TEACHER TRAINING AND SOCIO-EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION: LIMITS, POSSIBILITIES, AND PEDAGOGICAL IMPLICATIONS

Abstract

This study analyzes socio-emotional development in early childhood education, which has occupied a central place in contemporary educational debates, especially in the context of curriculum policies and teacher training. This article critically analyzes the relationships between teacher training and socio-emotional development in early childhood education, questioning its limits, possibilities, and pedagogical implications in everyday school life. The research is based on a qualitative, interpretive approach, conducted in a public early childhood education unit, with the participation of teachers working in the initial stage of basic education. The data were produced through semi-structured questionnaires and analyzed in light of theoretical references from developmental psychology and teacher training, with emphasis on the contributions of Henri Wallon and the guidelines of the National Common Core Curriculum. The results show that, although teachers recognize the relevance of social-emotional skills for the integral development of children, there are still formative, conceptual, and institutional weaknesses that limit the implementation of systematic pedagogical practices in this area. It can be concluded that continuing education is a strategic axis for strengthening teaching practices that are sensitive to socio-emotional dimensions, provided that it is linked to a critical understanding of the curriculum and the specificities of childhood, avoiding prescriptive and reductionist approaches.