Experts Highlight the Role of Emotions and Leadership in School Inclusion
September 3 ,2025
September 3 ,2025
Santiago, September 2, 2025. – The Education Committee of the British Chilean Chamber of Commerce (BritCham Chile) held the webinar “School Coexistence and Effective Inclusion: Keys to a Healthy Educational Community” this Tuesday. The event brought together professionals from the educational, academic, and business sectors to reflect on the challenges of building more inclusive and emotionally healthy school communities.
The session was opened by Dalinda Pérez-Álvarez, Director for the Americas Office at the University of Edinburgh and Chair of BritCham Chile’s Education Committee, who highlighted the continuity of this activity following an earlier seminar on Emotional and Behavioral Dysregulation held earlier this year.
“We want to follow up on key topics that are essential for the future of education in Chile, strengthening inclusion, coexistence, and socio-emotional well-being across school communities,” Pérez-Álvarez said.
The webinar featured two renowned speakers:
Cecilia Banz Liendo, Educational Psychologist, PhD in Psychology, and Master in Education, with extensive experience in university teaching, advising, and training educational institutions. Her expertise covers educational leadership, teaching and learning strategies, and school coexistence.
Michelle Marie Molanphy Barrios, Educational Consultant and Pedagogue with 14 years of professional experience in multicultural and bilingual environments. She holds master’s degrees in Special Education and Imaginative Education and has worked in foundations and schools, promoting inclusion for children and youth with and without special educational needs.
Both experts agreed that school coexistence should be understood as a dynamic, ongoing process that involves students, teachers, administrators, and families alike.
Michelle Molanphy stressed the need for clear policies, committed leadership, and active participation spaces for the entire school community. She emphasized that inclusion should not be limited to individual cases but rather addressed through a universal model that benefits all students.
Cecilia Banz underscored the central role of emotions in educational life: “If we want democratic, inclusive, and healthy communities, we must care for the emotional well-being of everyone in the institution—not only students. Teachers’ well-being is a key condition for achieving this.”
The discussion also highlighted practical strategies applied in Chilean schools, such as the creation of “classroom communities,” mediation programs, and the adoption of international methodologies like KiVa (Finland) and Peer Tutoring (Spain). Both experts pointed out that prevention, support, and psychoeducation are essential to managing emotional dysregulation and fostering positive relationships within school communities.
In their final reflections, the panelists shared complementary perspectives:
Molanphy emphasized that inclusion is a permanent challenge:
“There will always be room for improvement and new strategies to implement. What truly matters is cohesion and constant communication within the entire educational community.”
Banz highlighted the importance of leadership:
“Inclusion requires a profound cultural shift in educational institutions. This transformation must be driven by leadership and decision-makers, while engaging the entire community in the process.”
BritCham Chile’s Education Committee confirmed it will continue addressing issues related to well-being, inclusion, and educational innovation in future sessions, reaffirming its role as a platform that brings together academia, business, and society to strengthen Chile’s education system.