Socioemotional Competencies and a Culture of Peaceful Coexistence

Rationale

The INEVAL EVDO includes Competencias socioemocionales as a full evaluated dimension, meaning a teacher's own socioemotional skills are assessed as part of the mandatory performance evaluation that gates promotion and professional standing. Simultaneously, every Ecuadorian school is required by Acuerdo Ministerial No. 182 and Acuerdo 0332-13 to maintain a participatorily built Código de Convivencia that prohibits corporal punishment and dignity-violating psychological sanctions, and the DECE operating model operationalizes seven enfoques (derechos, género, bienestar, intergeneracional, intercultural, inclusión, pedagógico) that teachers must apply in daily practice. The research brief confirms that socioemotional competence and coexistence are a live obligation and an evaluated competency, not an inferred nicety. This course addresses both the evaluation dimension and the institutional instrument, giving teachers the conceptual framework and practical tools to meet the EVDO standard, comply with the Código de Convivencia, and contribute to a school culture grounded in Buen Vivir and Sumak Kawsay.

Part I: Foundations (Lessons 1-4)

Lesson 1. Socioemotional competence as a professional standard

The lesson opens with the INEVAL EVDO dimension Competencias socioemocionales and explains why the State evaluates the teacher's own socioemotional skills rather than only the teacher's ability to teach them to students. Participants examine the EVDO framework documents to see how self-awareness, self-regulation, empathy, and relationship management are operationalized as assessable competencies. The session then connects these competencies to the Estándares de Desempeño Docente, which frame professional performance within Buen Vivir and require teachers to model respectful, emotionally regulated conduct. Participants complete a structured self-assessment against the EVDO indicators for socioemotional competence and identify one personal growth target. The activity ensures that teachers understand that socioemotional competence is not a soft add-on but a scored dimension of the evaluation that determines ascenso eligibility. By the end of the lesson, participants can locate the EVDO socioemotional dimension in the evaluation framework and self-assess against its indicators.

Lesson 2. Buen Vivir and coexistence

This lesson grounds the course in the constitutional principle of Buen Vivir (Sumak Kawsay) as the guiding philosophy for human relationships in Ecuadorian schools. Participants read the relevant passages from the Constitución de la República del Ecuador (2008) that establish Sumak Kawsay as a right and a framework for social organization, then examine how the Estándares de Desempeño Docente operationalize Buen Vivir as a professional orientation. The session explores the tension between a Western individualistic model of socioemotional skill and the relational, community-centred model that Buen Vivir demands. Participants discuss how a teacher's daily interactions with students, colleagues, and families either honour or undermine this constitutional principle. The lesson includes a guided analysis of classroom scenarios to distinguish actions that reflect Buen Vivir from those that reproduce exclusion or hierarchy. By the end of the lesson, participants can articulate how Buen Vivir frames coexistence in Ecuadorian education and can identify concrete classroom practices that align with it.

Lesson 3. The Código de Convivencia as living instrument

This lesson presents the institutional Código de Convivencia as the school's central instrument for regulating relationships, preventing violence, and promoting a culture of peace. Participants study Acuerdo Ministerial No. 182 (2007) which established the requirement for every school to have a Código de Convivencia, and Acuerdo 0332-13 (2013) which provides the participatory construction guide. The session explains what the code must contain: rights and responsibilities of each school actor, agreed norms of coexistence, conflict-resolution mechanisms, and the prohibition of corporal punishment and psychological sanctions. Participants examine sample codes from fiscal and particular schools to identify common structures and gaps. The lesson emphasizes that the code is not a top-down disciplinary document but a living instrument built through democratic participation of students, teachers, families, and staff. Participants begin drafting a template for their own school's code renewal process. By the end of the lesson, participants can describe the legal basis and required content of the Código de Convivencia and can evaluate whether a given code meets the participatory standard.

Lesson 4. Rights, gender, and inclusion enfoques in daily practice

This lesson translates the DECE operating model's seven enfoques (derechos, género, bienestar, intergeneracional, intercultural, inclusión, pedagógico) into concrete classroom practices that a teacher can implement without specialized support. Participants study the DECE model document to understand each enfoque as a lens for decision-making about relationships, discipline, and curriculum. The session focuses on the enfoque de derechos (every action must respect the child's rights under the Código de la Niñez y Adolescencia), the enfoque de género (non-discrimination and active prevention of gender-based violence), and the enfoque de inclusión (every student belongs and participates). Participants work through classroom scenarios that require them to apply all three enfoques simultaneously, such as a conflict between a male and female student or a situation involving a student with a disability. The lesson stresses that these enfoques are not optional frameworks but mandatory orientations embedded in the DECE model and the LOEI. By the end of the lesson, participants can apply the derechos, género, and inclusión enfoques to routine classroom decisions.

