Description

This article aims to characterize coexistence management in schools from the perspective of school administrators, specifically the coordinator and the school counselor, considering that few studies focus on these two social actors. This study was framed in a qualitative approach, of phenomenological type, and was complemented by a documentary analysis of the formats of coexistence management. Among the main findings, it was identified that school counselors seek to restore interpersonal relationships through listening and dialogue to generate solutions to conflicts of school coexistence; the coordinator, for his part, plays the role of mediator, conciliator, and negotiator. While there is no established model for managing coexistence, the treatment of these cases is still based on a sanction-correction scheme. However, strategies to promote healthy coexistence complement school guidance and coordination. A coexistence management model must have the following characteristics: 1) Integrate management, planning, implementation, evaluation, and monitoring components that strengthen peaceful coexistence; 2) Be based on norms, rules, and laws that regulate the behavior of students and the interaction of the educational community; 3) Formalize management procedures through documents that guarantee due process; 4) Define goals, objectives, and indicators that contribute to the continuous improvement of school life; 5) Be flexible, allowing adaptation to the needs of students’ life and changes in the social environment; and 6) Have a defined focus.