The term “pedagogy” is used to refer to the art and science of teaching. What exactly does this mean? It means that a teacher must be proficient in all areas of their chosen field. There are four pedagogical competencies that are used in education. They include purpose, content, communication skills, and professional development.
The first pedagogical competency is purpose. Saying that you love kids just does not cut it. I want to pursue a career in education so I can continue to learn and grow with my future students. A common misconception is that this competency is all about the reasons a teacher decides to teach. Instead, purpose is what the teacher is hoping to gain from his or her teaching experiences. Purpose also includes a teacher’s personal philosophy in regards to education, the attitude they bring to the classroom environment, and their teaching style. No two teachers are exactly alike, even if they borrow ideas from one another. For example, I am driven by the fact that my students will be the world’s next generation of innovators, world leaders, and even educators. One of my strengths is that I am not afraid to share my philosophy on education with others. I also love to hear other people’s philosophies because it sheds a new light on the topic. Also, bits and pieces of philosophies can be incorporated into my personal mission statement.
However, I do have trouble asking for others to share their opinions. To cope with this, I will make sure to attend educational seminars and conferences that will provide me with some new perspectives on education as a whole. Attitude is also a huge part of purpose. A teacher may hope to be a role model to their students and use that idea as the foundation of their job. Other teachers might want to pursue a career in the education field because they want to see their students pick up on new concepts. As I mentioned before, I want to pass knowledge on to my students as well as learn from them at the same time. Basically, attitude is what a teacher considers to be the primary reason that teaching is a worthwhile task. Depending on the way each teacher thinks, they will develop their own teaching style. A strategy that works with one teacher may not work for another. I was presented with a pyramid of various teaching strategies that were separated into three categories: dialogue- oriented, student- focused, and teacher- focused. Some teachers prefer to use a method of teaching that does not allow students to participate as much. I feel that a lecture- based teaching method would not work for me. I believe that it is very ineffective for a teacher to do all the talking. Children must contribute to class discussions and get comfortable with sharing their views. That is how a student grows and finds their place in the classroom environment. If I do stray into a lecture- heavy teaching pattern, I will remind myself to get my students involved. After all, they will be the ones who are tested on their understanding of the new information. This being said, I am an open- minded person who is willing to try anything once and mix things up when they get too repetitive. I consider that kind of adaptability to be one of my greatest strengths.
Another pedagogical competency that we discussed in class is content. There are two parts to this competency. A teacher must understand the specific material in their concentration and how to teach it in an appropriate manner. The subject material is referred to as the static content and the knowledge of how to teach it is called the dynamic content. One of the major differences between elementary educators and secondary educators is that they are responsible for very different amounts of static content. Middle and high school teachers are usually responsible for teaching a single subject, maybe two. This requires them to have a greater understanding of the subject concentration. They must explain topics more thoroughly and be prepared for longer responses, as well as more philosophical questions that may not even relate to the matter at hand. Teachers in an elementary school setting must be proficient in many different subjects simultaneously. Instead of focusing on a particular one, they must have knowledge in all areas. However, they do not have to give too many in- depth explanations of some of the content. On the other hand, both elementary and secondary school teachers are required to know how to teach their courses. It is essential that teachers observe the reactions of their students and adjust their lessons on a daily basis depending on these reactions. Simple facial signs can hint to the level of understanding a student has reached. A teacher must be able to detect these signs so they can plan accordingly and solve any issues that could arise. Instead of asking students if they have questions at the end of the lesson, I will review my static content ahead of time and pick out the pieces that may need to be defined more clearly. In class, I will focus on these for a greater length of time. However, if a student still does not understand something, I will make it easier for them to ask questions without that feeling of shame. From personal experience, I know that sometimes it can seem like you are the only one who cannot grasp a certain topic. It almost feels embarrassing to raise your hand because you fear being labeled as “the stupid one”. I never want my students to feel that way. I have familiarized myself with technology and discovered online portals that enable students to submit anonymous questions to their teacher. I plan to implement these types of programs in my classroom so that I know what my students are struggling with. As Ebert and Culyer 2014 mentioned, “…the environment has no intention of adapting to us.” Therefore, teachers must take on that role.
