What is pedagogy?

Pedagogy consists of the study of the techniques and methods that are used to impart teaching. This science is the basis that keeps the educational system in permanent evolution, it is a key tool that puts into practice strategies to achieve a more efficient education.

What is pedagogy?

Pedagogy is the science of education, it is framed within the social and humanistic sciences, it is closely related to the methods used to impart knowledge.

Basically, it is an interdisciplinary science, which analyzes different aspects of teaching, from the focus of research and analysis of educational theories.

For the study of education as a socio-cultural phenomenon, the extensiveness of the concept of pedagogy must be fully understood, for this reason relationships with sociology, history, anthropology, philosophy, psychology and politics are used.

The purpose of the pedagogue is to analyze theories and guide the actions that are carried out to impart knowledge. The educational system obeys the techniques, principles, methods and practical knowledge oriented to teaching.

If you examine history, you will see that many of the world-renowned pedagogues engaged in rethinking existing theories or devising new strategies to improve the educational process.

Pedagogy is associated with the permanent formation of the human being, for which it takes into account socio-cultural experiences, analyzing the individual in an integral way.

The object of study of pedagogy is education, this science guides its efforts to analyze the educational phenomenon, in relevant aspects such as the curriculum, new information technologies, teaching, research, administrative management and educational orientation.

Origin of pedagogy

Since ancient times, the great ancient civilizations such as the Greeks, Romans, Egyptians and Chinese, were the pioneers in establishing educational methods and systems, to facilitate the way of imparting knowledge.

Great thinkers of these empires, stated their interest in the importance of establishing methods to transfer knowledge and analysis techniques to citizens from an early age, with the aim of forming an analytical mind.

At first, these efforts were directed only to those who had the privilege of receiving an education. Now the evaluation of educational processes is done with a view to ensuring that quality education reaches everyone who wishes to acquire instruction.

In the seventeenth century, the traditional pedagogy movement emerged in France, which is based on the fact that a teacher imparts cultural and religious education to a group of students who only had to memorize, remaining in a passive role without interaction or the right to comment.

With free thinkers such as Pestalozzi, Rousseau, Herbart and Dewey, an evolution of traditional pedagogy is achieved, with a humanistic approach that leads to a more dynamic and positive educational system.

These pioneers in education lay the foundations for teaching methods that adapt to new concepts such as observation, experimentation, and logical reasoning.

Characteristic of pedagogy

Pedagogy is an effective, robust, and versatile tool in educational planning and design. This science uses methods and procedures to ensure that knowledge is transmitted in addition to values, to ensure that learning is comprehensive.

The field of pedagogy is so broad that it encompasses all possible areas where the child interacts, plays, studies and develops, this applies more specifically at home and at school.

The types of pedagogy that exist only vary because they add to their objectives due to the characteristics of the area of ​​knowledge with which they relate, the most prominent are:

  • children’s pedagogy,
  • critical and conceptual pedagogy,
  • social pedagogy and
  • psychopedagogy.

Pedagogy is based on education, since it is dedicated to the systematization of methods for the transmission of knowledge in all areas of human life. If you are interested in this type of content, you will find useful information in other articles available on our blog.

What is education like in Germany?

Education in Germany is excellent, students obtain high marks, motivated by educational institutions that impart knowledge and promote strategies for the training of successful people, capable of facing the challenges of an increasingly competitive field of work.

Characteristics of Education in Germany

In Germany education is compulsory, school-age children must attend public or private school, home schooling is not allowed, unless it is a student with special medical conditions.

In general, education in Germany begins at an early age, as parents of children under 6 years of age often send them to childcare centers, before entering the formal school system.

The school year in the German educational institutes is divided into two semesters, the summer holidays last 6 weeks and in the Christmas period, the students enjoy 2 weeks of rest.

The grading system responds to a scale that goes from 1 to 6, where the minimum passing is 3 points.

In the German nation there are schools called Förderschule which children suffering from a disability, physical or mental, can attend.

