Prácticas relacionales profesor/a-estudiante y participación en el aula: Desafíos para la construcción de una convivencia democrática

Abstract

Democratic coexistence is a process that is built from the daily interactions in the school. For its improvement, the relationships in the classroom constitute a relevant focus. In this research, the relational practices between teachers and students in the classroom were described and analyzed based on an ethnographic design in four basic education courses in two public schools in the region of Valparaiso. To this end, a team of researchers conducted participant observations during an academic year. The results indicated that the daily life of the classroom and the spaces for participation continue to be mostly moderated and mediated by the teachers, with few instances proposed by the students, which are restricted to working alone or in a dyad with the teacher. Such spaces may occasionally be challenged by students. We conclude with respect to the possibilities of transforming the relational practices interwoven in the daily life, in order to build a genuine democratic school and not only nominative.