Proposal for an Improvement Plan to Strengthen Professional Teacher Development Through the Implementation of Concrete and Effective Actions for the Development of Comprehensive Pedagogical Practices for 7th Grade Teachers at Patmos School in Viña del Mar

Abstract

This educational improvement proposal aims to strengthen professional teacher development by implementing concrete and effective actions to enhance comprehensive pedagogical practices in the 7th grade at Patmos School in Viña del Mar, a private school with 360 students and 37 teachers. The school is recognized as a "Green Seal" institution and has based its educational project on human formation and the development of the self since 1957. Key actions include identifying current pedagogical practices, providing continuous training for teachers in active methodologies, and designing an improvement plan focused on strengthening pedagogical and socio-emotional competencies. This promotes innovation in teaching, ensuring a comprehensive and high-quality education.

Methodologically, this proposal is based on a qualitative study under a case study design. An analysis of the Educational Project (PEI), the Teacher Professional Development Plan, and the available academic and socio-emotional outcomes revealed that 7th-grade socio-emotional indicators drop between 5% and 27%, while their grades in Language and Mathematics decrease by 0.2 to 0.8 points compared to the previous grade. Additionally, the instruments used for diagnosis follow a traditional approach (tests and direct observation), accounting for approximately 80% of their use. Of the methodologies applied in the classroom, 45% are lecture-based, while the improvement actions identified focus on active methodologies, mentioned 19 times by teachers.

Based on the implemented pedagogical practices for comprehensive development, the theoretical and normative foundations, and the design of an improvement plan addressing the critical issue, a proposal was developed. Initially, it seeks to raise awareness through the socialization of the plan, teacher mentoring, the analysis of pedagogical practices, and a teacher perception survey. Subsequently, effective actions can be implemented to promote the comprehensive education of students through training on socio-emotional development and active methodologies, as well as the creation of interdisciplinary teaching teams. Finally, these actions can be evaluated through monitoring activities, including an Evaluation Day for comprehensive pedagogical practices, learning communities focused on integral education, and a concluding discussion forum