Case study: tensions and challenges in the elaboration of school regulations in Chile

Abstract

School coexistence is a scenario that has been in the reflection and has been transversal in the different educational stages in recent years. In fact, in 2011, the Ministry of Education(Chile) established the School Violence Law as a way of designing and implementing lines of action that tend to strengthen the relationship between members of the educational community, thereby contributing to an enabling environment that allows an harmonious development of all the educational actors that are part of the school. With reference to the above, an interpretative case study was carried out which considered a socio-educational intervention in a public school with the purpose of implementing, in a representative way, a normative framework for harmonious school coexistence with the participation of all educational agents, considering for this the various meanings and behaviors researched and agreed, in order to make a contribution to the school environment, thus contributing to the fulfillment of the objectives proposed by the Chilean Ministry of Education. The stages contemplated in the research allowed exploring and systematizing the contributions of the participants, emphasizing those agreements associated to the behaviors evidenced and that are frequent in the educational center (disruptive, psychological or physical), with the purpose of incorporating them in the regulatory policy of The school behaviors and to conform with it a behavioral framework that contributes to a harmonious coexistence in the educational center.

Keywords
School coexistence; Types of behaviors; Educational community

Resumen

La convivencia escolar es un escenario que ha estado en la reflexión y ha sido transversal en las distintas esferas educativas en los últimos años. De hecho, en el año 2011, el Ministerio de Educación estableció la Ley de Violencia Escolar como una forma de diseñar e implementar líneas de acción que propendan a fortalecer la relación entre los miembros de la comunidad educativa contribuyendo con ello a propiciar un ambiente que permita el desarrollo armónico de todos los actores educativos que forman parte del centro escolar. Con referencia a lo anterior, se realizó un estudio de casos de carácter interpretativo el cual consideró una intervención socioeducativa en un centro escolar público con la finalidad de implementar de manera representativa un marco normativo para la convivencia escolar armónica con la participación de todos los agentes educativos, considerando para ello los diversos significados y comportamientos indagados y consensuados, de manera de hacer un aporte al ámbito escolar, contribuyendo por ende al cumplimiento de los objetivos propuestos por el Ministerio de Educación de Chile. Las etapas contempladas en la investigación permitieron ir explorando y sistematizando los aportes de los participantes destacando aquellos acuerdos asociados a los comportamientos evidenciados y que son frecuentes en el centro educativo (disruptivos, psicológico o físico), con el objeto de incorporarlos en la política reguladora de las conductas escolares y conformar con ello un marco conductual que aporte a una convivencia armoniosa en el centro educativo.

Palabras clave
Convivencia escolar; Tipos de comportamientos; Comunidad educativa

Introduction

The general social climate of an educational center, denominated in many Spanish speaking countries as school coexistence, is a subject of recent interest to the scientific community. Although the studies that refer to the label of school climate could go back to the beginning of the 20th century ( PERRY, 1908 ), it is probably the Delors Report ( DELORS, 1996 ) marks the starting point of a line of research that is concerned with the analysis of the dimensions of this school climate and invites the teaching process to address not only towards knowledge, but also to know how to live with ( ORTEGA RUIZ; DEL REY; CASAS, 2013 ). In a recent review, Zullig and others (2010) emphasize the complexity of this term and establish at least five basic domains to consider when talking about school climate or coexistence: order, safety and discipline; academic results, social relations, school facilities, and school links. According to these authors, these five dimensions demonstrate the need to consider the norms, values and expectations that promote positive social and emotional development of students, while ensuring their safety on both a physical and emotional level. In this context, the Ministry of Education (Chile) explains that coexistence is “the peaceful coexistence of members of the educational community, which involves a positive interrelation between them and allows the proper fulfillment of educational objectives in a climate conducive to an integral development of the students” ( CHILE, 2013, p.16 ).

In Chile, and especially during the last decade, the management of school life has become a priority issue in educational policies, becoming an issue of national interest as it affects transversally the education system. Thus, the latest National Survey of Violence in the School Area ( CHILE, 2009 ) - dependent on the Under Secretariat for Crime Prevention - indicates that 23.3% of schoolchildren acknowledge having been assaulted in their educational establishment. The McClanahan, McBoy, and Jacobsen (2015) study of fifteen countries in Latin America and the Caribbean noted that between 17 and 39% of Latin American students had been victims of aggression and / or bullying.

In this same sense, Martorell (2008, p.9) explains that

[…] a significant number of children are involved in situations of ill-treatment, violent behavior and relationship problems that transcend family and school, numerous cases, the way of seeing the world and solving individual and interpersonal problems.

Based on the above considerations, the Ministry of Education ( CHILE, 2002 ) implemented the first policies for coexistence in educational actors (managers, teachers, education professionals) in order to apply these tools and to adequately face the problems related to this area.

It should be added that school coexistence

[…] is a collective construction, since it is the result of the interrelationships of all members of the school community, independent of the role they play, and is modified according to the changes experienced by these relationships over time. Therefore, the quality of coexistence is the responsibility of all members of the educational community without exception. ( CHILE, 2005, p.58 )

Cohen and other authors (2009) point out that working to improve coexistence or school climate involves considering the level of safety that the school offers, the type of relationships that occur within this context, the physical environment - in its broadest sense - which supposes the school, and the shared vision - and the implication of all to build this shared vision - of their own coexistence.

