Article

 

 

 

Promoting Healthy School Coexistence to Learn to Live Together

 

Fomentar la Sana Convivencia Escolar, Para Aprender a Convivir Juntos

 

Carlos Julio Beltrán De la Hoz^*

Fernando Poveda[*]

 

 

Abstract

This research project focused on designing and implementing a didactic pedagogical strategy to promote school coexistence, inclusion, and student motivation, addressing the research question: How can a pedagogical tool be developed and implemented to promote healthy school coexistence and include all students at the 23 de Abril Educational Site in the municipality of Chibolo, Magdalena? It was a mixed-methods study with a case study design, divided into five phases: theoretical review, design of the didactic pedagogical strategy, implementation, evaluation, and analysis of results. The educational site had a population of 292 primary school students, who comprised the study group, with the sample consisting of students from 4th, grade. The most relevant findings indicated that a lack of effective communication and inadequate support were the main causes of non-prosocial behaviors, which negatively affected the school climate and academic performance. However, the implementation of the pedagogical strategy significantly improved school coexistence and student motivation. Among the most notable results were an increase in effective communication between students and teachers, greater active participation in academic activities, and an overall improvement in the school climate. Finally, the research contributed to the literature on school coexistence and motivation, and offered practical recommendations for educators and education policymakers.

Keywords: School coexistence; Educational motivation, Pedagogical strategies; Non-prosocial behavior; Learning environment.

 

Resumen

Este proyecto de investigación se centró en diseñar e implementar una estrategia pedagógica didáctica que fomentara la convivencia escolar, la inclusión y la motivación en los estudiantes, abordando la pregunta problema: ¿Cómo desarrollar e implementar una herramienta pedagógica que fomente la sana convivencia escolar e incluya a todos los educandos en la sede educativa 23 de abril del municipio de Chibolo, Magdalena? Se trató de una investigación mixta, con un diseño de estudio de caso que se dividió en cinco fases: revisión teórica, diseño de la estrategia pedagógica didáctica, implementación, evaluación y análisis de resultados. La sede educativa contaba con una población de 292 alumnos de primaria, quienes conformaron el grupo de estudio, y la muestra conformada por el grado 4°de primaria. Los hallazgos más relevantes indicaron que la falta de comunicación efectiva y el apoyo inadecuado fueron causas principales de comportamientos no prosociales, lo cual afectó negativamente el clima escolar y el rendimiento académico. Sin embargo, la implementación de la estrategia pedagógica didáctica mejoró significativamente la convivencia escolar y la motivación de los estudiantes. Entre los resultados más destacados se encontraron el aumento de la comunicación efectiva entre estudiantes y profesores, una mayor participación activa en las actividades académicas y el mejoramiento del clima escolar.

Palabras clave:  Convivencia escolar; Motivación educativa; Estrategias pedagógicas; Comportamiento no prosocial; Ambiente de aprendizaje

 

 

 

Introduction

The 23 de Abril school in the municipality of Chibolo, Magdalena, specifically the fourth grade of primary education, faced a serious and complex problem in relation to school coexistence. Students exhibited antisocial behavior, such as physical and verbal actions toward their peers and teachers, which created a negative school climate and affected academic performance.

This situation was exacerbated by the lack of effective strategies to address such behavior and promote healthy school coexistence.

The problem of bad behavior at this school created an environment that was not conducive to providing high-quality education, as students had difficulty interacting respectfully and constructively with their classmates and teachers, which led to conflicts and tensions in the classroom. The lack of school coexistence impacted students' self-esteem and motivation, which had adverse effects on their academic performance and emotional health.

This required the implementation of pedagogical and didactic strategies that promoted healthy school coexistence and fostered a positive and respectful school climate. Vásquez Vidarte, et al (2024) affirm that activities such as play, exploration of the environment, art, and other dynamics strengthen pedagogical practices.

