I created this innovation to respond to a recurring challenge in vulnerable public schools: students were expected to write and read, but they were rarely invited to experience the joy, power and identity that writing can generate. Coming from a working-class background in the outskirts of Santiago, I grew up understanding how literature can give dignity, voice and hope. When I became a teacher in La Pintana, I found children with enormous creative potential, but with low literacy levels, limited opportunities for expression and scarce access to meaningful learning experiences.
I created The Art of Writing to transform writing into a living, playful and culturally relevant practice. Through gamification, arts and low-cost materials, students build their own books, stories and worlds. Artificial intelligence is integrated not to replace their voice, but to strengthen it: they write freely, refine their texts with guided AI feedback, illustrate them and present them to their families and community.
This model emerged because I believe the public school must be a space of emancipation, beauty and possibility. I wanted students to feel pride in their work, to recognise their cultural identity, and to understand that their stories matter. When a grandmother cried while reading her grandson’s book, I confirmed that writing can connect families, heal communities and open futures. That is why this innovation exists: to ensure every child—regardless of origin—can create, imagine and
In practice, The Art of Writing transforms a traditional classroom into a creative, playful and culturally meaningful ecosystem. The school day begins with a short socio-emotional ritual—such as the “Circle of Words” or the “Flower of Emotions”—where students identify how they feel and set an intention for the day. This prepares them to enter a safe, collaborative environment.
Students then choose missions from the gamified board: writing challenges, storytelling quests, drawing tasks or book-making steps. Each mission grants points, levels or narrative achievements that help them progress in the classroom “universe.” They write freely in their notebooks, create characters, design plots and illustrate scenes. Once their first draft is ready, they transcribe it to a digital device and use guided AI feedback to refine coherence, vocabulary and clarity—without losing their personal voice.
After editing, students transform their stories into tangible artifacts: Kamishibai boards, illustrated notebooks, flipbooks or handmade albums using low-cost and recycled materials. They present their creations to peers, families or the broader school community, often in the library or patio, which becomes a “territorio educativo.”
Teachers act as facilitators, offering formative feedback, modelling creativity and ensuring inclusion for students with SEN, multilingual backgrounds or socio-emotional needs. The classroom rhythm blends arts, writing, technology, play and cultural identity into
The Art of Writing has been spreading organically through the visibility of students’ work, community participation and professional networks. The first driver of expansion has been families, who share the books created by their children, generating pride and curiosity among other parents, teachers and local schools. Public exhibitions, kamishibai performances and reading fairs have also helped position the model as a community-based cultural experience.
At the institutional level, the innovation has been shared through the Global Teacher Prize Chile 2025, where it received national recognition in the “Comprehensive Education” category. This visibility led to invitations from universities, teacher training programs, and pedagogical leadership networks interested in adopting or adapting the model.
The innovation has also spread through the Red de Escuelas Líderes, Saberes Docentes (Universidad de Chile), and municipal networks, where workshops, mentoring sessions and classroom demonstrations have been conducted with educators from diverse contexts.
Digital platforms have amplified its impact: teachers across Chile have accessed tutorials, examples of student work, and AI-supported writing strategies. The combination of low-cost materials, cultural relevance and strong student agency has made the model easy to replicate, inspiring schools seeking meaningful ways to improve literacy and socio-emotional development.
Over time, I have expanded and strengthened this innovation through continuous reflection, collaboration and exposure to national and international learning spaces. One of the most significant modifications has been transforming the model from a classroom strategy into a whole-school learning ecosystem that integrates digital literacy, arts, socio-emotional development and game-based pedagogy.
Participation in innovation conferences, immersive workshops and professional networks —particularly the Red de Escuelas Líderes en Innovación— has allowed me to refine the model and incorporate new elements aligned with global educational trends. These experiences helped me strengthen the role of student agency, integrate low-cost technologies more effectively, and connect the project with broader goals of equity and community engagement.
Another key improvement has been the expansion of learning environments. Originally implemented only in the regular classroom, the innovation now includes systematic use of the computer lab and the school library as active learning hubs. In the computer lab, students from 5th to 8th grade draft, edit and enhance their texts using digital tools and guided AI feedback. In the library, they create, illustrate and publish their physical books, narrate their stories and participate in collaborative challenges that connect literature, identity and creativity.
The innovation has also grown in terms of student protagonism. Learners now lead storytelling se
Over time, this innovation has evolved through continuous reflection, community feedback and professional growth. One of the most significant improvements has been expanding the learning spaces: what began inside a single classroom now extends to the computer lab and library, where students from 5th to 8th grade work autonomously, collaborate and use digital tools to develop and refine their stories. These new environments allow for richer creative processes, integration of arts and technology, and more equitable access to resources.
Another key development has been the incorporation of insights gained from participating in national and international innovation congresses, immersive workshops and professional learning communities. Being part of the Red de Escuelas Líderes en Innovación has strengthened the pedagogical coherence of the model and supported its adaptation to diverse school realities. This network has also helped refine the ethical and didactic use of artificial intelligence within the writing process.
The innovation has also gained depth by reinforcing student protagonism. Learners now lead their own creative cycles—planning, writing, revising with guided AI support, illustrating and presenting their books. They make decisions, design narratives and evaluate their progress through gamified challenges. These modifications have transformed the model into a more flexible, inclusive and culturally responsive ecosystem, ensuring that every child can participate mea
