Understanding Pedagogy in Elementary Education

Famously known Albert Einstein said, “It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge”. Based on Einstein’s ideas, being a teacher extends far beyond providing basic classroom instruction, formatting daily lesson plans, and taking attendance regularly. Today, teaching has become an increasingly multifaceted profession as teachers assume parental roles and work as a role model for their students. The common perception of a teachers role in society has shifted dramatically as once teachers were given a strict curriculum to abide by with instructions pertaining to the form it should be taught in. However, teachers have now been openly encouraged to adopt different personas while instructing to accommodate each student’s individual needs while simultaneously teaching students life skills which will allow them to be of value in society. Thus, teachers have begun to look for innovative ways to engage students and through the incorporation of hands-on learning activities in the classroom, children have become routinely programmed to follow instruction which has positively altered their classroom expectations and willingness to learn.

Hands-on or experimental learning refers to learning through experiencing the material first hand. This learning style is not a recent idea but rather quite ancient originating from the work of Aristotle. In his work, Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle notes that “for the things we have to learn before we can do them, we learn by doing them” (1). Aristotle’s words have become increasingly popular on the educational front today as teachers have adapted this model of learning through experience to develop students intellectual and social skills. However, for this learning system to be effective, the student must be willing to engage and reflect on their personal learning experience while utilizing analytical and problem-solving techniques to process the concepts being presented.

Yet, engaging in this new teaching method can sometimes be difficult for young children so it is clear that hands-on learning can be used in some situations more effectively than others. For example, a child cannot learn how to ride a bike through the exposure of the steps in a classroom, rather, they must go outside and physically step on the bike to try it out. However, the concept of hands-on learning is not flawless, as there have been downsides documented. Critics claim that hands-on learning would be more productive if paired with the elements of traditional learning. This is valid in the case of higher education, but in elementary education leaving teaching techniques up to the teacher's desecration is more beneficial to the classroom setting as a whole. Young children typically have short attention spans and a fully developed hands-on learning system is the best methodology to utilize in an elementary classroom as children will be more engaged and able to actively participate in the class.

Primarily in elementary school classrooms, teachers are strong advocates for rule- following and enforce this through reiterating expectations at the beginning of every class. A universal classroom rule is to raise your hand if you would like to speak in class. However, the system of hands-on learning challenges this guideline as teachers understand that children learn different ways: visually, auditory, kinesthetic, and tactile. Hands-on projects engage students who require movement to learn best, kids who must talk about what they're doing, and those who must see what everyone else is creating and learn from others. There are many alternatives to the act of hand-raising that teachers have implemented into their classrooms today. Some teachers provide students with red and green colored cards so that rather than raising their hand, students have a concrete object in front of them to enable their learning. Generally, the red shows the teacher that the students need help while the green shows that the students are doing well with the task. Through this methodology, the idea of a traditional classroom is transformed into that of new opportunity for the students as classroom expectations are altered for those who are normally used to sitting in their desks and following teacher instruction for long periods.

For teacher’s lesson planning is a crucial factor in managing a successful elementary classroom as the student’s willingness to learn new information originates from how it is presented. The process of planning a lesson begins with establishing objectives where the audience, behavior, conditions, and degrees must be identified. Audience refers to those who are learning while behavior measures the skill which students will demonstrate. The equipment used to measure a specific skill and how well the students fulfill the designated skill requirements covers the conditions and degrees of educational planning. As a teacher, beginning each lesson with immediate instruction is very effective if presented engagingly. Rather than jumping right into the lesson, an ice breaker between the students or a game related to the lesson is a better alternative. In hands-on learning, atmosphere activity remains the most important part of instruction in the classroom. Several teachers encourage individual work time but small group activities have become increasingly popular increasing social interactions while learning new problem-solving techniques at the same time.

Establishing a hands-on learning classroom requires more planning on the teachers part but in return, teachers are providing for those children that require movement to reach their full potential. To increase the amount of time students spend hands-on teachers have explored different methods proved to be effective. Adding different tools like number charts and lines, puzzles, drawing materials, and models in stations around the room both support individual learning and provide children with the opportunity to engage with their hands and minds. As an assessment teachers have begun to have students record their learning projects through flip books with a page dedicated to what was learned at each station. Elementary educators also suggest that keeping kids moving between observation, visualization, and collaboration stations add variety to the routine which the kids learn to respect. For each station some teachers have even started grouping children by similar interest so project engagement is increased and those kids with similarities can do what they enjoy, keeping them occupied, and begin to interact with those students similar to them. This pedagogy of establishing both a successful social and learning classroom allows children to establish an individualistic knowledge and engage themselves while also learning how to interact with children who have the same goals as them.

