From the theory the relationship between teachers’ socio-emotional competences and students’ self-esteem has been increasingly developed. This study presents the results of a training program for Principals and Teachers whose objective was the development of socio-emotional competences, considering their important role in students’ self-esteem. Participants were 288 teachers who work in five schools of an Educational Foundation that has schools in vulnerable contexts in Santiago, Chile. The efficacy of the program was evaluated by assessing self-esteem of 1883 students from third to seventh grade. Students were assessed Pre-Post of a two year intervention. The final evaluation was at the end of the Principal and Teacher Training Program, which included topics such as emotional intelligence, social and emotional learning, self-esteem and social school climate. Results on students’ self-esteem are discussed considering developmental and gender issues. The findings provide evidence supporting the importance and relevance of training principals and teachers in socioemotional learning.

Socio-emotional learning, Self-esteem, Principals training, Teachers training, Educational assesment, At-risk students, Intervention.