Emotional Education of the primary school teacher: a methodological strategy for continuing education

Abstract

Emotional education constitutes a structural axis in contemporary teacher professionalization, particularly in primary education, where affective processes directly influence cognitive learning and school climate. The study aimed to provide a theoretical foundation and design a methodological strategy aimed at strengthening the emotional competencies of primary school teachers within the framework of continuing education. A mixed-methods approach with a qualitative predominance was adopted. The population consisted of eight fourth-grade teachers from a Cuban educational institution, from whom six (75%) were intentionally selected after meeting inclusion criteria (minimum five years of experience, higher education degree, and informed consent). The study was conducted between September 2023 and February 2024. Theoretical methods (analysis-synthesis, induction-deduction, historical-logical, and systemic-structural), empirical methods (structured observation, Likert-type survey, semi-structured interview, documentary analysis), and statistical methods (descriptive statistics) were employed. The nominal group technique with 10 independent specialists was used for strategy validation. The diagnostic assessment revealed insufficient theoretical-methodological preparation for integrating emotional education into pedagogical practice, with limitations in the cognitive (conceptual mastery) and methodological (planning of socioemotional actions) dimensions. The designed strategy was structured into four phases (planning, organization, implementation, and control-improvement) and was validated by specialists with agreement levels between 90% and 100% regarding coherence, novelty, rigor, feasibility, and relevance. It is concluded that emotional education should be conceived as a cross-cutting axis of teacher professional development and an essential component of educational transformation.