Educación para la paz en escuelas rurales posacuerdos de paz en los municipios del Tambo (Cauca) y Arauquita (arauca): promoviendo el aprendizaje socio – emocional y el pensamiento crítico a través de la cátedra para la paz en los grados de cuarto y quinto de primaria.

Abstract

This paper addresses the issues of school coexistence, socio-emotional impacts, and the challenges of peacebuilding in rural schools located in territories historically affected by the Colombian armed conflict. The research was conducted at Centro Educativo San Juan Bosco and Institución Educativa El Rosal, contexts characterized by social vulnerability, violence, and exclusion, which influence school dynamics and students’ emotional experiences. Within this scenario, the school is recognized as a fundamental space for promoting coexistence, participation, and the strengthening of citizenship skills aimed at peacebuilding. The main objective of the study was to analyze how the implementation of pedagogical strategies grounded in socio-emotional learning, critical pedagogy, and the Peace Education Program contributes to strengthening school coexistence and critical thinking among elementary school students in rural contexts affected by armed conflict. Specifically, the study sought to promote the recognition and expression of emotions, strengthen dialogue and classroom participation, and encourage practices oriented toward the peaceful resolution of school conflicts. The research was developed through a qualitative approach within the critical-social paradigm, using the Participatory Action Research (PAR) methodology due to its reflective and transformative nature. The participating population consisted of fourth- and fifth-grade elementary students. Field journals and focus groups were used as data collection techniques, allowing the recording of experiences, emotions, interactions, and changes observed throughout the pedagogical process. The intervention was implemented through playful and pedagogical activities focused on emotional recognition, the narration of experiences, and the collective construction of meanings related to peace and coexistence. The main findings revealed progressive transformations in socio-emotional competencies and school coexistence dynamics. Students were able to identify, express, and reinterpret emotions associated with their family, school, and territorial experiences. Likewise, advances were observed in empathy, mutual respect, active listening, and willingness to engage in dialogue as a strategy for resolving everyday conflicts. In addition, the activities carried out made it possible to recognize the impact of violent contexts on school life and to strengthen the perception of the school as a safe space for expression, support, and collective construction. It is concluded that the articulation between socio-emotional learning, critical pedagogy, and Participatory Action Research constitutes a relevant and effective strategy for strengthening school coexistence and promoting reconciliation and peacebuilding processes in rural contexts affected by violence. The research reaffirms the importance of incorporating socio-emotional and civic education as a central component of the school curriculum and highlights the role of the rural school as a setting for social transformation, the reconstruction of the social fabric, and the promotion of sustainable cultures of peace.