PHYSICAL EDUCATION BEYOND SPORTS: SOWING COEXISTENCE AND TRANSFORMING THE CLASSROOM IN THE COLOMBIAN CONTEXT

Abstract

Physical education in Colombian rural contexts has historically been undervalued, reduced to recreational practices without recognition of its formative potential. This article proposes a critical re-reading of this subject as a pedagogical tool to foster coexistence, especially in multigrade schools with structural limitations. It is based on the premise that the body, in motion, can become a mediator for the ethical, emotional, and communal construction of learning. The methodology employed consisted of a documentary and reflective analysis of pedagogical theories such as the pedagogy of the body, meaningful learning, and education for peace, complemented by a review of rural experiences in Colombia. The material, institutional, and cultural conditions that shape the rural scenario were addressed, contrasting the strengths and weaknesses of physical education in this context. The results show that, despite the scarce infrastructure and lack of specialized training, rural teachers develop creative strategies that link the body with the territory and the community. Cooperative play, relational motor skills, and body expression emerge as effective practices to promote values such as respect, empathy, and solidarity among students. It is concluded that rural physical education, when oriented towards coexistence, can transform the classroom into a space for meeting and collective construction. A contextualized pedagogical strategy is proposed that articulates body, ethics, and territory, and further research is encouraged on its role in social transformation from rurality.