Competencias psicosociales para la convivencia escolar libre de violencia: Experiencia en una primaria pública de Mérida, Yucatán, México

Abstract

This article describes and analyzes an intervention experience about psycho-social skills that foster violence-free school coexistence in a public primary school in Mérida, Yucatán, México. The methodology is based on the Participative Action Research with community participative techniques, interviews and observation. All students participated, 54 girls and 57 boys, teachers and school officials. We witnessed school violence, both physical and verbal among peers and the lack of knowledge by teachers about how to handle such situations, resorting to behavior straightening practices. Intervention with children focused on developing skills such as self-awareness, empathy, being respectful of diversity, collaboration-cooperation and conflict resolution. With teachers the goal was to share methodologies to develop those skills. We discuss results in terms of objectives, methodology, techniques and the contributions of each of the social skills to develop a violence-free social coexistence.