Education as a special area of ​​human activity is studied by pedagogy. What is pedagogy, how did it arise, and what definition can be given to it?
Etymology
This term has a very interesting origin. In ancient Greece, the escort of a slave to the children of his master at school was of a certain name - pedagogy. What is the meaning of the condition? Just in the language of the ancient Greeks, the word "child" sounded like "paydos", and the verb "message" was pronounced as "ago." So it turned out that the "slave-teacher" was called "paydayogosom."
Over time, the meaning of the word “pedagogy” has changed. What is pedagogy today? In the ordinary sense, this is all the same accompaniment of a child, a student, only the extent of such parting activities is different. The teacher is the one who accompanies the child through life.
From the history of pedagogy. Western school
Well-known philosophers spoke of how to be taught. For example, Immanuel Kant, who lived in the 18th century, believed that the socialization of an individual in the learning process is the main tool that helps to create a well-educated person who can live in a civilized society and benefit humanity.
Such reflections can be considered advanced for their time, because up to the 19th century, education was closely connected with religion. Literate people then were mainly confessors, ministers of churches and monasteries, who were engaged in pedagogical activities along with the theological ones.
The Western school of pedagogy underwent major changes at the beginning of the 20th century. Education gradually began to move away from the dogmatic canons of religiosity and became an indispensable attribute of an independent and wealthy person. In the middle of the last century, reforms in the education system swept across Western Europe and America. Their result was the construction of a new system, more humane and oriented at the same time to the interests of each individual student, and to the needs of the entire human society.
Pedagogy in Russia
Education in Kievan Rus also remained associated with religion. Moreover, the main goal of literacy then was to train new priests, people who could preach and carry the word of God to the masses.
However, they taught literacy and children. In the Middle Ages, these were mainly the offspring of wealthy and influential parents. But slowly, gradually, education went to the masses.
Teacher training began in the 18th century. Teachers' seminaries and institutes were opened, and this recognized the importance of education in the life of Russian society and pedagogy as a science.
Only in Soviet times, in the 30s of the last century, education became compulsory. Starting from the age of 7, young children had to go through all the stages of schooling in order to become literate and intellectual individuals as a result.
But let's finish our brief historical digression and move on to the theory of pedagogy.
Science pedagogy
What is pedagogy as a science? To date, its definitions are offered a great many. However, the following can be considered the shortest and most capacious: pedagogy is the science of education.
How else do you define this concept? Pedagogy is the science of transferring experience from the older generation to the young, as well as the active assimilation by students of the knowledge communicated to them. As you see, the orientation of pedagogical activity appears in this definition: it is performed by the teacher and perceived by his students.
Pedagogy is also the science of training, upbringing and education, as well as self-training, self-education and self-education. This definition indicates the processes that accompany this discipline as an activity. In this case, the emphasis is also placed on the fact that the concept of “pedagogy” involves the participation of two parties in the process: the one who teaches and the one who learns.
What does this science study? Let's talk about its characteristic attributes.
The subject and object of pedagogy
Any science has its own object and subject. And pedagogy, of course, is no exception. So, the subject of pedagogy is the formation of the student’s personality and its development, which occur during training. The object of pedagogy is the process of educating students. In this case, it is defined as the transfer of life experience from the older generation to the younger.
There is an erroneous judgment that the object of pedagogy is a student, since the educational activity of the educator is directed at him. This is not true. In the process of mastering knowledge, the individual himself does not change, changes occur at the level of subtle matter - the person’s personality. And therefore, the activity of a psychologist often turns out to be related to pedagogy, and each good teacher is essentially a little psychologist at heart.
The functions of pedagogy as a science
Like any science, pedagogy has its own functions. They can be conditionally divided into theoretical and practical.
The theoretical functions of pedagogy include:
- the study of knowledge on pedagogy accumulated over the centuries of the existence of mankind, as well as the development of the latest advanced developments in the field of education;
- diagnosis of existing pedagogical situations and phenomena, establishing the causes of their occurrence and development;
- drawing up a clear plan of action aimed at transforming the existing pedagogical situation and its improvement.
Practical Functions:
- development of teaching aids, plans, manuals intended for educators;
- introduction of fresh practices into educational practice;
- assessment and analysis of the results of pedagogical activity.