The famous Greek rhetorician Aristotle first introduced the concept of ethos, commonly associated with credibility. However, the meaning of ethos extends far beyond its denotation and most likely constitutes trust, reputation, and character. Aristotle suggesting that ethos is not obtained through rehearsal but rather through knowledge obtained through accomplishments. Teachers take the concept of ethos into practice daily in their classrooms, especially in elementary classrooms as young children begin to associate the teacher with a mother figure and believe that they are a superior being. In the academic book, Best Practice: Today’s Standards for Teaching and Learning in America's Schools, authors challenge the method of “good teaching” making the argument that successful teaching is rooted in teacher’s professional knowledge paired with their ability to transfer this knowledge to the students in a meaningful manner. The idea of professional ethos in a classroom refers to the teacher’s ability to understand what is best for each student and to apply this knowledge with professional practice. Aristotle additionally described the rhetorical situation as “the ability to observe in any given situation the available means of persuasion” (1).

This idea of rhetoric has commonly been explored by writers to persuade but can also be applied in the classroom for teachers to better understand what they are teaching and who it is directed towards. Understanding rhetoric in the classroom allows for the teacher to process why the students may not be making connections with the information presented and addresses a common misconception teachers have that the second they step foot I the classroom, the students will automatically see credibility when in reality ethos is necessary for convincing the students. It is common for elementary classrooms to be filled with an abundance of emotion. Thus, pathos is used regularly in the classroom as teachers must be prepared for anything their students may be feeling regularly.

Emotions are a significant part of development and it is common for kids to feel frustration on things adults perceive not a “big deal” like breaking a pencil but sometimes kids behavior is triggered from some extrinsic force, like issues at home. Thus, teachers must be able to read their student’s emotions and utilize pathos to sway students behavior, leading to more effective classroom management. By connecting with students emotionally, teachers can gain trust from the students and adhere to the expectations kids have in a classroom setting being away from home.

In literature, logos refers to the use of logical argument paired with evidence to support a specific point of view. Yet, in an elementary classroom, a place so full of emotions, it may seem hard to appeal to the students in a logical way. As young kids starting a new school away from home there may be fear, crying, which leads to a lack of interest and concentration on what the teacher is trying to present. However, appealing to a students sense of reason requires drawing upon facts and research to convey a message. In elementary classrooms, students logical minds are still developing which makes it crucial for the teacher to incorporate games, reading groups, and time set aside for therapeutic activities such as coloring, to ease the transition. Young kids need a routine rather than be walking into the classroom and immediately starting instruction or beginning with a learning counting game or group reading session. Teaching young kids should not be lecture-based like a high school or college classroom and should not be heavy with information like middle school-aged children. Rather, with the young children teaching should be interactive, expressive, where the children can learn to appreciate what the teacher is doing for them, develop a relationship away from home, and grow socially and intellectually.

Hands-on learning, in the simplest form, is the process of learning by doing and to be frank, children are natural hands-on learners. Take an infant as an example. Infants don’t learn from lengthy lectures or daily worksheets but rather through exploration of the environment. This type of exploratory learning is what elementary educators are beginning to incorporate into the classroom but this education does not solely depend on the educator but the parents too. Parents must set a foundation which can be built on in the classroom and this can be executed in a variety of ways. For example, legos and other open-ended building toys are a great start as the endless possibilities for creation teach children problem-solving skills as they can take an idea, correct when needed, and try again. Getting children involved around the house is another way where they can get exposed to new tools. So, while parents build the foundation at home teachers are responsible to complement this role of a parent, supporting their students and encouraging them to build a connection with their work enjoyably. A successful teachers role is not entirely consumed with academics but requires a sense of purpose, clear objectives, positive attitude, and a clear communication network. What students take away from there years at school are not all the A’s they got on assignments, but rather a teacher, a role model, who was passionate about their job and enlightened their minds to embrace greatness.