Under this prism, school coexistence is born as a response to two fundamental needs for the functioning of the school: on the one hand, the need for all relationships established in this context - be among peers, among teachers, some with the others, or with the families and educational agents - are satisfactory and run marked by patterns of respect and empathy, being able to understand the point of view of others. On the other hand, the need for their own rules that the school dictates - from a democratic perspective - are revitalized in a way that includes, in themselves, that principle of respect for the other and for the common welfare that is shared within the school context ( ORTEGA RUIZ; DEL REY; FAIR, 2009 ). However, the literature indicates that a large number of students do not feel physically or emotionally secure in their school context, largely as a result of mismanagement of the relational and contextual variables that define the school climate ( THAPA et al. , 2013 ). In schools where there are no defined norms, structures or relationships, students are more likely to feel unprotected and experience violence or punitive disciplinary action, which negatively impacts their academic performance and promotes the risk of dropping out ( ASTOR; VAN ACKER, 2010 ). Likewise, some studies have pointed out the importance that the adjustment to established social norms has for the prevention of problematic behaviors such as bullying, since the risk of involvement in these behaviors decreases in those contexts in which the educational agents disapprove the undisciplined behaviors that are far from the established norms ( HONG; ESPELAGE, 2012 ; SAARENTO et al., 2013 ).

Since 2013, the Ministry of Education has demanded that educational establishments have a Manual or Regulation of School Coexistence, recognized as the normative instruments guiding relations among the different members of an educational community, in order to avoid arbitrariness in the imposition of discipline and the use of sanctions without training purposes.

In fact, in order for these rules to take effect, it is of vital importance that all the entities involved participate in their preparation, aiming at the empowerment of those who will ultimately be affected by these norms. Such knowledge and appropriation of the rules by the educational community, allows a greater and better impact on school life. Thornberg and Elvstrand (2012) point out that both children and adults interpret their own experiences and reflect on it, accepting norms or rules that fit, and questioning or even rejecting those that are too far apart. In this sense, the Ministry of Education expresses:

[…] whatever the specificity of the rules of conduct, it is appropriate to consider certain basic criteria, such as that they be clear, explicit and common to all, appropriate to the level of student development, to prevent and avoid attitudes violent or disqualifying, and especially to encourage students to monitor their own behavior. ( CHILE, 2008, p.25 ).

The importance of constructing school regulations in a consensual and democratic way, with the participation of all the educational actors involved, through dialogue and reflection, is that a pattern of coexistence developed, negotiated and agreed upon by the entire educational community, it is far from being an authoritarian model, granting to these guidelines an unquestionable moral force that facilitates their acceptance and compliance by all agents ( PÉREZ, 2007 ).

In this regard, and despite the fact that the Ministry of Education recommendations ( CHILE, 2013 ) require that there be a real participation in the making of the regulations ( ORTEGA; ÑANCUPIL, 2009 ; ORTEGA; VARAFI, 2008 ) that - in a large part of Chilean educational establishments - there is no participation of teachers, students and parents, in the elaboration, discussion and implementation of the regulations having as a result in the ignorance of this by the members of the educational communities and in the noncompliance with what was proposed by the Ministry of Education.

Due to the above, there is a gap between theory and practice, limiting the real impact of textbooks for school coexistence, since its application varies depending on the knowledge or ignorance of these, not being able to fully fulfill its purpose for the above and coupled with the lack of empowerment of the instrument by the educational community. Such absences (knowledge and empowerment) are mainly due to the fact that the participation of members of the educational community in the preparation of the coexistence manual is not expected, either because of lack of time and / or spaces for the Debate.

Therefore, it is necessary to seek formulas to maximize time, in order to find a way to deal with school coexistence, considering the limitations established by the system and locating the necessary spaces to work in a participatory and democratic construction of the rules, as the specialized literature and state policies recommend.

Description of the school participating in the investigation

The Gabriela Mistral School ( CHILE, 2016 ), Database role Nr 11394 (official identification number of the school), is a public education center that teaches basic education and it is located in the commune of Tomé, province of Concepción, Chile. Between 63% and 81% of their students are in situations of social vulnerability ³ . The school vulnerability index (SVI) of the educational center, which is associated with the socioeconomic status of children, who enter the school system financed by the State and their families, is 6 equivalent to 83.2% ( JUNAEB, 2016 ), implying that a high percentage of them have unfavorable conditions from the economic perspective.

In the same way, this establishment was incorporated into the qualitative research, because its teachers were inclined to participate in initiatives that strengthened the school management, a decisive aspect in this framework, since it was certain that the teachers were going to respond fully to the Challenges posed by the academics of the University of Concepción.

Records of the intervention in the educational establishment

The analysis and design of the school regulations will be holistic in nature, involving the teachers and students of the educational center, generating spaces of collaboration and opportunity for the latter to participate in their elaboration ( MEGÍAS, 2011 ) aspects that allow the students to feel protagonists and authors of the coexistence model of the classroom, that is to say part of the process of construction of the norms. The inclusion of the students in the process of elaboration of the rules, from an active participation, will allow them to consider the rules as their own and not as an external and arbitrary imposition, favoring in turn the creation of an adequate climate of coexistence and facilitating the regulation of behavioral problems in the school environment ( CALVO, 2003 ). The perception of the degree of freedom and democracy in the construction of the class climate correlates positively with the civic knowledge of the students and with their confidence in the government and in the higher institutions ( FJELDSTAD; MIKKELSEN, 2003 ).

In addition to this, it will be the teachers who, using the maximum of possible resources, can get the students to assume these basic norms as something shared and what feels protagonist, but not as an external imposition ( ORTEGA RUIZ et al., 2008 ).

In fact, the teacher must construct the ways for all the agents that are part of the life of an educational center to have the opportunity to be actively involved in the regulation that regulates this dynamics of coexistence.

However, studies have found that, in a large part of Chilean educational establishments, there is no participation of teachers, students and parents in the elaboration, discussion and implementation of the regulations ( NAIL; MUÑOZ; ANSORENA, 2012 ) having as a result the ignorance of the same by the members of the educative communities and in the lack of empowerment of the instruments that collect it by the educational community. Thus, there is a great distance between theory and practice, limiting the real impact of textbooks for school life and negatively affecting the construction of an appropriate center climate.