The Education System in Germany has international support, represented by the schools called Auslandsschulen, which remain within the German educational method.

These institutions are located abroad, they teach children of German origin and natives of the host country.

Primary Education or GRUNDSCHULE

In the primary education stage, children remain in a common course until the fourth grade. In this period they learn to read, write and count.

Then, at the end of the fourth grade, the student’s abilities are evaluated and the teacher recommends which of the schools is most recommended for them to continue their studies.

As the next step in the child’s education, the teacher recommends the alternative for them to continue their studies, which can be 4 or 6 courses.

This choice is presented to the student after analyzing important aspects such as the student’s personality, academic performance, as well as other specific abilities and skills.

Children finish the primary stage at 10 or 12 years depending on the option that is taken. At the end of primary education, no diploma is awarded.

Secondary Education

In the German Education System, secondary school is taken according to the academic level that has been maintained. Educational institutes are divided into Gymnasium, Realschule and Hauptschule.

The Gymnasium is one of the types of secondary education where, after 6 years of studies, an Abitur degree is awarded, with which you can opt for a university quota.

The Realschule is the option where the student graduates two years earlier than in the Gymnasium, in these institutes the Mittlere Reife title is obtained, with which they can access technical professional education.

The Hauptschule is a secondary training school, when this stage is completed, the student is allowed access to basic vocational education.

There is a fourth option, the educational centers called Gesamtschule, which does not separate the students, since it offers an educational program that covers the subjects together, while providing different levels of learning.

When the Realschule (after 100) and the Hauptschule (after 90) are completed, all students complement their education with training that includes learning a trade. In addition to this, they can alternate school attendance with the performance of the occupation learned.

English is the only foreign language that is compulsory learned in secondary school in the first years, then you can choose between Latin, Spanish, French, Russian or Italian.

There is no doubt that education in Germany is very well founded and can be taken as an example. Thanks to this, young people and adolescents can enter the labor field well prepared. If you liked the content of this article, find more interesting content on this topic on our blog and share.

Meet the main pioneers of education

The contributions of the main pioneers of education laid the foundations of what today are considered the foundations of teaching. At the time, these characters presented an innovative approach that, even today, serves as a guide for the development of comprehensive training at all levels.

Who are the pioneers of education?

Throughout history, you will find the pioneers of education, people who with their effort, tenacity and wisdom, contributed to the development and improvement of the processes that are carried out to impart knowledge in educational work.

In short, educators are in charge of materializing educational programs, transmitting knowledge with effective techniques and methods, in addition to sowing the seeds of curiosity, stimulating creativity, the use of the intellect and logical reasoning.

The first jobs at the professional level of the pioneers in the educational area are systematic models of effective procedures to raise the quality of the education that is imparted, where the greatest benefit is the development of a human being with capacities and abilities that can be applied in any field of knowledge.

Lev Vygotsky

He is an intellectual of Russian origin, who made important contributions in the area of ​​psychology and psychopedagogy, with which he manages to contribute to forming an educational vision with his book Thought and Language.

Vygotsky carried out extensive research in the field of neuropsychology, for which he carried out studies in which he concluded that the environment where the educational process takes place directly influences the quality of the reception of the education imparted.

One of the statements of this renowned pedagogue is that the environment affects the development of an individual’s abilities to a greater degree than the mental or genetic condition.

Maria Montessori

She is a woman with a fascinating life whose intelligence led her to excel in different areas, such as philosophy, anthropology, biology, and women’s rights activist.

In his performance as an educational professional, he carries out scientifically endorsed studies, which prove his thesis that children can learn through games, since they demonstrate the ability to investigate their environment while acquiring knowledge.

She is the author of many theories and procedures, which are collected in the Practical Manual of the Montessori method, where you can find excellent proposals to provide quality education.

Regarding the bases of his legacy, education must be taught from a humanistic approach, with 3 important aspects: the environment, love and the child-environment relationship.

