5.1 Authentic Literacy Pedagogy: An Overview

Summary

This script delves into authentic pedagogy, tracing its roots to Rousseau and further developed by Dewey and Montessori. It contrasts traditional didactic teaching with progressive, student-centered approaches that emphasize experiential learning and relevance to students' lives. Authentic literacy pedagogy is highlighted as an evolution from teacher-centered to learner-centered practices, fostering natural growth in reading and writing through meaningful engagement and interaction.

Takeaways

• 📚 Authentic pedagogy is a teaching philosophy that emphasizes the importance of experiential learning and relevance to students' lives, as opposed to the traditional didactic approach.
• 👶 The concept of authentic education has roots in the Western tradition, starting with Jean-Jacques Rousseau's critique of didactic pedagogy for being boring and disengaging.
• 🌟 John Dewey and Maria Montessori are key figures in the development of progressive education, which is an approach that values active student engagement and experiential learning.
• 🏫 Dewey believed that authentic education is intrinsic to democracy and that it should be about doing things that are relevant to students' lives, not just for the sake of scoring well in school.
• 🔧 Montessori's pedagogy involved creating 'contraptions' to help children understand concepts in a hands-on, tangible way, which is still used in Montessori classrooms today.
• 🌱 The shift from didactic to authentic pedagogy is characterized by a move from teacher-centered to student-centered learning, allowing for more interaction and self-expression.
• 🌐 The progressive education movement, spearheaded by figures like Dewey, aimed to prepare students for a rapidly changing world by fostering social interaction and a sense of community.
• 📈 Authentic literacy pedagogy involves building on children's existing speaking and listening skills, leading them to reading and writing through activities that are meaningful and connected to their experiences.
• 🔗 The new and old knowledge should not be separated in authentic pedagogy; instead, students' life experiences and understanding should be integrated with new learning.
• 💡 The contrast between didactic and authentic pedagogy is evident in the classroom layout and teaching methods, with the latter being more child-centered and focused on student interests and needs.
• 📘 The term 'authentic' in pedagogy signifies a 'trueness' to students' interests and needs, emphasizing the importance of relevance and engagement in the learning process.

Q & A

What is the term used to describe a pedagogy that emphasizes experiential learning and relevance to the student's life?

Authentic pedagogy is the term used to describe a teaching approach that focuses on experiential learning and making education relevant to the student's life.

Who is credited with the origins of the concept of authentic pedagogy in the Western tradition?

Jean-Jacques Rousseau, an 18th-century French philosopher, is credited with the origins of the concept of authentic pedagogy in the Western tradition.

What critique does Rousseau have of didactic pedagogy?

Rousseau critiques didactic pedagogy as being boring and not engaging with the student, involving passive information ingestion that may not seem relevant.

Who are the two key figures in the development of progressive education in the early 20th century?

John Dewey and Maria Montessori are the two key figures in the development of progressive education in the early 20th century.

What was John Dewey's view on the relationship between authentic education and democracy?

John Dewey believed that authentic education is intrinsic to democracy, emphasizing the importance of experiential and relevant learning for students.

What did John Dewey argue about the nature of authentic education?

John Dewey argued that authentic education should be experiential, actively engaging, and relevant to the student's life, as opposed to formal memorization and passive learning.

What was the term used to describe the educational movement in the 20th century that was influenced by John Dewey's ideas?

The educational movement influenced by John Dewey's ideas in the 20th century was called progressive education.

What is the main difference between didactic and authentic pedagogy in terms of classroom layout and teaching approach?

Didactic pedagogy is teacher-centered, curriculum-centered, and content-centered, while authentic pedagogy is child-centered, focusing on student interests and needs, and is relevant to them.

What is the significance of the term 'authentic' in the context of pedagogy?

In the context of pedagogy, 'authentic' signifies a certain kind of trueness to students' interests, needs, and relevance to life, as opposed to a more traditional, teacher-centered approach.

How did Maria Montessori's approach to education differ from traditional methods?

Maria Montessori's approach to education differed by creating a highly engaged, hands-on pedagogy with workstations and 'contraptions' that allowed students to learn through tangible, concrete experiences.