Working on School Norms: previous experiences

In recent years, we have witnessed a display of means for the development and implementation of intervention programs aimed at improving school coexistence and violence prevention ( PÉREZ FUENTES et al., 2011 ). In this line, and although there are still few studies that address the characteristics of the school context as a risk factor ( HENAO, 2005 ; HONG; ESPELAGE, 2012 ), some studies have pointed out the incidence that the type of disciplinary practices of teachers has on the behavior of the students: the absence of clear rules and detailed information about the consequences of not complying with them may be acting as a risk factor for the development of violent behavior ( KLEVENS, 2000 )

From this perspective, the process of constructing norms within the school context becomes a task of first necessity. Although there is no extensive support for publications in intervention programs, there are methodological guidelines that should be taken into account in order to work in this line.

Considerations for the representation of school regulations

It is important to point out, before presenting the practical application of the initiative, that it considered the contributions made by Pérez (1999) regarding the elaboration of norms and consequences that regulate behavior and coexistence in the classroom and in the educational center. It is a design that considers a diversity of scenarios very close to the school reality.

In its implementation, Pérez (1999) defined three work blocks:

1. Block 1. Norms about respect and coexistence between colleagues and teachers.

2. Block 2. Rules on respect for the work in the classroom.

3. Block 3. Norms about materials and common spaces of the center.

For the above considerations, the rules must be adapted to the particularities that exist in each establishment and made explicit in the case of classroom rules. They should be contextualized to the age of the students, to their reality, to the environment to which they belong, in addition to being consistent with the national policies of school coexistence ( CALVO, 2003 ; VAELLO, 2003 ; ORTEGA RUIZ et al., 2008 ). It reaffirms with this the need for the rules to be built by those involved, according to their contexts and particularities, in a participatory and democratic way. The importance of writing positive norms with an emphasis on the promotion of values is that both the norms and the civic competences to be developed by students must be related to the development of positive behaviors and attitudes of tolerance, respect and cooperation with the other ( TORREGO; FERNÁNDEZ, 2007 ).

On the other hand, it is not only important how the standard has been constructed and drafted, but also that there is coherence in its application and compliance on the basis of the agreements. Teachers must maintain a collective commitment and work in the application of the regulations, since a strong horizontal coordination of the school in question is required, that is to say, a commitment of the teaching teams to work according to the shared principles through a Collective Reflection ( MEGÍAS, 2011 ). The teaching staff must ensure the application of the agreed rules, so that they are fulfilled and understood by all students, avoiding the arbitrariness in their application, thus achieving - as a product of the students’ understanding - greater efficiency. The teaching example is a permanent and inescapable lesson for the disciplinary system to be taken as coherent and acceptable; It is necessary for the students to observe coordination between those responsible for their education in the school, a joint work and common commitment, and above all a mutual respect, being necessary to design a plan of coexistence developed, assumed and valued by all those involved in school life ( ORTEGA RUIZ et al., 2008 ).

With regard to consistency in the application of standards, it is advisable that schools develop internal guidelines for action that help both prevention and intervention of this phenomenon; in the search for norms, good practices and coherent and consistent answers by the whole staff of teachers, as well as the improvement of the teaching and learning processes that are generated in the classes ( TORREGO; FERNÁNDEZ, 2007 ). The operation by trial and error often provokes contradictions that often generate disorientation in the student body; contradictions that can be avoided by consistently following consistent principles of action to guide all interventions ( VAELLO, 2003 ).

Research design

The characteristics of the research that seeks to form a body of knowledge that significantly represent school regulations, and therefore properly regulate school coexistence in an establishment, makes the case study as the strategy of qualitative research defined in this time, taking as reference the conceptual framework that analyzes the institutional reality and the questions to be answered, complemented with sources of information that come from the school referred to.

The implementation of the initiative coincides with Stenhouse's analysis of case studies as a “method involving the collection and recording of data on a case or cases, and the preparation of a report or a presentation of the case” ( STENHOUSE, 1990, p. 444 ).

With respect to the purpose of the investigation, the case study defined ( GUBA; LINCOLN, 1981 ), according to Graph 1 , is of an interpretive type, in which the researcher summarizes or synthesizes, through certain actions, the reflections and opinions of the participants, which will give off meanings that will conform the regulatory framework of school coexistence.

Graph 1

Purpose of the Interpretative Case Study	Interpretative
	Action	Product
Represent	Synthesize	Meanings

RODRÍGUEZ; GIL; GARCÍA, 1999

Implementation of research design

The research was structured in three stages ⁴ , consisting of the development of two workshops or working days in which all the involved entities participated or that would be influenced by the internal rules of the school. This was complemented by a data analysis stage that was carried out between the development of both workshops or days, and whose implementation was the responsibility of the team in charge of school coexistence in the establishment or by people appointed by the Management itself.

First stage

It consisted of a stage of sensitization on the part of the responsible of the school coexistence or some expert related to the subject in the first workshop or work day. In it, the manager had to motivate the participants, explaining the importance of participative work in the elaboration of norms and the discussion on school life, clarifying basic concepts such as school coexistence, school rules, rules, disruptive behavior, physical violence, psychological violence, bullying, among others; in order to provide the participants with the basic knowledge and tools necessary for the elaboration of school regulations.

After analyzing the basic concepts, the first Likert-scale instrument, called Perception of Teachers and Students, was delivered to each participant (teachers, managers, students, etc.) about the behaviors that are developed in the classroom. This instrument is an adaptation of what has already been done by Nail (2010) - who in turn was based on the contributions of the model previously carried out by Torrego (2006) - and that provides information on the different personal perceptions that have on the gravity that they cover different types of behavior that may constitute fault. In addition, it measures the severity assessment given by teachers and students to the different behaviors that occur within the classroom, where the answers are categorized according to the above mentioned scale from 1 to 4, where 1 corresponds to the level of low severity and 4 to the high gravity.