The Montessori Method consists of giving the child “freedom with responsibility“, the pedagogue emphasizes that there must be an environment specially prepared to carry out the educational process by a professional trained for this purpose.

Juan Bautista La Salle

He is a professional pedagogy who was in charge of training teachers to educate low-income children. He is also a promoter of the creation of free schools and introduced changes in the educational system at all levels.

La Salle was a lawyer, a great pedagogue, a priest, and a specialist in theology. Their contributions to education are the foundations to make learning processes more effective.

His contribution to the educational system was through writings, thoughts and proposals that achieved positive changes in the way knowledge is imparted.

John Dewey

He is considered one of the most prominent American philosophers, a supporter of the progressive pedagogy movement. His contribution faced concepts of traditional education, in which knowledge was imparted in an authoritarian, inflexible and excessively formal way.

Dewey proposes a democratic and inclusive educational model, where the process is carried out with dynamic interactions, eliminating the memorization of concepts and theories, emphasizing practical learning and analysis.

Although this article brings together great figures whose influences provided the basic pillars of education, it should be added that they were not the only ones, other scholars, scientists and educators also offered their teachings to complement all this knowledge and shape the educational system of today in day.

UK Education System: Types of Schools, Educational Stages and more

The United Kingdom Educational System has an excellent international prestige, it provides the student with the necessary tools to develop their capacity, enhancing their skills and promoting their creativity.

Characteristics of the UK Education System

The quality of educational institutes in the UK is extraordinary, they have an impeccable tradition that focuses on training students with essential skills and knowledge for a successful future.

To support the student in their training process, the Educational System has proven stimulus techniques so that they can fully use their ingenuity in acquiring knowledge.

An important aspect is that education focuses on giving students effective tools to stimulate the development of their personality, competitive spirit and personal improvement.

Class groups with a small number of students is one of the most notable differences in the UK Educational System compared to systems in other countries.

In England, classrooms usually have a maximum of 10 students. This allows each student to participate and interact more easily with their peers and also to have personalized attention.

The environment of educational institutes in the United Kingdom is multicultural, students are given a safe and stable place, which encourages them to give the best of themselves, to face the challenges of a demanding quality education.

Types of Schools

In the United Kingdom Educational System there are two types of schools: public (State Schools) and private (Independent Schools or Public Schools).

Private institutes make available to the student more hours of classes, intensive courses and longer vacations than those of public schools. Although in these educational centers it is usually more expensive, it is in high demand, since it offers an education in line with the demands of today.

Wearing the uniform is mandatory in most schools, as is attending classes. If an absence is not properly justified, it can lead to fines for parents or guardians.

In all educational institutions, the compulsory subjects are English, mathematics and science (Core subjects), they are the central axis of education.

In addition to the Core subjects, the student can choose the subjects that will complete their school year (foundation subjects), among them are: design and technology, history, geography, communication and computer technology, art and design, foreign language, physical education and music .

Educational Stages

In the UK education is compulsory for children aged 5 and up to 18 years.

Up to 7 years old, students go to school only during the day, after this age they can enter a boarding school, which is a custom rooted in this educational system.

Regarding the stages of education, children from 3 to 4 years old start in Preschool, which is not compulsory. Then there is the primary school attended by children between the ages of 5 and up, to end with the secondary school that usually ends at 16 years of age.

Most of the schools maintain a varied offer of complementary study activities, such as theater, music, art, photography and public speaking.

Complementary education is a stage that young people can access from the age of 16, basically it consists of two options, the Futher Education and the Sixth form.

With the Futher Education the student obtains degrees such as BTECs Council for Business and Technology Education and NVQs Professional Training Techniques.

In the Sixth Form, students acquire skills to complete their university studies, after 2 years and if they pass the corresponding tests they can have direct access to higher education institutions.

Higher education is second to none. The quality of educational institutions at this stage is magnificent. In fact, this attracts students from all over the world who compete by doing their best for the possibility of pursuing their university degree in the UK.