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This essay presents an analysis of the most relevant approaches to mathematical modeling, such as the educational, socio-critical, and computational approaches, emphasizing their characteristics, purposes, and applications. Recent documents were selected to generate theoretical and critical reflection on the role of mathematical modeling in teaching and learning processes. The findings derived from this reflection reveal that mathematical modeling develops in a cyclical process, articulating the real world and the mathematical world, connecting abstract concepts with the students' context, thus strengthening competencies related to problem-solving and critical thinking. This allows us to recognize that its implementation faces challenges framed within limited teacher training, the fragmentation of mathematical concepts, and the structural conditions that constrain technological modeling. It is concluded that the integration of these approaches to mathematical modeling contributes to the development of critical, participatory individuals committed to transforming their environment.
