The Artistry of Teaching

I consider myself a fairly decent cook. When I invite the family over for an occasional Sunday dinner, theyʻre usually quick to respond, and they often angle for leftovers. I learned at my motherʻs side, but I was quite young and not always attentive. But I do remember my mother at the counter preparing ingredients without a cookbook, sipping the broths or smelling the aroma when she lifted the cover of a simmering pot roast. I learned mostly how to cook from cookbooks, following the recipe. Then as I prepared the recipe several times, I veered from the recipe and began improvising, adding different seasonings and other ingredients.

Becoming a teacher in the early stages often seems like needing to follow a prescribed set of procedures. Sometimes it may look easy because we were all students once, and the experience is familiar after 13 years of schooling from kindergarten to high school. But like professional chefs who learn the science of cooking, the chemical interactions of ingredients, the effect of temperature, the surface and size of cooking receptacles, and so much more, new teachersʻ academic learning transforms into artistry as they become more creative, innovative, and more aware of their different audiences.

There’s a term that refers to the artistry and science of teaching — pedagogy — pronounced pe-da-gō-jee with the 3rd syllable stressed. Its etymology is Greek, “paidagōgia” meaning “to lead a child” and derived from “pais” (child) and “agō” (“to lead”). It evolved from Greek to Latin to French before entering the English language in the 16th century. You sometimes hear the teachers use the term ʻpedagogyʻ when we’re speaking about teaching, but it refers to the art of teaching, influenced by the social, psychological development of learners against a world landscape of politics and economics.

In our preschool and elementary, we practice whatʻs called a “constructivist pedagogy.” Students have opportunities to ask questions that help to construct pathways of learning. Discussions, experiments, speculations, hands-on activities, research trips, talking to experts is the methodology for student-led learning. Teachers function like chefs by taking a more creative approach so students are constructing their own meaning rather than having the teacher spoonfeed information through lecture and repetition. One of the best ways to understand pedagogy is to read the teachers’ blogs. Beyond description, some blogs explain how a strategy works and the outcomes by including samples of student work.

It takes time to develop an artistry in teaching. It’s being bold, taking action, having confidence. It’s knowing what strategy to employ or devising an activity inspired by your knowledge of the topic and knowledge about learners. It’s “sipping” the classroom flavor and knowing just how much ʻseasoning’ to add — open-ended questions, a thinking routine, time out for reflection, a turn-and-talk, etc. — to get students ʻcooking.’ This is pedagogy.

E Kūlia Kākou! Let’s strive and aspire together!

For our children,

Edna L. Hussey, Ed.D.
Principal