The aspects measured were categorized into three types of analysis:

1. Disruptive Behaviors: Behaviors that interrupt the normal functioning of the classroom and the teaching-learning processes in the classroom.

2. Psychological Violence: Behaviors or behaviors that psychologically affect the integrity of a student or teacher.

3. Physical Violence: Behaviors that attack through physical aggression the integrity of a student or teacher.

Subsequently, work groups were formed that integrated, without distinction, students, teachers and managers, to share ideas about school life and discuss both the basic concepts and the seriousness of each fault. After the group discussion, a new copy of the first document was delivered, which had to be answered in a grouped, discussed and consensual way, in order to identify - after collective work and the exchange of ideas - perceptions that they have on the different behaviors.

After that, the team in charge or those responsible for the analysis of data, proceeded to the tabulation of results and analysis of the data, in order to obtain averages regarding the perception about the severity of the different faults that can be shared, either in the individual or collective way or as in between teachers, managers, students, parents and proxies.

Comparing the means will provide an overview of what behaviors are considered to be the most serious and which are considered the mildest, and in what types of behaviors there are similarities or dissimilarities in the perception according to will. It will also be possible to discern in what behaviors there is a significant dispersion in the perception of gravity.

Second stage

It contemplated the realization of a second day or workshop, focused on the discussion and construction of the proper norms. To this end, the responsible for school life returned to make a presentation, but this time commenting and sharing the results obtained and explaining where they were visualized, the foci of greater equality or inequality in perceptions, as well as what are the faults considered more or less serious. These faults - in turn - will be discussed and agreed later. Once the presentation was over, the work was done in groups with mixed composition and with representatives of all levels of the educational community, seeking to combine criteria with respect to the nodes in which there were significant discrepancies and the ratification of concordances regarding the degree of gravity of the behaviors.

Third stage

Finally, for the construction of the rules, the person in charge of coexistence explained the participants how they should be built. For these purposes, graphics that gathered the different types of behaviors in terms of severity level – those obtained from the perceptions previously collected -, and that served the groups as a suggestion for the drafting of the regulations.

Concreting the initiative: the workshops and their reflections

In line with what was indicated and proposed above, the following description of the two workshops that were part of the research methodology, is given below:

Workshop n. 1: Problems and school rules in the classroom

Objective

Evaluate the individual and group perception - both of teachers and students - before the problems and the school rules in the classroom.

Guidelines in action

1. The head of the school at the establishment should consider for the realization of the workshop not only teachers and students, but also managers and administrators as a way to establish a cross-cutting and collaborative participation of all educational agents.

2. To facilitate the realization of the workshop; it is suggested the use of a room with sufficient space for the complete assistance of the educational agents involved. It is also necessary to use tools to facilitate the communication and visualization of the topics to be discussed, such as microphones, speakers, projectors, computers and panels or slates for the projection of images and / or videos.

3. It is recommended to start the day with an introduction on certain specific topics in school life, with the aim of detecting previous ideas and knowledge in the participants of the workshop, so that they are appropriating the impact that generates an educational good management in coexistence and school regulations, specifically in the democratization and participation of this.

4. The responsible for school coexistence can start the workshop according to the presentation of the following topics: School Coexistence, School Norms, Disruptive Behaviors in the classroom, School Regulations, Bullying, among others. The idea of this strategy is to allow the educational community to understand the importance of an optimal management of school life in the operation of any educational institution, specifically in relation to the classroom.

5. Subsequently, the responsible for the workshop should proceed to the application of the instrument called: “Perceptions of teachers and students about the behaviors that are developed in the classroom”.

6. The previous instrument is formed by a series of behaviors, divided into three bodies: disruptive, psychological violence and physical violence. Each behavior was evaluated from 1 to 4 by the participant, taking into account for this that the graduation started from 1 as a very slight behavior and 4 as a very serious one.

7. The instrument was answered individually in this first stage, after which it was answered in groups, individually (teachers, managers and students), forming teams of teachers and managers on the one hand, and students on the other, in groups of six to eight people. The realization of this activity allows students and teachers to begin to debate about their perceptions, establishing a collective consensus on the results.

8. Once the instrument is applied, the team responsible for the workshop should complete the activity with a feedback of the experience.

9. Finally, it is recommended to gather the opinions and observations of the participants to the instrument, since both students and teachers are active participants in the climate of coexistence in the classroom.

Workshop n. 2: Building classroom rules

Objective

Construct a classroom regulation in a participatory and democratic way, considering teachers and students.

Guidelines in action

1. It is recommended to have the same elements occupied in the first workshop (microphones, speakers, projectors, notebooks and panels or slates for the projection of images and / or videos) to make the respective session more dynamic and participative.

2. As a starting activity, it is suggested to comment and present the results of the analysis of the instrument called: “ Perception of teachers and students about the behaviors that are developed in the classroom ”.

3. To facilitate the work, the team responsible for the workshop can make a multimedia presentation, using simple and clear graphics, with the aim of reflecting the means of each behavior between teachers and students.

   Graph 2 , presents the results obtained.

   Graph 2
   Average perception of teachers and students about the behaviors that are developed in the classroom.
   

4. A variety of graphs must be presented, with the intention of simplifying the results and allowing the community to recognize the agreements and disagreements about the classroom behaviors.

5. Making the delivery of results effective, it is advisable to bring together teachers and students separately, in groups of six to eight people, with the aim of beginning the process of drafting the rules.

6. It is proposed that the coordinating group make a presentation that establishes the importance of the norms in the coexistence and how they should be written. These arguments can be compiled at the beginning of the writing.

