration with the Regional Education Office for Lazio. 2390 tutor of the new hires were involved in the training with the aim of consolidating knowledge and developing the skills related to the envisaged tutoring activities (D.M. 850/2015). As part of the training course, an exploratory survey was carried out to detect useful information to further define the profile of the tutor teachers. A questionnaire consisting of 24 questions was used as a data collection tool; this tool was integrated during the course by other data collection tools relating to the tutors' professional practices. The use of the questionnaire made it possible to deepen the opinion of the tutors on some issues relating to their role in relation to teaching, planning and evaluating educational activities, as well as the skills already possessed, training needs and aspects positive or critical about the personal experience of peer mentoring. A section of the questionnaire was dedicated to the tutor teachers of the kindergarten in order to also investigate with them how they interpret the function of the tutor of new hires in the field of services for children. The results of the research confirm the importance of the tutor in the Italian school context. Peer to peer training is considered by teachers to be important for a conscious exercise of their profession and for initiating shared reflection paths with colleagues. The tutors of the new hires who participated in the professional development path highlight how the training initiative was effective in consolidating knowledge and developing further skills. The answers provided by them highlighting the presence of both quality professional practices and practices that need to be reflected further under the supervision of experts.