Didactic responses to diversity and academic backwardness in rural areas: systematization of experiences

Abstract

This article systematizes pedagogical experiences developed at the Cristóbal Colón School of Basic Education in Píntag, Quito, within a rural context, and focuses on the relationship between mind, brain, and education. The intervention was conducted in Mathematics with seventh-grade students, using a qualitative methodology based on the systematization of experiences. The study documents practices grounded, both explicitly and implicitly, in principles of neuroscience. Active methodologies such as project-based learning and cooperative work were implemented. These strategies activated key brain systems, promoted multisensory encoding, and strengthened social learning, thereby improving mathematics learning. The article also highlights emotional regulation and attention to diversity as factors that influence brain plasticity and cognitive development. The findings reveal advances in cognitive and socioemotional competencies, as well as the strengthening of the teaching profile in rural settings.