7. Once the explanation was made, the different groups were given the “ Form for the elaboration of the rules ”.

8. After that, all the behaviors in which agreement is reached are grouped and ordered in relation to two aspects:

   1. Severity of behaviors: According to the evaluation by students and teachers (mild, severe or very serious).

   2. Similarity between behaviors: There are behaviors that are similar and must be written based on a single, clear and simple.

9. The following is a recommendation on how the form can be prepared when grouping certain similar behaviors, and thus they start writing the rules.

10. As shown in Graph 3 , it is advisable to order groups of similar behaviors and write them in relation to a single norm, which must be clear, simple and concise, as the one that appears in the example.

11. Subsequent to the instrument filling process, the group should compile the results and write the norms considering the written suggestions done by the teachers and students.

Graph 3
Excerpt from the Template for the elaboration of the rules, and its corresponding wording for the school rules in the classroom, which was agreed between the teachers and the students.

N°	Model of school roles in the classroom
Unwanted behavior (restrictive norm)		Expected behavior (positive norm)
Graduation, Light, Very Light
1.1	Arriving late to class
1.2	Going to the bathroom constantly
1.6	Eating in the classroom
1.16	Sleep in the classroom
1.9	Stand up or walk around the room constantly
Graduation, Medium, Severity
1.7	Making annoying noises (screaming, playing an instrument)
2.3	Disturbing, taunting or mocking
Graduation, Serious
2.5	Intimidate bullying.
2.11	Make a threat.
2.12	Extorting a partner towards, considering all the written and Obtain their own benefit.
Very serious graduation
3.4	Physically assaulting a member of the educational community with a short stabbing object
2.13	Discriminate against a partner for ethnic, sexual and / or religious reasons.

Methodological proposal for the elaboration of the normative in the classroom.SALAS, ROMERO, 2014

Results

From the look of the associated meaning for each of the behaviors on the part of the teachers and students, Graph 4 , was obtained, which indicates five behaviors to be considered by both teachers and students, their respective general averages and an item classified as Difference Which - as its name indicates - will establish the respective measure between both averages. This will allow obtaining the degree of coherence existing between both educational agents when evaluating the behaviors enunciated.

Graph 4
Comparison of means of behavior according to teachers and students.

N°	Behaviors	Average Teacher	Average Student	Difference	Degree of coherence
1.1	Arrive late to class	2,76	2,50	0,26	High
1.2	Ask to go to the bathroom constantly	2,30	2,50	-0,20	High
1.3	Throwing objects	3,33	3,00	0,33	High
1.4	Use technological elements without educational purposes	3,27	2,21	1,06	Low
1.5	Clutter the furniture	2,54	2,71	-0,17	High

Methodological proposal for the elaboration of the normative in the classroomSALAS, ROMERO, 2014

In general, the results of the research have shown that the level of coherence between teachers and students is convergent when assessing the different classroom behaviors, especially in terms of physical violence. However, there are results in which the behaviors related to the use of technological devices (mobile, notebooks, mp3) are evaluated less seriously by students than by teachers.

Then, possible results (level of agreement and disagreement) are given and should be considered for the last stage of the standards-building process.

Graph 5
Examples of behaviors with high level of agreement.

N°	Behavior	Type
1.8	Disorder when entering or leaving the room	Disruptive
1.9	Getting up from the stand or walking around the room without permission	Disruptive
2.4	Psychologically disturbing or mocking	Psychological
2.13	Discriminate against a partner for ethnic, sexual or religious reasons Psychological	Psychological
3.4	Physically assaulting a member of the Physical Education community	Physics

SALAS, ROMERO, 2014

Graph 6
Examples of expected behaviors with high level of disagreement.

N°	Behavior	Type
1.4	Use technological elements for educational purposes	Disruptive
1.12	Talk while the teacher explains something	Disruptive
2.8	Disturbing another through technological (cellular) devices	Psychological

Methodological proposal for the elaboration of the normative in the classroom.SALAS, ROMERO, 2014

With respect to the expected results of the application of the Methodological proposal for the elaboration of the normative in the classroom , the following assessment can be expressed:

According to experience, it is possible that the wording of the regulations is not uniform and in accordance with the recommendations established by the theory in all groups. This occurs basically because the activity of writing through a group consensus, in which all the educational agents participate, it is not a process that happens frequently.

Because of the above, it is the responsibility of the responsible school group to lead and accompany the groups during the entire process of conducting the workshops, ensuring correctness of errors that may arise in the process. In addition, it must lead the updating of the regulations, maintain and encourage the spaces of participation of the entire educational community.

Another area of information collection was the semi-structured interviews with the teachers and managers of the educational center, regarding the importance of the norms in the classroom, which were developed in the educational establishment, in the final stage of research , which had as purpose to gather information related to the importance of working the classroom regulations, as well as to collect information from the research developed in their school, among whose expressions in extract, are highlighted:

Well … I would say first and objectively that it has to do with teaching-learning processes. Secondly, we can socialize in a positive and healthy environment for the development of the different abilities of kids ⁵ , social skills, the value part, and the learning of all of them.

In addition, as you mentioned before, the role of the school aims at the formation of citizens, with a positive attitude of which they are also responsible. That is why, it is important to apply these types of instruments that come to enhance this aspect.

Teacher 1. Second Cycle of Basic Education

Well, I think this is a great opportunity, because we are making the professors work on this, that the same professors can be generated between them, the instances to be able to work and to agree on all that is, the rules.

We do not get anything if we stay in theory, the important thing is to get out of it all, then to agree the rules with students.

Executive.

I think they are necessary. If there are no rules, there is disorder, there is anarchy, and we must all try to walk towards the same destiny. That means being clear, which is the north that the establishment has, what are the limits that the student and the teacher have, and that all the educational state has in that sense. Standards are a paramount, they are essential in the school and also in society itself.

