Social-Emotional skills in Chilean classrooms with Francisca Astudillo, Francisca Sáez and Sofía Larraín

Social-emotional skills are widely recognized as vital tools for youth to thrive in society, sparking a growing interest in integrating their development into the Chilean educational system. What better way to systematically equip children with such a crucial tool? Yet, despite recognition and inclusion in the national curriculum by the Ministry of Education, social-emotional learning (SEL) remains vaguely implemented in Chilean classrooms. Why?

This episode delves into the story of Eventuras, a Chilean non-profit born from addressing a major issue in vulnerable schools: disruptive student behavior. Along the journey, Eventuras realized that behavioral issues were an expression of a lack of socio-emotional skills, but that this was just the tip of the iceberg, revealing deeper challenges like a lack of problem-solving abilities, social skills, low self-esteem, depression, and dropout rates. Hence, Eventuras was founded to help vulnerable schools systematically implement SEL. In our 5 years, we've identified and tackled key barriers, bringing evidence-based programs to Chile, rigorously addressing this issue. Joining us in this episode are Francisca Astudillo and Francisca Saéz, founders of Eventuras, and Sofia Larraín, one of the pioneering teachers Eventuras has worked with and who has become a local SEL advocate and trainer.

Readings and Resources:
Eventuras website: www.eventuras.org
Sofia’s school website: www.colegiotrigales.cl
SEL Curriculum: https://pg.casel.org/second-step%E2%93%A1-elementary/
Teacher Training:https://pg.casel.org/incredible-years%E2%93%A1-teacher-classroom-management-program-dinosaur-school/

Episode Guests
Francisca Astudillo- Eventuras Founder
Bachelor of Industrial Engineering from the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile and Master's in Education from Harvard. Her passion for education stems from her involvement in the scout movement. In 2019, she founded Eventuras after 10 years of working in various non-profit organizations, gaining insights into the challenges faced by public schools in Chile and the main concerns of their stakeholders. She declares herself a staunch admirer of teachers, and her motivation is to find engaging and simple ways to train and support them, encouraging them to become more than just content transmitters but real mentors and role models for children.

Francisca Sáez- Eventuras Founder and Executive Director
Francisca pursued her physics degree at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile. During her undergraduate studies, she worked at a small school in southern Chile, igniting her passion for education. This experience became the driving force behind her initiative to establish a venture aimed at assisting teachers in collaborative classroom practices. In 2022, she crossed paths with Eventuras and joined the team to channel her fervor for education towards addressing the socio-emotional challenges encountered within the Chilean education system. Her primary motivation lies in ensuring that children, irrespective of their social, cultural, or economic background, acquire skills that empower them to become fulfilled and happy adults.

Sofia Larraín- Elementary teacher and Socioemotional Skills Trainer
Sofia Larrain graduated as an Elementary Teacher with a Major in Spanish language from the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile and is currently a Master’s candidate in School Management and Direction at Los Andes University. Since 2020, she has been teaching at a highly vulnerable public school in Santiago, where she discovered her passion for helping teachers and young learners develop social-emotional skills. She has been training her colleagues to create a safe and nurturing learning environment and to equip their students with essential social and emotional tools. This year, she has taken on a new role as Primary Years Coordinator, overseeing more than twenty teachers in this challenging setting.