Part II: Core Practice (Lessons 5-10)

Lesson 5. Teacher self-regulation and burnout

This lesson addresses the teacher's own emotional health as a prerequisite for modelling socioemotional competence and for sustaining the patience and empathy that coexistence work demands. Participants examine the EVDO Competencias socioemocionales indicators that relate to self-awareness and emotional regulation, then learn evidence-based strategies for recognizing personal stress triggers, managing emotional responses in the classroom, and preventing burnout. The session includes a guided exercise in which participants map their typical emotional responses to common classroom stressors (disruption, defiance, conflict between students) and identify patterns that may undermine their professional effectiveness. The lesson draws on the DECE enfoque de bienestar, which frames teacher wellbeing as a condition for student wellbeing. Participants develop a personal self-regulation plan with three strategies they commit to using in the next month. By the end of the lesson, participants can identify their own emotional triggers in the classroom and apply at least two self-regulation techniques drawn from the session.

Lesson 6. Positive discipline without punishment

This lesson equips teachers with lawful, dignity-preserving behaviour management strategies that replace corporal punishment and psychological sanctions, both of which are prohibited by the Código de la Niñez y Adolescencia and the Código de Convivencia. Participants study the legal prohibition in detail, including the specific articles that make any form of physical or degrading punishment a reportable offence. The session then presents positive discipline as an alternative framework: setting clear expectations, using logical consequences, teaching self-regulation, and repairing harm through restorative dialogue. Participants practise scripting a positive-discipline response to common classroom behaviours such as disruption, disrespect, or non-compliance, ensuring the response does not cross the legal line. The lesson emphasizes that positive discipline is not permissive but is a structured, legally compliant approach that maintains the teacher's authority without violating the student's dignity. By the end of the lesson, participants can distinguish positive discipline from punishment and can design a behaviour response that respects the legal prohibition.

Lesson 7. The prohibition of corporal and psychological sanctions

This lesson deepens the legal analysis of what constitutes a prohibited sanction, drawing on the Código de la Niñez y Adolescencia and the Código de Convivencia to define the boundary between lawful discipline and unlawful punishment. Participants examine case examples from Ecuadorian schools (drawn from reported disciplinary cases and protocol documents) to identify where teachers crossed the line into physical punishment, psychological humiliation, or exclusion that violates dignity. The session covers the specific prohibition of "castigos corporales" and "sanciones psicológicas que atenten contra la dignidad" and explains that these prohibitions apply to all school staff, not only teachers. Participants work through a series of borderline scenarios (sending a student out of class, withholding recess, public shaming, assigning extra work as punishment) and determine whether each is a prohibited sanction or a lawful consequence. The lesson stresses the criminal and administrative liability that attaches to violations. By the end of the lesson, participants can identify prohibited corporal and psychological sanctions and can distinguish them from lawful disciplinary responses.

Lesson 8. Restorative approaches to conflict

This lesson introduces restorative practices as a method for resolving interpersonal conflict in a way that repairs harm, restores relationships, and keeps students in the learning community rather than excluding them. Participants study the DECE model's emphasis on restorative approaches and the Código de Convivencia's requirement for conflict-resolution mechanisms. The session teaches a structured restorative dialogue protocol: separating the parties, establishing mutual respect, allowing each person to describe the harm, identifying what is needed to repair it, and agreeing on a plan. Participants practise facilitating a restorative conversation between two students in a role-play scenario, receiving feedback on their use of open-ended questions, active listening, and neutral framing. The lesson distinguishes restorative approaches from punitive discipline and from mediation, explaining when each is appropriate. By the end of the lesson, participants can facilitate a basic restorative dialogue between students and can determine when a conflict is appropriate for restorative resolution versus when it must be escalated to the DECE or external authorities.

Lesson 9. Preventing violence through climate

This lesson shifts from responding to conflict to preventing violence by building a classroom and school climate that reduces risk factors. Participants study the prevention framework embedded in the Rutas y Protocolos, which identifies school climate as a protective factor against physical, psychological, and sexual violence. The session presents evidence-based climate-building practices: predictable routines, positive teacher-student relationships, student voice in classroom decisions, explicit teaching of respect and empathy, and consistent enforcement of the Código de Convivencia norms. Participants conduct a climate audit of their own classroom using a structured observation tool adapted from the DECE model's enfoque de bienestar. The lesson emphasizes that prevention is a professional duty, not an optional enrichment, and that a positive climate is the most effective violence-prevention strategy available to teachers. By the end of the lesson, participants can identify at least five concrete practices that build a protective classroom climate and can audit their own classroom against those practices.

Lesson 10. Gender equity and non-discrimination

This lesson addresses the enfoque de género as a mandatory lens for all school relationships and curriculum decisions, grounded in the DECE model and the LOEI's prohibition of discrimination. Participants study the DECE model's definition of the enfoque de género and its requirement that schools actively prevent gender-based violence and discrimination. The session covers the specific forms of gender-based discrimination and violence that occur in Ecuadorian schools: sexist language, stereotyping in curriculum materials, exclusion of LGBTQ+ students, sexual harassment, and unequal treatment of boys and girls. Participants analyse a set of classroom materials and interactions to identify subtle and overt gender biases, then redesign a lesson or interaction to be gender-equitable. The lesson stresses that gender equity is not a political position but a legal obligation under the LOEI and the Constitución. By the end of the lesson, participants can identify gender bias in classroom materials and interactions and can modify their practice to align with the enfoque de género.