Teacher 1. Second Cycle of Basic Education

Conclusions

In general terms, a positive evaluation of the experience can be made, given that despite the constraints that exist in the current Chilean system - such as lack of time and space to debate and work on school coexistence - this program, and in the words of the same participants of the experience, opened the possibility of doing it in a fast, concise and effective way. The participants emphasized the great contribution of the possibility of working together in an integrated way, ensuring the participation of all the entities involved, without this meaning the use of a long time, which for them is scarce. On the other hand, they emphasize how invaluable it is to achieve general agreements between colleagues, and with students about school norms, and how positive it is to work on this issue in an organized, reflective manner, and through the achievement of agreements.

Although the success of the initiative is not quantifiable yet, since the sample in which it was applied, and the time elapsed after its implementation, is not enough to carry out an evaluation, if an idea of success can be obtained, based on the comments of those involved and how striking it was for participants, this way of working.

Through the application of the research initiative, it was possible to discern and point out certain aspects that are possible to analyze more deeply in later studies, and which, on the other hand, give light to certain ideas that can be taken into consideration when working in groups the school coexistence, eliminating certain prejudices and giving light of new challenges to work and consider in the future, regarding the coexistence school. These points are commented on in the following lines.

Contrary to what might be thought, both teachers and students - considered as a collective - have a similar perception as to the gravity of most behaviors that are considered undesirable. Both groups are aware of how serious faults are constitutive of violence (especially physical), and behaviors are linked to this type of violence.

Violence considered the most serious by both groups, especially when they are repeated and thus constituting bullying. There is awareness among teachers and students that bullying is one of the most serious behaviors that can manifest in the classroom.

The only points or behaviors in which there seems to be no agreement between the two groups, regarding their gravity, are related to the use of recently appeared within the classroom: portable technological objects (mp3, cell phones, tablet, etc.). In relation to this, teachers tend to consider the use of these objects as serious behaviors, while for students, these behaviors are among the least serious. This makes clear how dissimilar the use of such objects in the classroom, a point that without a doubt has to be studied in greater depth, discussed and discussed in the establishments, in order to achieve agreements regarding their use.

When analyzing the results, it also appears that there is little coherence in the assessment and severity of different types of behavior according to the group to which they belong (teachers and students), which shows a difference in the criteria for perceiving the seriousness of the faults.

Also striking is the lack of clarity and lack of knowledge on the level of teachers and students as to how standards should be drafted, there is no awareness of the need for clear, concise, formative, positive, few, and worthy standards. This makes clear the need to reinforce the theme, when working on school life.

Finally, it should be noted that all participants were motivated with the work and valued the initiative to generate a participatory procedure where teachers and students are integrated into decision making. This fact reflects that the little work and knowledge of the subject, is related to the lack of spaces and information, rather than to the demotivation of the educational agents

Final Considerations

Finally, it is necessary to insist once again that the present research, like a case study, wishes to help improve the work in school life, facilitating the work of all the agents that interact in the educational community, through the development of a methodology of work that does not require great time and that assures the democratic participation of the already individualized agents. Therefore, it is proposed to the different educational communities - through the use of the program - to work and manage to overcome the following challenges:

1. Generate spaces for the discussion of school life with the participation of the entire educational community. Make school regulations at the school and classroom level, be elaborated in a participatory, democratic and consensual manner.

2. Integrate in the processes of management and elaboration of the norms to teachers and students, especially in those touching the classroom. Including these actors in the process has a high positive impact, and it is very important that those involved participate in the process of discussion and drafting of the rules.

3. To elaborate a specific classroom normative through participatory and democratic mechanisms, in order to strengthen the school coexistence within this one. To improve the coexistence at the school or school level, it is necessary to start improving the coexistence in the classroom.

4. Write the rules in a clear, concise, and positive way. A vision of the norms from a formative perspective and highlighting positive values will promote the good development of the students.

• 3
  It is understood as “a social condition of risk, of difficulty, that disables and invalidates, immediately or in the future, affected groups, in the satisfaction of their well-being - in so much subsistence and quality of life - in socio- historically and culturally determined “Extracted from Vulnerability and Social Exclusion. A methodological proposal for the study of the living conditions of the households. Retrieved from < http://www.ubiobio.cl/cps/ponencia/doc/p15.4.htm >. Accessed on: 21 Jul. 2016.
• 4
  It has to be quoted that this research was part of the thesis defense of Gabriel Romero and Ricardo Salas (2914) to obtain their Licentiate in Education degree where Dr. Oscar Nail Kröyer was the mentor.
• 5
  Read, students or students.
• Andres Aguirre Silva , Assistant Lecturer at the Faculty of Education, University of Concepcion, Master in Educational Technology (UK), teacher of English, Editorial Member of Paideia (Faculty of Education semestral publication).