What was the main goal of the child-centered classroom as depicted in the 1928 book 'The Child-Centered School'?

The main goal of the child-centered classroom was to shift the focus from teacher-centered and content-centered to engagement, interaction, and allowing space for self-expression, making learning more relevant and meaningful to the students.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Evolution of Authentic Literacy Pedagogy

This paragraph delves into the concept of authentic pedagogy, tracing its origins to Jean-Jacques Rousseau and his critique of didactic teaching methods. It highlights the shift from passive learning to an experiential approach that John Dewey and Maria Montessori championed in the 20th century. The paragraph emphasizes the importance of relevance and engagement in education, aligning with democratic values and the need for a progressive educational model that prepares students for a rapidly changing world. The summary underscores the contrast between traditional didactic pedagogy and the more interactive, student-centered approach of authentic pedagogy.

05:01

🌟 Pioneers of Progressive Education: Montessori and Dewey

The second paragraph focuses on the contributions of Maria Montessori and John Dewey to the field of education. Montessori's hands-on, learner-centered approach in poor schools of Rome is detailed, showcasing her innovative educational tools like rods for fraction learning and jigsaw maps. Dewey's philosophy of education as a social activity integral to democracy is discussed, with his belief that students thrive through interaction and co-designing their learning experiences. The paragraph contrasts traditional teacher-centered classrooms with the child-centered model of authentic pedagogy, illustrating the shift towards a more inclusive and meaningful educational environment.

Keywords

💡Authentic Pedagogy

Authentic pedagogy refers to an educational approach that emphasizes experiential learning and relevance to students' lives. It contrasts with didactic pedagogy, which is more focused on formal memorization and passive learning. In the context of the video, authentic pedagogy is linked to the ideas of Jean-Jacques Rousseau and further developed by John Dewey and Maria Montessori, who believed in engaging students actively in their learning process, making education intrinsic to democracy and meaningful to the individual's life.

💡Didactic Pedagogy

Didactic pedagogy is a traditional teaching method where the teacher dictates information and students passively absorb it. It is often associated with formal memorization and learning rules. The script critiques this approach as being boring and not engaging with the student. It is contrasted with authentic pedagogy, which is more experiential and student-centered.

💡Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Jean-Jacques Rousseau was an 18th-century French philosopher whose educational ideas critiqued didactic pedagogy and laid the groundwork for more student-centered approaches. Rousseau believed in learning that was relevant and engaging to the student, which is a key principle of authentic pedagogy.

💡John Dewey

John Dewey was an American philosopher and educator who is considered one of the founders of progressive education. He believed that authentic education is intrinsic to democracy and emphasized experiential learning and student engagement. His work is highlighted in the script as being profoundly important in the development of authentic pedagogy.

💡Maria Montessori

Maria Montessori was an early 20th-century educator known for developing the Montessori method of education. She focused on creating a hands-on, engaging learning environment that catered to the interests and needs of children. Her approach is mentioned in the script as an example of authentic pedagogy in action.

💡Progressive Education

Progressive education is an educational philosophy that emerged in the 20th century, influenced by the ideas of John Dewey and others. It advocates for student-centered learning, social interaction, and relevance to students' lives. The script discusses this movement as a shift from didactic to authentic pedagogy.

💡Experiential Learning

Experiential learning is a key component of authentic pedagogy, where students learn through doing and experiencing things firsthand. It is contrasted with passive learning in didactic pedagogy. The script emphasizes the importance of experiential learning in making education meaningful and relevant.

💡Child-Centered Classroom

A child-centered classroom is an environment where the educational approach is tailored to the interests and needs of the students. It is a central concept in authentic pedagogy and is contrasted with the teacher-centered and content-centered approach of didactic pedagogy. The script uses the term to describe the layout and philosophy of classrooms that embody progressive education.

💡Literacy Curriculum

The literacy curriculum in the context of the script refers to the way in which reading and writing are taught within an educational framework. The discussion of authentic literacy pedagogy involves translating these ideas into how literacy is taught, focusing on natural growth from speaking and listening to reading and writing, and ensuring that learning is meaningful and connected to students' experiences.