Part III: Application and Mastery (Lessons 11-15)

Lesson 11. Intercultural and intergenerational respect

This lesson operationalizes the DECE enfoques intercultural and intergeneracional, requiring teachers to honour Ecuador's plurinational identity and to respect the generational dynamics between adults and young people. Participants study the LOEI's intercultural mandate and the SEIB framework to understand that Ecuador recognizes fourteen Indigenous nationality languages and that interculturality is a constitutional principle, not a programmatic option. The session then explores how teachers can demonstrate intercultural respect in a monolingual Spanish classroom: using inclusive language, incorporating diverse cultural references, avoiding stereotypes, and validating students' cultural identities. The intergenerational enfoque is examined through the lens of adultism and the tendency of schools to dismiss student perspectives. Participants practise designing a classroom activity that explicitly values student voice and cultural knowledge. By the end of the lesson, participants can apply the intercultural and intergenerational enfoques to their planning and interactions, demonstrating respect for Ecuador's diversity and for students as rights-bearing individuals.

Lesson 12. Emotional learning for students

This lesson moves from the teacher's own socioemotional competence to the explicit teaching of socioemotional skills to students, as a transversal expectation of the Currículo Nacional and as a violence-prevention strategy. Participants study how the Currículo Nacional 2016 embeds socioemotional development across areas and grade levels, particularly through the perfil de salida values of justicia, innovación, and solidaridad. The session presents a structured framework for teaching emotional vocabulary, self-regulation, empathy, and conflict-resolution skills within the existing curriculum rather than as a separate subject. Participants design a 15-minute socioemotional learning activity that integrates with a specific destreza from their grade level and area. The lesson emphasizes that teaching socioemotional skills is not an add-on but a pedagogical responsibility that supports academic learning and coexistence. By the end of the lesson, participants can design a brief socioemotional learning activity that is integrated into a curricular destreza and that teaches a specific skill such as identifying emotions or resolving a disagreement.

Lesson 13. Tutoría and the role of the tutor de curso

This lesson focuses on the pastoral duties of the tutor de curso, who is the teacher most responsible for monitoring student wellbeing, coordinating with the DECE, and maintaining the Código de Convivencia at the classroom level. Participants study the RLOEI provisions that define the tutor's role and the DECE model's expectation that tutors serve as the first line of detection for wellbeing concerns. The session covers the practical tasks of a tutor: conducting regular tutoría sessions, maintaining individual student profiles, detecting signs of violence or distress, communicating with families, and referring cases to the DECE. Participants practise conducting a structured tutoría session that builds classroom community and checks on student wellbeing without violating privacy. The lesson emphasizes that the tutor role is not administrative but relational and that effective tutoría is a key strategy for preventing violence and promoting coexistence. By the end of the lesson, participants can describe the tutor's duties under the RLOEI and can plan a tutoría session that supports student wellbeing.

Lesson 14. Coordinating with the DECE

This lesson teaches teachers how to work effectively with the Departamento de Consejería Estudiantil (DECE) as a partner in promoting student wellbeing and responding to coexistence challenges. Participants study the DECE operating model to understand the DECE's scope, limits, and referral protocols, including when a teacher should handle a situation independently and when a case must be escalated. The session covers the specific procedures for referring a student to the DECE for socioemotional support, for reporting a suspected violence case through the DECE, and for collaborating on a plan de acompañamiento. Participants practise writing a referral that provides the DECE with sufficient information while protecting student confidentiality. The lesson emphasizes that the teacher-DECE relationship is collaborative, not hierarchical, and that both parties share responsibility for student wellbeing under the Rutas y Protocolos. By the end of the lesson, participants can determine when to refer a student to the DECE, can write a clear referral, and can describe the DECE's role in supporting coexistence.

Lesson 15. Evaluating and renewing the coexistence code

The final lesson equips participants to lead or contribute to the periodic participatory review and renewal of their school's Código de Convivencia, as required by Acuerdo 0332-13. Participants study the renewal cycle and the requirement that the code be reviewed with the participation of students, teachers, families, and staff at least every two years. The session provides a structured evaluation framework: reviewing incident data from the DECE and the school's convivencia records, surveying stakeholders about the code's effectiveness, identifying gaps or outdated norms, and proposing revisions. Participants practise facilitating a participatory review session with a simulated stakeholder group, ensuring that student voice is genuinely included and that the process does not become a top-down revision. The lesson concludes with a reflection on how the course's fifteen lessons equip participants to be leaders of coexistence in their schools. By the end of the lesson, participants can design and facilitate a participatory review process for their school's Código de Convivencia and can identify the data and stakeholder input needed for a defensible renewal.

This syllabus was designed from primary-source research of this nation's official teacher requirements and passed independent verification. The full course, its lessons, assistant, and materials are live for enrolled educators.