The methodology of emotional control in conversations with parents and the development of conversational skills in teachers. Evidence from Chile

Abstract

The present study explains and evaluates the ECSC methodology (Emotional Control in Conversations with Parents) through its implementation in a primary school in Chile. The methodology's goal is to develop skills in the teachers' heads to conduct interviews with parents classified as difficult, and parents of students with low academic results and/or disruptive behavior in the classroom. Parallel to training, the D. L. Kirkpatrick and J. D. Kirkpatrick (2006) evaluation model was applied in its four steps: satisfaction, acquisition of theoretical knowledge, the sustainability of practices, and organizational effects. It was concluded that the methodology could develop skills for teachers to recognize emotions, select types of conversations, analyze evidence of learning with parents and plan, together, short-term goals associated with learning. The results also enrich the methodological proposal in three aspects: first, to make the intensive feedback cycles initially and to gradually differ according to the needs of the participants; second, to include specific actions in the methodology, for the management team, on time management, infrastructure management, and the animation of collaborative work among peers; third, this methodology can be transferred to other formative contexts, since it satisfies real needs in the school system.