The third pedagogical competency deals with communication skills. There are unspoken guidelines that teachers must follow when speaking to different audiences. For example, a teacher would not talk to a student in the same way that they would speak to a coworker. In a student- teacher conversation, the teacher serves as the authoritative figure and must clearly outline their expectations beforehand in order to stay on task and be understood. Complex language is usually avoided in these situations because some students need concepts to be explained in simpler terms. It is also the responsibility of the teacher to learn different ways of teaching the same idea. Teachers must communicate with parents on a different level. They are required to facilitate parent- teacher conferences to discuss the progress a student is making. Ebert and Culyer mentioned that teachers must allow parents to communicate their viewpoint in regards to their child’s strengths and problem areas. Teachers need to see where they are coming from and apply that information to the task. It is also necessary that the teacher brings up any other issues that a child may be facing. All the while, they must maintain a professional tone and keep the child’s best interests in mind. Communication with parents can become challenging if they speak a foreign language. It is suggested that teachers are fluent in an additional language or have a translator arranged for these types of occurrences. Contrary to the beliefs of some educators, communication with parents should not be limited to talking about “the bad things”. As a future educator, I plan to send out occasional emails to parents that keep them updated on their students’ achievements in the classroom. Highlighting the positive things will create a better relationship between parent and teacher in the long run. Teachers often turn to one another for advice as well. Why? Because other educators may have some different perspectives on teaching methods that they would like to share, words of wisdom, or even just the ability to listen when a colleague is facing some sort of obstacle. They are peers. On the other hand, communication with administrators is a different story altogether. In that situation, the teacher switches roles and becomes the student in a sense.
Administrators serve as authoritative figures and are often on the receiving end of parent complaints when an issue arises. It is important that administrators and teachers collaborate to solve problems as quickly and efficiently as possible. Principals and school superintendents are in charge of decision-making and conversations with them often take on a more serious tone. After all, they do have the ability to release a teacher from their job which means that it is absolutely essential that teachers make a good impression on them at all times. This same idea applies when teachers are communicating with the community. If they are asked to take part in an interview, an educator must be careful to represent their school in the right way. Keep in mind that everything can be taken out of context. Even participating in an off- campus education convention, the words of the teacher still reflects on their school as a whole. With all the different audiences teachers must communicate with, it is appropriate to compare it to speaking multiple languages.
Professional development is the last pedagogical competency. This type of development is achieved through extra experiences that teachers participate in so that they can build their skills as an educator. Teachers are not just teachers. They are researchers, mentors, and most of all- learners. As a researcher, educators present their ideas at educational conferences or write and publish the findings of their projects. To do this, they get involved in programs (sometimes held at universities), that let them try out new instructional methods. Studies found that experiences like these can help a new teacher to feel more prepared for their first year as an educator. These people were also more likely to stay in the education field and continue teaching. Teachers also act as mentors to other teachers.
Mentoring is different than regular teaching because the experience focuses on individual attention. What makes a good mentor? It takes a person with enough experience, patience, and knowledge to properly help another educator. It goes beyond the basic concepts of educational instruction techniques. Usually, states require that new teachers take part in a mentoring program to avoid unnecessary stress. It also gives the “newbies” a chance to get adjusted to their new responsibilities, learn some insider tips and tricks, and form bonds with their new colleagues. Being a learner is one of the most significant roles that a teacher takes on. They never stop learning. In fact, most teachers will continue their education through online courses or seminars. After a teacher becomes certified, they are then responsible for getting recertified when the time comes. In order to get their recertification, they are asked to complete a certain number of college- level classes that will give credit towards the process. Teacher salaries often depend on how many hours an individual has spent towards earning their graduate degrees. Some programs are offered right through local school districts that count as recertification credit. Each of these roles contributes to a teacher’s development of professionalism. While in college, I am going to take as many courses as possible.
When becoming a teacher, an individual must be familiar with each pedagogical competency. They are all crucial to the education system since teachers must refer to them multiple times throughout their career. Pedagogical competencies teach educators how to improve their teaching methods, style, and attitude.
