Training of ecuadorian teachers: from experimentation and dialogue with the arts

Resumen

This research aimed to design a comprehensive teacher training model that adopts art as an interdisciplinary methodological axis, capable of transcending the instrumentalist approaches embedded in the current curriculum. It calls for the overcoming of obsolete pedagogical models, especially those grounded in the banking concept of education. A qualitative methodology was proposed, based on collaborative action research, with the implementation of five thematic axes involving 59 participants (teachers and students). The experience integrated active pedagogies (Montessori, Reggio Emilia, Waldorf) with Art Thinking. Key findings indicate that artistic creation fosters transdisciplinary dialogue; the body and sound re-signify educational space; and these practices promote critical thinking beyond technical skills. The study concludes that art is an end in itself and emphasizes the need for public policies that reform school spaces, incorporate art laboratories into teacher training, and promote partnerships with established cultural institutions. It offers guidelines for moving beyond curricular reductionism toward an education centered on interdisciplinarity and human complexity.