What is Pedagogy?

 As an industry things are constantly changing. There are things you have probably missed or maybe do not fully understand. The articles in the "What is..." section are to fill you in, catch you up, or introduce you to various educational topics.

We hear a lot of talk about pedagogy in education.

Sometimes I think it is one of those words we use but don't really understand like "natural" or "different".

Or maybe more like epistemology and holistic. (we might discuss these terms another day)

They are common place in education courses at your nearest university but can be somewhat difficult to define.

Hopefully we can simplify pedagogy and understand why it is so important.

Pedagogy is the way you teach. 

We will dig a little deeper but first a little history....

Pedagogical College of Da Lat in Vietnam

The root word of pedagogy is pedagogue. A pedagogue is simply one who teaches in a formal training or formal education.

The pedagogues can be traced back through history but the term began to be associated with teachers in the 13th and 14th centuries. They were tutors to young men training in the latin and greek languages.

They were basically college professors. People who had to pay extremely close attention to detail and form. The word pedagogue literally meant a dogmatic person who is obsessed with form and order.

It was actually an adjective describing the boy school tutors.

The nature of the the curriculum (latin) demanded a strict order and form. It was only spoken and written one way (out of which we developed common rules for language commas, punctuation, spelling (which I still have not perfected).

However, as education became a scientific subject in universities the practice and method of teaching was to be "formal" similar to the methods of the earlier pedagogues.

Thus the term pedagogy.

Helpful synonyms:
- Instruction
- Educational philosophy
-Teaching methodology                  


Why is pedagogy relevant in your classroom?

• Pedagogy is how you teach. Your teaching practices should be in line with your educational philosophy. (It is important that you do not teach in a manner that contradicts your beliefs of education. You will probably not be very effective if this is the case.) 
• Are you the holder of knowledge or facilitator of knowledge? 
• Do you teach a subject or do you teach people?
• Does your lessons and assignments reflect the answers to the previous two questions?
• If you believe that students should discover information...do you limit their resources or open them up?

Pedagogy is not a rock solid document pr a simple list of do's and don'ts.

It can and should change from teacher to teacher...subject to subject... and even year to year. 

Not only does your pedagogy not have to be the same as the teacher next door but your own methods of teaching should evolve.

Does your pedagogy line up with the pedagogy of your school/administration?

Have you even considered your personal pedagogy?