A teacher is like the hub of a network. Mauro Crepaldi’s experience
In this latest instalment of our column, we feature the reflections of Mauro Crepaldi, a primary school teacher, trainer, author of several publications and a teacher at the Scuola del Noi since the community’s inception. “The future is built in the present”. In his experience, innovation in schools is an ongoing process that takes shape both through dialogue between teachers within the shared space of the community and through daily educational interactions with pupils.
Having access to an environment in which to experiment with ideas, tools and teaching practices alongside colleagues from different schools and regions enriches professional reflection and enables us to tackle complex topics in the classroom – such as artificial intelligence and digital citizenship – with greater awareness, confidence and a critical mindset.
What professional or personal need prompted you to join the Scuola del Noi teaching community?
I joined the project right from the start, drawn by the idea of building a community of teachers capable of accelerating educational innovation through the sharing of experiences, tools and skills. I was driven by a simple conviction: everyone had something to teach and, above all, a great deal to learn from others.
In what way has being part of the community changed the way you view your role as a teacher?
Teachers are no longer professionals who shut themselves away in the classroom and work alone; today, they are more like a node in a network. Being able to easily exchange ideas with colleagues from different subjects, schools and regions has taught me that ideas improve when they are shared, tested and validated together.
What, in your view, is the most important aim of the Scuola del Noi?
The creation of a dedicated space where teachers can experiment without fear of making mistakes, engaging with one another as equals and transforming ideas into concrete teaching practices. This is what allows insights, ideas and innovation to become part of everyday life.
How does the project help you prepare your students for the present, not just the future?
The future is built in the present. At the ‘Scuola del Noi’, I’ve learnt methodologies, tools and approaches that can be put to immediate use in the classroom, enabling my pupils to develop skills that are useful right now.
Have you changed any teaching practices thanks to the community?
Certainly. The community really helps you to reflect critically on your own teaching style; so I’ve improved some practices, integrated others with different methodologies, and set some aside – perhaps because they were less effective than I’d thought.
How important is it to be able to share doubts and experiments with other teachers?
It’s fundamental and directly proportional to the professional growth we hope to achieve: the more a community shares experiences, concerns, uncertainties and solutions, the more we improve ‘together, as individuals’.
Do you feel better prepared to tackle complex topics such as AI, digital technology and citizenship?
Within the community, we acknowledge fears whilst valuing the opportunities offered by AI. Discussion allows us to address its limitations (from cognitive delegation to biases, from copyright to so-called ‘hallucinations’) with greater awareness and, drawing on colleagues’ experiences, to integrate these developments into the broader framework of digital citizenship.
What sort of school do you want to help build?
A school that has the courage to experiment, the desire to collaborate and the ability to drive change in society.
What responsibility do you feel today as a teacher in the age of AI?
The responsibility to help students understand that the use of AI influences their way of thinking, affects their decisions, guides their creativity and even their relationships. It is an educational dimension that has yet to be fully explored but which will become crucial in the coming school years.
If the Scuola del Noi didn’t exist, what would be missing from your journey?
I would miss having a community with which to engage in genuine dialogue. There are many training programmes, but it’s rare to find an ‘unsponsored’ space where ideas emerge from collaborative work and continue to evolve thanks to everyone’s contribution.
What would you say to a teacher who thinks they “don’t have time” to join a community?
That they’re right. And it is precisely because we don’t have time that, by working together and sharing materials, ideas and experiences, we manage to reclaim it.