💡Learner-Centered Pedagogy

Learner-centered pedagogy is an approach where the educational process is focused on the learner's needs, interests, and experiences. It is a shift away from teacher-centered and content-centered pedagogy, allowing for engagement, interaction, and self-expression. The script discusses this concept as part of the transition to authentic pedagogy.

💡Self-Expression

Self-expression in education refers to the opportunity for students to express their thoughts, ideas, and understandings as part of the learning process. The script contrasts this with didactic pedagogy, which traditionally did not allow for self-expression, emphasizing instead the importance of student input and perspective in authentic pedagogy.

Highlights

Authentic pedagogy is explored as an evolution in educational thought, contrasting with traditional didactic methods.

Jean-Jacques Rousseau is identified as an early influence on authentic education, critiquing didactic pedagogy for being boring and disengaged.

John Dewey and Maria Montessori are highlighted as key figures in developing progressive and authentic pedagogical approaches.

Dewey's work emphasizes the intrinsic link between authentic education and democracy, advocating for experiential learning.

Authentic education is defined as being relevant to students' lives, in contrast to formal memorization and passive learning.

Progressive education is introduced as a 20th-century movement, influenced by Dewey's ideas on the importance of social interaction in learning.

Montessori's approach to education is detailed, focusing on hands-on learning with 'contraptions' to demonstrate concepts.

The contrast between teacher-centered didactic classrooms and child-centered authentic classrooms is visually represented in a 1928 book.

Authentic literacy pedagogy involves natural growth from speaking and listening to reading and writing, emphasizing learner engagement.

Learner-centered pedagogy is distinguished by its focus on interaction, self-expression, and relevance to students' experiences.

Didactic pedagogy is critiqued for its lack of space for self-expression and its teacher and content-centered approach.

Authentic pedagogy encourages the connection of new knowledge with students' existing life experiences.

The importance of being 'manifestly relevant' in authentic education is underscored, as opposed to learning for the sake of scoring well.

Dewey's experimental school in Chicago and his book 'Democracy and Education' are mentioned as influential to the development of progressive education.

Montessori's background as a medical doctor and her work in poor schools in Rome are noted as foundational to her educational philosophy.

The video transcript concludes with a reflection on the necessity of authentic pedagogy for a rapidly changing world and the development of new citizens, workers, and learners.