What is a pedagogical activity?
The work of the teacher, mentor in the education of the child’s personality is the main one. Pedagogy, of course, takes into account the family situation and secures the support of the child's parents. However, the main training and educational work is still carried out by the teacher. What is pedagogical activity and what definition can be given to it?
Pedagogical activity is the practice of transferring to students the social experience accumulated by mankind, as well as the formation of favorable conditions for the development of the child’s personality. It is not necessarily done only by a school teacher or university teacher. Indeed, professional pedagogy requires a teacher to have specialized education. However, if we recall a parent teaching his children, we will understand that his actions can also be attributed to pedagogical activity. After all, he transfers his experience to the younger generation and thereby changes the personalities of children.
What distinguishes directed pedagogical activity from any other is the presence of a clearly defined goal. And this goal is education.
In what areas of pedagogical activity does the teacher work?
Teaching is not an abstract concept. It is divided into several separate types, each of which has its own practical content and purpose. So, each teacher analyzes the educational process and studies the theoretical foundations of his profession. In addition, the teacher in the course of pedagogical interaction learns about the personality characteristics of his students. Such an activity is called cognitive, or gnostic.
The teacher is engaged in designing. He develops new methods and training programs, prepares for lessons that differ in form from standard ones. The teacher analyzes the tasks that the education system sets before him, and on their basis finds the appropriate solutions. The teacher carries out organizational activities. This means that under his guidance, students perform certain pedagogical tasks. The communicative activity, also carried out by the teacher, lies in his ability to build a dialogue with both the students themselves and their parents, as well as with the administration and colleagues.
There is a separate area of ​​teacher activity - correctional pedagogy. What is it? Corrective pedagogy is a developmental and educational lesson with children with special needs, which are conducted according to special programs. Such activities are usually carried out by teachers who have received appropriate educational training.
Teacher: what is he like?
Education of a person’s personality is hard and responsible work. Pedagogy is nevertheless increasingly depreciating nowadays. However, professionals motivated to achieve success still meet, work in their place and really sow “reasonable, good, eternal”.
What should be a successful teacher? What qualities of mental organization distinguish it? In fact, the character traits of a teacher are largely determined by the specifics of his work. But at the same time, as a pedagogical profession characterized by clearly directed activities, it imposes no less clear requirements on the future teacher. So, the teacher must be ready for teaching. This readiness is reflected in his theoretical knowledge and practical skills, and also has physical and psychological components. The teacher must be prepared for stress, be able to withstand them. In addition, the teacher needs good health and considerable stamina in order to work with a large number of students.
The teacher himself must constantly study, try to increase the level of his intellectual development and teaching skills. In his work, he should use innovative forms of organization of the educational process. At the same time, a prerequisite for successful pedagogical activity is a love for children and a willingness to transfer to them not only their knowledge, but also a piece of their own soul.
Where to get the teaching profession?
There are quite a lot of pedagogical universities, almost every more or less large city has its own. In addition, many universities have departments or faculties of pedagogy. For example, there is a faculty of pedagogy at Moscow State University, one of the oldest universities in Russia. And at the prestigious university of the Republic of Belarus - BSU - there is a department of pedagogy.
In addition, in Russia and throughout the post-Soviet space in recent decades, a huge number of commercial higher education institutions have opened. It’s prestigious to get education in many of them, and it’s much harder to enter some of them than at state universities. This is also the leading commercial educational institution in Moscow, which will be discussed below.
Institute of Psychology and Pedagogy
This educational institution grew out of the scientific and practical center “Correction”. In 1990, the institution was called the Institute of Psychology and Pedagogy.
Today, there are six psychological and pedagogical specialties, and the forms of training remain traditional: full-time, part-time and evening. In addition, university teachers prepare applicants for admission to the institute on Sunday courses and classes in an intensive educational program.
Students of this institute are trained for 5-6 years, the duration of study depends on the form of education and faculty they have chosen.
Final word
There is a special, noble and high mission of man. It consists in professional activity, and this activity is pedagogical. Pedagogy is not just a science or a branch of professional theory and practice. It is also a calling that needs to be met. That is why people who can be called teachers, professionals with a capital letter, are worthy of respect.