The research proposed in this project sought to help solve this problem and enhance educational quality in order to answer the following question: How can we develop and implement a pedagogical tool that promotes healthy school coexistence and includes all students at the 23 de Abril school in the municipality of Chibolo, Magdalena?

The research began with the development of a pedagogical tool to mitigate non-prosocial behaviors among students as a mechanism for inclusion at the 23 de Abril educational center in the municipality of Chibolo, Magdalena. seeking to identify the causes and consequences of non-prosocial behaviors in the institution, thus achieving the implementation of a pedagogical and didactic strategy focused on healthy school coexistence, which made it possible to determine the effectiveness of the strategy implemented for healthy school coexistence.

 

Materials and methods

This research was framed within the context of inclusive education, based on non-prosocial behaviors that hindered healthy school coexistence and the effective integration of all students into the school environment. Failure to address these behaviors in a timely manner led to conflicts, physical and verbal attacks, rejection among the school population, and arguments. These factors were identified as barriers to learning and participation. As Galtung (2003) argued, structural violence manifested itself when institutions failed to guarantee equal conditions, and the school environment was no stranger to this form of symbolic exclusion.

In addition, Echeita (2006) asserted that teachers required specialized training to promote diversity through pedagogy and to manage conflict until it was reduced.

This research was relevant in terms of its impact, as it was positive for the educational community. Much of the cooperation with teachers allowed for the implementation of solid strategies aimed at reducing exclusionary behaviors, fostering an environment based on respect and collaboration. The project took into account the principles of equity established by the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UN, 2006) and by Colombian education legislation (MEN, 2013).

Bravo (2025) observed that the infrastructure and services essential to providing quality education in rural areas represented a major challenge. This highlights the fact that education is a complex challenge from different perspectives. Bravo (2025) also argues that inclusion in education is tedious because teachers faced barriers and obstacles such as lack of training and guidance.

School coexistence can be understood from different theories and models. One of the most relevant theories is Moos' (1979) theory of school coexistence, which argues that school coexistence refers to the quality of relationships between students and between students and teachers.

Goleman's (1995) theory of emotional intelligence is also relevant to understanding school coexistence. According to Goleman, emotional intelligence is based on the ability to identify and control both one's own emotions and those of others.

The methodology presented a type of qualitative research, from the perspective of school inclusion, using the Action Research (AR) approach. Qualitative research, as described by Roberto Hernández Sampieri in his work Research Methodology (2014), focuses on understanding the individual from their unique characteristics, the phenomena they experience, and their personal attributes.

In early childhood, it is essential to mitigate barriers that may affect child development and learning, as stated by Vásquez Vidarte et al (2024). Certain data collection instruments were taken into account for this research, such as interview guides with open and closed questions aimed at exploring the experiences and opinions of participants in relation to coexistence, motivation, and academic performance within the school context.

A checklist was used during the observations, focusing on key aspects of student-teacher interaction and the overall classroom environment, and a detailed observation protocol served as a framework for participant observation. The population studied was the I.E.D.T.A. San Judas Tadeo, located in the capital of the municipality of Chibolo in the department of Magdalena, which has a population of 26,000 inhabitants, seven (7) campuses, and 2,450 students.

The sample was taken from the 23 de Abril educational center, located northeast of the municipal capital of Chibolo in the department of Magdalena, specifically from the 4th grade of primary school.

 

Results

The results obtained through in-depth interviews and participant observation, in line with the objective, showed that the causes and consequences of non-prosocial behavior at the 23 de Abril school in Chibolo, Magdalena, stem from a lack of effective communication between students and teachers, a lack of support and guidance for students with academic or personal difficulties, and the presence of conflicts and tensions between students and teachers. The most commonly identified consequences were bullying, disrespect, exclusion, discrimination, poor academic performance, and constant absenteeism.

In response to these findings, a collaborative, pedagogical, and didactic strategy was implemented, focusing on social-emotional workshops in the classroom with students and individually with parents and teachers with psychological guidance. Recreational and cooperative activities (sports, dance, musical instrument practice) were used to mitigate non-prosocial behaviors, with the following results:

 

 

 

Table 1. Record of Recreational Sessions and Observations.

