Escuchar para transformar: estrategia de comunicación aplicada centrada en la escucha activa en el Colegio Gimnasio Modelia Real

Abstract

The Listen to Transform project was developed with the aim of strengthening internal communication processes at the Gimnasio Modelia Real School through the implementation of strategies focused on active listening as a tool to improve coexistence, participation, and a sense of belonging among teachers and students. The research, which is qualitative and applied in nature, is part of the Communication and Peace program at Santo Tomás University and is based on the recognition of communication as a relational, ethical, and transformative process within educational environments. Through semi-structured interviews and observations, the study identified a series of tensions in institutional communication channels, especially in students' perceptions. This situation highlighted the need to open spaces for horizontal dialogue that would allow for the free expression of ideas and emotions. Based on these findings, an active listening workshop was designed and implemented, conceived as an experiential pedagogical intervention that sought to promote empathy, understanding, and mutual respect among educational actors. The workshop, developed with eleventh-grade students, integrated symbolic, artistic, and reflective dynamics that facilitated the identification of emotions, creative expression, and the formulation of proposals to improve institutional communication. The results demonstrated significant progress in the dis willingness to engage in dialogue, group cohesion, and understanding the value of listening as a daily practice. The experience showed that internal communication can become a strategic axis for building a more humane, participatory, and collaborative school culture. Listening ceased to be a passive act and became a pedagogical action capable of generating noticeable changes in interpersonal relationships and the school climate. In addition to meeting its academic objectives, the project proposes a replicable path for other educational institutions interested in strengthening their communication culture through empathy, participation, and recognition of others as an essential part of the educational process.