Transcripts

in this section we're going to explore a

kind of pedagogy that we call authentic

pedagogy and we're going to explore it

in a cut at a couple of levels in a

couple of layers one is the top kind of

level is the evolution of these ideas in

in educational thought and then at a

very practical that we're going to talk

about the way in which these ideas

translate into literacy curriculum so

again to set the bigger context we're

looking at these different models of

literacy pedagogy and we're looking at

them in a way which is both trying to

analyze how they work and what they do

but also think critically about which

bits of them would we like to use

ourselves in which moments for our own

literacy pedagogy

okay so authentic literacy pedagogy the

origins of this idea in you know the the

Western tradition actually begin perhaps

with jean-jacques Rousseau the the 18th

century French philosopher and he begins

quite a long tradition which critiques

didactic pedagogy

as boring as not engaged with the

student as shoveling information out and

and passively you know ingesting the

information in a way that doesn't always

seem relevant and so on but then what we

have at the beginning of the 20th

century is is really to profoundly

important people john julie and maria

montessori who build this approach to

pedagogy that we call didactic pedagogy

now

John Dewey was a an American philosopher

and educator he lived a very very long

life and in fact some of the educational

work that he did was done very early in

his life he had an experimental school

in Chicago and he wrote a book a very

influential and important book called

democracy education so what he argued

was look authentic education is

intrinsic to democracy and what does

this word authentic mean and for that

matter what did it mean to Rousseau well

unlike didactic education which was

about formal memorization learning rules

sitting passively doing

you told authentic education was

experiential for Joey it was doing

things was being actively engaged it was

doing stuff that was relevant to your

life and manifestly relevant as opposed

to stuff where you were just doing it to

get the score you needed to do well at

school so the experimental work that

that Joey did and the ideas that

developed became very very important and

in fact the movement in the 20th century

was called progressive education or

progressive assege ocation now we've

used the word authentic because I mean

what does progress mean everyone wants

to be progressive don't they it doesn't

really tell you what it's about or

thetic means a certain kind of trueness

to students interests students needs

relevance to life that's why we use the

word authentic in this section we move

from what we've course so far didactic

pedagogy in literacy to progressive

pedagogy in particular what has been

termed authentic pedagogy so I just want

to pause for a minute and just remind us

what didactic means it's it's kind of

like the word to dictate which is to

tell and for somebody to copy accurately

clearly there was a movement in history

and John Dewey and others spearheaded

this change that was going to occur in

education and said life has changed that

kind of pedagogy is not used useful for

the kind of society that people live in

it might have been useful for a rural

society or a pre-industrial society but

the world has changed dramatically and

we need different types of citizens

workers and learners and in fact for

John Dewey and others as part of the

progressive Asst pedagogical pedagogy

movement they saw and particularly Dewey

that what underpinned the promise of

democracy was two things one was school

in the over civil society and school in

his conception involved sociality it

wasn't just about knowledge what you

knew but it was a social activity

involved actual interaction in order to

become part of the new world and have

the skills sensibilities and knowledge

required to be in a world that was

changing so rapidly John Dewey himself

believed that students thrived not when

they just listened and copied you know

the didactic methodology but when they

actually interacted with curricula when

they were part of co designing the

learning and when it was meaningful to

their everyday life wasn't just about

you know particular knowledge that came

to you through an authoritarian teacher

the other great person early twentieth

century Persian is Maria Montessori and

she began in the early 20th century

working in very very poor schools in

Rome she was originally a medical doctor

to be quite frank and tried to build a

highly engaged pedagogy and this is how

it worked around the room and by the way

motor saury classrooms that I still

worked the same way there she's was a

charismatic person and people in a very

doctrinaire kind of way tried to do

exactly as she said today in in

classical Montessori schools now so

here's the Montessori classroom around

the room there are these stations and

Maria Montessori builds things that she

calls contraptions so she invented the

idea of things called rods which

demonstrate fractions you know there's a

full rod there's a half rod there's a

quarter rod you reassemble them and you

understand in a very tangible concrete

kind of way the concept of a hole in its

parts fractions she had maps of the

world which were like jigsaw puzzles

where the students could put their

fingers on them and feel the different

countries of the world so these were

things these beautiful wooden objects

which were call contraptions that around

the room there were little workstations

and the students went around the room

learning these things in a very engaged

hands-on kind of way

in fact she became very influential in

kindergarten early childhood education

although she built this pedagogy so it

runs right through certainly into the

elementary or primary school as well

so these two people are the founder

founders of this whole idea called

progressive education now here's a

picture of what the contrast is and this

by the way is from a book published in

1928 a book called the child centered

school so one of the things about

didactic pedagogy its teacher centered

its curriculum centered its content

centered you know learn this stuff

whereas one of the aspects of or thoth

entick pedagogy is that it's child

centered or thetic to the students

interests and needs and relevant to them

so this is actually the frontispiece of

a very famous book published in 1928

where they wanted to contrast the layout

of the traditional classroom with the

child centered classroom the didactic

classroom with the authentic classroom

of the classroom of authentic pedagogy

to use the terminology we've been

developing in this in this series of

videos in terms of literacy what did it

what did that mean acquiring reading and

writing involved authentic experiences

where you saw natural growth and

children came off speaking and listening

you know what they already had and this

was continued with activities that led

them from listening and speaking to

reading and writing and involved all

learners in this moment of authentic

pedagogy being immersed in meaning being

immersed in making sense of whatever was

going to be introduced to them new by

connecting it to what they already knew

so the new and the old weren't separated

it wasn't that the old was packaged

knowledge and and the new was you being

open to it your life experience what you

brought to the new mattered and they had

to come together and this is called and

has been called learner centered

pedagogy shifting away from controlled

by the teacher teacher centered and

content

centered to engagement interaction and

leaving space for self-expression

didactic pedagogy had no space for

self-expression that was in part of what

you did as a citizen or a learner or a

worker your view and your understanding

of any particular thing mattered less

than what you needed to do and what who

you were doing at 4:00