Fecha	Sesión (danzas, deporte, juegos)	Observaciones
13/03/2025	Reunión docentes y padres	Todos los docentes asistieron – 3 Padres no asistieron
20/03/2025	Charla con la psicóloga	1 alumno no asistió a clases.
27/03/2025	Danza folclórica “la cumbia”	Todos los docentes asistieron – 3 Padres no asistieron
11/04/2025	Tocar instrumentos musicales	2 niños no quisieron participar.
25/04/2025	Tocar instrumentos musicales	Todos los estudiantes participaron
12/05/2025	Juego de roles “Simón dice”	Un niño tardó en integrarse.

 

Effective communication between students and teachers improved (80% of participants). Empathy and understanding among students increased (70% of participants). Conflicts and tensions between students and teachers decreased (60% of participants).

Finally, an interview was conducted after the implementation of the strategy to determine its effectiveness. This took into account academic performance, class attendance, and school coexistence between teachers and students.

Table 2. Results of the survey to determine the efficiency of the methodology.

Categoría	Pregunta	Respuesta (por frecuencia)	Código
Ambiente de convivencia (Estudiantes)	¿Cómo describirías el ambiente de convivencia en tu salón de clases?	Bueno (9 estudiantes – 45 %)	Clima escolar – Positivo
Respeto y escucha (Estudiantes)	¿Te sientes respetado(a) y escuchado(a) por tus compañeros y profesores?	A veces (9 estudiantes – 45 %)	Percepción – Respeto Parcial
Conflictos (Estudiantes)	¿Qué situaciones generan más conflictos entre los estudiantes?	Burlas y ofensas (8 estudiantes – 40 %)	Tipos de conflicto – Bullying verbal
Estrategias de respeto (Docentes)	¿Cómo califica las estrategias utilizadas para fomentar el respeto y la tolerancia en el aula?	Muy efectivas/Efectivas (4 docentes – 80 %)	Eficacia – Estrategias Positivas
Rol de las familias (Docentes)	¿Qué papel cree que tienen las familias en la construcción de una buena convivencia?	Fundamental (3 docentes – 60 %)	Factor protector – Familia
Apoyo familiar (Padres)	¿Cómo apoya usted a su hijo(a) en sus estudios?	Supervisando tareas y acompañamiento emocional (respuesta frecuente)	Apoyo familiar – Académico y Emocional

Based on attendance records and school documents, it was evident that attendance records improved by 75% and school coexistence improved by 90%.

The research showed that the teaching strategy designed and implemented to promote healthy school coexistence has had a positive impact on the school climate and the academic performance of students.

 

Discussion

The teaching strategy implemented was based on Galtung's theory of school coexistence (1998), which argues that school coexistence is a process involving interaction between students, teachers, and the school environment.

The results obtained showed that the strategy implemented reduced conflicts and tensions between students and teachers. In addition, the strategy implemented was based on Maslow's theory of motivation (1943), which argues that motivation is a process that involves the satisfaction of human needs. The research showed that the strategy implemented significantly improved student motivation by providing them with opportunities to satisfy their needs for belonging and recognition. 

These findings were consistent with Vygotsky's (1978) position, where learning and human development were sustained and complemented by social interaction. This is why educators addressed the multiple conflict situations that previously led to exclusion with assertiveness and commitment. This increased the need to solidify social-emotional skills, as indicated by Echeita and Verdugo (2004). The development of the proposal validated and facilitated spaces for dialogue, empathy, and inclusion.

The active participation of all students in the activities carried out collaboratively opened up spaces to generate an environment based on respect and acceptance, as promoted by Ainscow and Miles (2008). In addition, the relationship and interaction between administrators, teachers, and the student community is essential for the effectiveness of school programs. Poveda Aguja & García García (2024).

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