Referencias

• ASTOR, Ron Avi; GUERRA, Nancy; VAN ACKER, Richard. How can we improve school safety research? Educational Researcher , Newark, v. 39, n. 1, p. 69-78, 2010.
• CALVO, Ángel. Problemas de convivencia en los centros escolares: análisis e intervención. Madrid: EOS, 2003.
• CHILE. ENVAE. Ministerio del Interior. Seguridad Pública. Chile. Tercera encuesta nacional de violencia en al ámbito escolar . Santiago de Chile: Ministerio de Educación, 2009. Disponible en: <http://www.seguridadpublica.gov.cl/filesapp/presentacion_violencia_escolar_2009_web.pdf>. Acceso en: 10 jul. 2016.
  » http://www.seguridadpublica.gov.cl/filesapp/presentacion_violencia_escolar_2009_web.pdf
• CHILE. Ministerio de Educación. Agencia de calidad de la educación . Santiago de Chile: Ministerio de Educación, 2016. Disponible en: <http://www.simce.cl/ficha/?rbd=11394>. Acceso en: 21 mayo 2016.
  » http://www.simce.cl/ficha/?rbd=11394
• CHILE. Ministerio de Educación. Gestión de la buena convivencia: orientaciones para el encargado de convivencia escolar y equipos de liderazgo. Santiago de Chile: Ministerio de Educación, 2013. Registro de propiedad intelectual N° 232.163.
• CHILE. Ministerio de Educación. Marco para la buena enseñanza . 7. ed. Santiago de Chile: Ministerio de Educación, 2008.
• CHILE. Ministerio de Educación. Metodologías de trabajo para el mejoramiento de la calidad de la convivencia escolar . Santiago de Chile: Ministerio de Educación, 2005.
• CHILE. Ministerio de Educación. Política de convivencia escolar . Santiago de Chile: Ministerio de Educación, 2002. Disponible en: <http://www.convivenciaescolar.cl/index2.php?id_seccion=3375&id_portal=50&id_contenido=13803>. Acceso en: 10 may. 2016.
  » http://www.convivenciaescolar.cl/index2.php?id_seccion=3375&id_portal=50&id_contenido=13803
• COHEN, Jonathan et al. School climate: research, policy, practice, and teacher education. Teachers College Record , New York, v. 111, p. 180-193, 2009.
• DELORS, Jacques. La educación encierra un tesoro: informe a la Unesco de la Comisión Internacional sobre la educación para el siglo XXI . [S. I.]: Unesco, 1996. Disponible en: <http://www.unesco.org/education/pdf/DELORS_S.PDF>. Acceso en: 12 agt. 2016.
  » http://www.unesco.org/education/pdf/DELORS_S.PDF
• FJELDSTAD, Dag; MIKKELSEN, Rolf. Strong democratic competence does not automatically lead to strong engagement and participation. International Journal of Educational Research , Norway, v. 39, n. 6, p. 621-632, 2003.
• GUBA, Egon.; LINCOLN, Yvoanna. Effective evaluation . San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1981.
• HENAO, Juanita. La prevención temprana de la violencia: una revisión de programas y modalidades de intervención. Universitas Psychologica , Bogotá, v. 4, n. 2, p.161-177, 2005.
• HONG, Jun Sung; ESPELAGE, Dorothy. A review of research on bullying and peer victimization in school: an ecological system analysis. Aggression and Violent Behavior , Illinois, v. 17, n. 4, p. 311-322, 2012.
• JUNAEB. Junta Nacional de Auxilio Escolar y Becas. Prioridades 2016, con IVE SINAE (Sistema Nacional de Asignación con Equidad para Becas JUNAEB) Básico, Medio y Comunal . [S. I.]: Junaeb, 2016. Disponible en: <https://www.junaeb.cl/ive>. Acceso en: 14 jul. 2016.
  » https://www.junaeb.cl/ive
• KLEVENS, Joanne. Estrategias para la prevención temprana de la violencia en niños . Medellín: Alcaldía de Medellín, Programa de Convivencia Ciudadana. Secretaría de Educación y Cultura, 2000.
• MARTORELL, Carmen. Convivencia escolar: casos y soluciones. Valencia: Conselleria de Educación, 2008. Disponible en: <http://www.ceice.gva.es/documents/162793785/162793912/casos_soluciones.pdf/862340df-c7d2-4581-a55f-663a35aa9871>. Acceso en: 12 ag. 2016.
  » http://www.ceice.gva.es/documents/162793785/162793912/casos_soluciones.pdf/862340df-c7d2-4581-a55f-663a35aa9871
• MCCLANAHAN, Molly; MCCOY, Stephanie; JACOBSEN, Kathryn. Forms of bullying reported by middle-school students in Latin America and the Caribbean. Advances in School Mental health Promotion , Maryland, v. 8, n. 1, p. 42-54, 2015.
• MEGÍAS, María Purificación. La convivencia escolar y cómo resolverlos conflictos y la violencia en el aula . Granada: Adice, 2011. Disponible en: <https://es.scribd.com/doc/306838967/La-Convivencia-Escolar-y-Como-Resolver-Los-Conflictos-y-La-Violencia-en-El-Aula>. Acceso en: 12 agt. 2016.
  » https://es.scribd.com/doc/306838967/La-Convivencia-Escolar-y-Como-Resolver-Los-Conflictos-y-La-Violencia-en-El-Aula
• NAIL, Oscar. Los incidentes críticos de aula: un aporte a la gestión docente y la formación inicial. Concepción: Universidad de Concepción, 2010. Proyecto DIUC 210.161.006-1.0.
• NAIL, Oscar; MUÑOZ, Máximo. Análisis de la convivencia escolar en segundo ciclo básico de la comuna de Tomé. Percepción de los actores: Relaciones, participación y normas en escuelas públicas. Psychology Society & Education , Mérida, v. 3, n. 2, p. 83-97, 2011.
• NAIL, Oscar; MUÑOZ, Máximo; ANSORENA, Natalia. Normativa y reglamentos de convivencia escolar, ¿Una oportunidad o una carga para la escuela? Educere , Mérida, v. 16, n. 55, p. 373-384, 2012. Disponible en: <http://www.redalyc.org/pdf/356/35626140002.pdf>. Acceso en: 12 agt. 2016.
  » http://www.redalyc.org/pdf/356/35626140002.pdf
