Learning to learn with the help of peers. Peer tutoring as a challenge for schools and other educational communities
Lucio Cottini, Claudia Munaro, Chiara Dalla Vecchia, Marialuisa Tonietto, Anna Rita Attanasio
In order to promote social and civil competences and active citizenship behaviour nationally and at a European and worldwide level, it is essential to create significant, cooperative, supportive learning environments for children, right from day one. Places where each individual can practically experiment with sharing, help and peer-to-peer support. The school is the chosen environment for children and pupils to actively and practically experiment with these values and become peer tutors/learning facilitators for their classmates with difficulties, disorders or disabilities. To this aim, peer tutoring seems a virtuous approach for encouraging inclusive environments where teachers, tutors and tutees can learn to offer a smile, lend a hand, and share space, materials and their time, in a structured setting which is supported by the families. Listening to each other, finding agreement and acting together, each person with their own peculiarities, from the shared perspective of promoting well-being in one’s learning/teaching context and in future society.
Keywords
Peer tutoring, tutor, tutee, creating inclusive classes, structuring tutoring, active citizenship, continuity, orientation.
