Títeres que enseñan paz: una estrategia para prevenir el bullying y promover la justicia escolar restaurativa en cuarto de primaria

Abstract

School coexistence in rural primary school contexts faces challenges such as bullying, a phenomenon that, beyond the aggression itself, reveals the urgent need to transform punitive approaches toward practices of peace. Within this framework, the central objective of this study is to analyze the potential of using titles as a didactic strategy for investigating bullying and promoting restorative school justice among fourth-grade students in the Municipality of San Miguel, Putumayo. The study is based on a qualitative approach to Educational Action Research, under hermeneutic and socio-critical paradigms that allowed us, as teacher-researchers, to act as agents of transformation. The intervention, carried out with 37 students from the Agua Clara Rural Educational Institution, was structured as a five-session didactic sequence where the title acted as a symbolic mediator to address bullying, justice, and reparation. Through field notes, we recorded not only the interactions but also our own reflections on the pedagogical practice. The implementation revealed that, while initial difficulties exist in managing frustration and collaborative work, the title acts as an “emotional shield” that facilitates the sharing of experiences and the development of empathy. Our pedagogical interpretation suggests that artistic mediation reduces resistance and allows conflict to become an opportunity for critical learning. Furthermore, a shift towards dialogue and the collective construction of agreements is evident, suggesting the potential of the restorative approach. In conclusion, the articulation between puppetry and restorative justice constitutes a situated and relevant proposal for rural areas. This strategy not only contributes to bullying prevention but also redefines school coexistence, positioning students and teachers as active, empathetic, and co-responsible subjects in building a culture of peace based on human dignity.