• ORTEGA, Raúl; CARAFI, Eric. Análisis de manuales de convivencia escolar del Departamento Provincial de Educación Santiago Centro . Santiago de Chile: Universidad de Chile. 2008. Disponible en: <http://www.facso.uchile.cl/sociologia/investigacion/63095/nucleo-de-educacion-y-convivencia-escolar>. Acceso en: 12 jul. 2016.
  » http://www.facso.uchile.cl/sociologia/investigacion/63095/nucleo-de-educacion-y-convivencia-escolar
• ORTEGA, Raúl; ÑANCUPIL, Miguel. La convivencia escolar en la Florida e Isla de Maipo . Santiago de Chile: Universidad de Chile. 2009. Disponible en: <http://www.uchile.cl/publicaciones/58322/cuadernos-para-la-publicacion-de-conflictos-escolares>. Acceso en: 12 jul. 2016.
  » http://www.uchile.cl/publicaciones/58322/cuadernos-para-la-publicacion-de-conflictos-escolares
• ORTEGA-RUIZ, Rosario; DEL REY, Rosario; CASAS, José. La convivencia escolar: clave en la predicción del bullying . Revista Iberoamericana de Evaluación Educativa, Madrid, v. 6, n. 2, p. 91-102, 2013. Disponible en: <http://www.rinace.net/riee/numeros/vol6-num2/art04.pdf>. Acceso en: 12 ag. 2016.
  » http://www.rinace.net/riee/numeros/vol6-num2/art04.pdf
• ORTEGA-RUIZ, Rosario; DEL REY, Rosario; FERIA, Irene. Convivencia escolar: fortaleza de la comunidad educativa y protección ante la conflictividad escolar. Revista Interuniversitaria de la Formación del Profesorado , Córdoba, v. 66, n. 23/3, p. 159-180, 2009. Disponible en: <http://www.aufop.com/aufop/uploaded_files/articulos/1258588302.pdf>. Acceso en: 12 agt. 2016.
  » http://www.aufop.com/aufop/uploaded_files/articulos/1258588302.pdf
• ORTEGA-RUIZ, Rosario et al. 10 ideas clave . Barcelona: Graó, 2008. Disciplina y gestión de la convivencia. Disponible en: <http://www.grao.com/llibres/10-ideas-clavedisciplina-y-gestion-de-la-convivencia>. Acceso en: 12 de agt. 2016.
  » http://www.grao.com/llibres/10-ideas-clavedisciplina-y-gestion-de-la-convivencia
• PÉREZ, Cruz. Educación para la convivencia como contenido curricular: propuestas de intervención en el aula. Estudios Pedagógicos , Valdivia, n. 25, p. 113-130, 1999. Disponible en: <http://www.scielo.cl/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0718-07051999000100007>. Acceso en: 12 agt. 2016.
  » http://www.scielo.cl/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0718-07051999000100007
• PÉREZ, Cruz. Efectos de la aplicación de un programa de educación para la convivencia sobre el clima social del aula en un curso de 2° de ESO. Revista de Educación , Madrid, n. 343, p. 503-529, 2007. Disponible en: <http://www.revistaeducacion.mec.es/re343/re343_21.pdf>. Acceso en: 12 agt. 2016.
  » http://www.revistaeducacion.mec.es/re343/re343_21.pdf
• PÉREZ-FUENTES, María del Carmen et al. Análisis de las publicaciones sobre convivencia escolar en una muestra de revistas de educación en la última década. Aula Abierta , Oviedo, v. 32, n. 2, p. 81-90, 2011.
• PERRY, Arthur. The management of a city school . New York: Macmillan, 1908.
• RODRÍGUEZ, Gregorio; GIL, Javier; GARCÍA, Eduardo. Metodología de la investigación cualitativa . 2. ed. Málaga: Aljibe, 1999.
• SAARENTO, Silja et al. Student, classroom, and school-level risk factors for victimization. Journal of School Psychology , Illinois, v. 51, n. 3, p. 421-434, 2013.
• SALAS, Ricardo; ROMERO, Gabriel. Propuesta metodológica para la elaboración de la normativa en el aula , 2014. Tesis (Licenciado en Educación) – Facultad de Educación, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, 2014.
• STENHOUSE, Lawrence. Conducción, análisis y presentación del estudio de casos en la investigación educacional y evaluación. In: MARTÍNEZ RODRÍGUEZ, Juan Bautista. Hacia un enfoque interpretativo de la enseñanza . Granada: Universidad de Granada, 1990. p. 69-85.
• THAPA, Amrit et al. A review of school climate research. Review of Educational Research , Pennsylvania, v. 83, n. 3, p. 357-385, 2013.
• THORNBERG, Robert; ELVSTRAND, Helene. Children's experiences of democracy, participation, and trust in school. International Journal of Educational Research , Durham, v. 53, p. 44-54, 2012.
• TORREGO, Juan Carlos. Modelo integrado de mejora de la convivencia . Barcelona: Graó, 2006.
• TORREGO, Juan Carlos; FERNÁNDEZ, Isabel. Protocolo de actuación urgente ante conflictos: violencia grave, acoso escolar, disrupción. In: LUENGO, Florencio; OLMEDILLA, J. M. Moreno (Coord.). Proyecto Atlántida: escuela democrática. Madrid: Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia. Gobierno de Canarias, 2007. p.61-91. Disponible en: <http://www.proyectoatlantida.eu/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Protocolos-de-Convivencia.pdf>. Acceso en: 12 agt. 2016.
  » http://www.proyectoatlantida.eu/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Protocolos-de-Convivencia.pdf
• VAELLO, Juan. Resolución de conflictos en el aula . [S. I.]: Santillana Educación, 2003. Disponible en: <http://carei.es/wp-content/uploads/Resoluci%C3%B3n-conflictos-en-el-aula.-Juan-Vaello.pdf>. Acceso en: 12 agt. 2016.
  » http://carei.es/wp-content/uploads/Resoluci%C3%B3n-conflictos-en-el-aula.-Juan-Vaello.pdf
• ZULLIG, Keith et al. School climate: historical review, instrument development, and school assessment. Journal of Psychoeducational Assessment , Ontario, v. 28, n. 2, p. 139-152, 2010.

Publication Dates

• Publication in this collection
  2018

History

• Received
  12 Aug 2016
• Accepted
  21 Feb 2017