Guiding and being guided. A critical reading of the 'Guidelines for Guidance'

Abstract

The recent Guidelines for Student Orientation, issued last December, focus on the strategic importance of guidance in combating delays and dropouts and promoting educational success. While aimed at principles of practicality and implementation of the orientation reform outlined in the PNRR (National Recovery and Resilience Plan), they highlight some elements that appear contradictory when viewed in light of the latest theoretical reflection on guidance. In particular, the reference to "recognizing talents, aptitudes, inclinations, and merit" deserves further exploration, as it seems to evoke the idea of guidance as a search for matching personal traits with suitable paths. This article presents a critical analysis of the various proposals contained in the guidelines. It examines the role of teacher tutors and guidance counselors, their profiles, and possible training paths, as well as the potential interpretations of the " certification of competences as a tool for guidance" to facilitate transitions between different educational tracks. The article also discusses the development of orientation modules in secondary schools and their integration into school curricula, the possible interpretations of the school committee for guidance, the student's curriculum, and the importance of e-portfolios.