TEACHING MATHEMATICS IN RURAL CONTEXTS: A DOCUMENTARY REVIEW ON INCLUSION AND LOCAL KNOWLEDGE

Abstract

This documentary review article analyzes strategies to optimize mathematics teaching in rural areas under equity and inclusion approaches. The purpose is to propose pedagogical and public policy guidelines that foster comprehensive, sustainable, and culturally relevant education. The methodology was based on a critical analysis of specialized literature, selecting sources that address innovative pedagogical approaches, the use of technological resources, and the integration of traditional knowledge in the face of the structural challenges of the rural environment. The results reveal that, although obstacles such as deficient infrastructure and limited teacher training persist, these are mitigated through participatory methodologies and the use of contextualized technologies. It was identified that systemic collaboration between families, social organizations, and the school is the axis that guarantees the sustainability of interventions. Likewise, formative assessment is positioned as an essential tool to promote autonomy and personal growth in diverse environments. In conclusion, educational transformation requires an ethical-political commitment that recognizes cultural diversity as a pedagogical value and not as a deficiency. In terms of practical implications, rural teachers must immediately redesign their teaching units by integrating mathematical problems based on the productive and daily reality of the community (ethnomathematics). Furthermore, it is imperative that they initiate processes of mapping local knowledge alongside community leaders so that the classroom ceases to be an isolated space and becomes a center for social innovation. Only through this humanization of teaching will a truly inclusive and quality mathematics education be achieved.