Finding Your Pedagogy – Part 2:

In Part 1 of this series, we explored how your values and lived experience shape the core of your pedagogy — often in ways that are so intuitive, you don’t even notice they’re guiding you. These are your roots: the things that ground you, connect you to your “why,” and give meaning to your work.

Now, we begin building the next layer: theory.

Why Theory?

Theories are like maps — drawn by those who came before us: educators, philosophers, psychologists, and community leaders who observed, questioned, and documented how children grow, learn, and relate to the world around them.

These thinkers offer us more than just information. They give us:

• Language to explain what we already do intuitively

• Frameworks to reflect on our choices and deepen our understanding

• Perspectives that inspire growth, challenge assumptions, and spark change

At their best, theories help us make sense of both our practice and our purpose.They show us that we're not alone in what we believe — and that our daily work is part of something bigger.

But here’s the most important thing: Theory should never feel like a set of rules.It’s not about memorising names or ticking boxes. It’s not about fitting into someone else’s mould.

Theory should feel like a conversation — one where you get to agree, question, adapt, and apply.

It’s about finding ideas that resonate with your values, your lived experience, and your way of being with children — and then using those ideas to shape, explain, and grow your pedagogy in a way that feels authentic to you.

Theory as Mirror or Springboard

When engaging with theory, it’s helpful to think of it not as a rulebook, but as a mirror or a springboard.

As a Mirror:Some theories will feel familiar — like they’re holding up a mirror to your everyday practice. They give language to your instincts, your values, and the way you already engage with children. They affirm your choices and help you articulate your approach with more clarity and confidence. These are the moments when you find yourself thinking, “I’ve always done it that way — I just didn’t have the words for it.”

For example:

• If you naturally scaffold children’s learning by offering just the right amount of support, Vygotsky’s idea of the Zone of Proximal Development might mirror that approach.

• If you’ve always viewed the learning environment as an active teacher, you might feel affirmed by Loris Malaguzzi and the Reggio Emilia philosophy.

As a Springboard:Other theories might stretch you. They may challenge how you see your role, invite you to examine assumptions, or inspire you to try something new. That discomfort isn’t a sign you’re doing it wrong — it’s a sign you’re growing.

• Maybe Freire’s vision of education as a tool for liberation makes you reflect more deeply on your role as an advocate.

• Perhaps Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory encourages you to think more about family and community influences in a child’s life.

Either way, theory supports the evolution of your pedagogy. It offers a bigger picture and helps connect your daily decisions to something deeper and more meaningful.

Reflective Questions:

• Which theorists feel like they’re describing what I already do?

• Which ideas have helped me better understand children… or myself?

• Have I ever shifted something in my practice after learning about a theory?

• What does this tell me about the kind of educator I am becoming?

Remember: Your pedagogy isn’t static. It grows with you. And engaging with theory is one of the most empowering ways to deepen that growth — because you’re not just following a path, you’re paving your own.

Theorists You Might Already Be Living

You don’t need a degree in educational philosophy to meaningfully engage with theory. In fact, chances are you’re already living some of it — intuitively weaving the ideas of renowned theorists into your daily practice without even realising it.

Understanding a few key theorists can help you connect the dots between what you do and why it matters. It gives language to your instinctive actions and can support your ability to reflect, articulate, and advocate for your pedagogy.

Let’s explore a few familiar names — and how you might already be embodying their work:

🧠 Lev Vygotsky – Learning as a Social Experience

Vygotsky taught us that learning doesn’t happen in isolation — it happens in relationship. His concept of the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD) highlights the space where a child can achieve something with guidance and support.

If you find yourself co-playing, scaffolding a child’s next step, or offering just enough help to keep them moving forward — you’re already walking alongside Vygotsky.

“What a child can do in cooperation today, they can do alone tomorrow.” – Lev Vygotsky

Loris Malaguzzi – A Hundred Languages of Learning

Rooted in the Reggio Emilia approach, Malaguzzi believed that children are competent, creative, and capable of constructing their own learning. He championed the environment as the “third teacher,” where every detail — from natural light to open-ended materials — influences how children engage and express themselves.

If you carefully curate your learning environment, honour children’s ideas, and value creativity, you’re likely aligned with Malaguzzi’s view of education as a relationship-rich, expressive process.

“The wider the range of possibilities we offer children, the more intense will be their motivations and the richer their experiences.” – Loris Malaguzzi

Jean Piaget – Stages of Cognitive Development

Piaget focused on how children build knowledge over time through interaction with their world. His work highlights that learning unfolds in stages, each with unique ways of thinking and understanding.

If you find yourself adjusting expectations to meet a child where they’re at — offering sensory play, hands-on discovery, or repeated experiences — you’re working in sync with Piaget’s developmental lens.

“Play is the answer to how anything new comes about.” – Jean Piaget

Paulo Freire – Education as Empowerment

Freire saw education not just as a transfer of knowledge, but as a tool for freedom and transformation. He advocated for dialogue, critical thinking, and social justice in learning.

If you strive to amplify children’s voices, support inclusion, or use your role to advocate for equity — Freire’s principles are likely alive in your work.

“Education does not change the world. Education changes people. People change the world.” – Paulo Freire

Maria Montessori – Respecting the Child’s Inner Drive

Montessori saw children as naturally driven to learn when given the freedom to do so. She encouraged independence, self-direction, and respect for each child’s rhythm.

If your days include child-led routines, flexible transitions, and opportunities for children to take ownership of their learning — you’re likely living Montessori principles, even if unintentionally.

“Never help a child with a task at which he feels he can succeed.” – Maria Montessori

Cups Theory (Donna Skavland) – Emotional Capacity & Regulation

This modern wellbeing model explains that everyone has different “cups” (emotional, sensory, social), and these can fill or overflow depending on experiences. If you notice and respond to stress cues, create calm environments, or prioritise your own wellbeing to better support others — you’re living this theory.

“You can’t pour from an empty cup.”

Urie Bronfenbrenner – Context Matters

His Ecological Systems Theory highlights how children are shaped by layers of influence — family, culture, community, and beyond. If you work in partnership with families, consider cultural context, or look beyond the child’s immediate behaviours, you’re drawing on Bronfenbrenner.

Howard Gardner – Multiple Intelligences

Gardner proposed that intelligence isn’t one-size-fits-all. Children may excel in movement, music, nature, words, or relationships. If you notice and nurture different learning styles and strengths, you’re honouring this theory.

Circle of Security – Attachment & Emotional Safety

This relational model teaches us to be a “secure base” for children to explore and return to. If you practice co-regulation, emotional attunement, and trust-building, this framework may underpin your approach.

Magda Gerber / Janet Lansbury (RIE Approach) – Respectful Caregiving

The Resources for Infant Educarers (RIE) approach reminds us that even the youngest child is an active participant in their care and learning.👉 If you speak with infants respectfully, slow down routines, or involve children in decision-making, RIE may already be part of your values.

There’s No One-Size-Fits-All

You don’t have to follow any one theory to the letter. This isn’t about ticking boxes, reciting names, or proving you’ve read the “right” books. Pedagogy is not about compliance — it’s about connection. It’s about building an approach that feels true to you, meaningful to children, and responsive to the context you’re working in.

Think of theory like a toolbox, not a script.Each framework offers tools — ways of seeing, understanding, and responding — but you get to decide which ones to use, when, and how. Just like no two educators are the same, no two pedagogies should be identical. That’s the beauty of this work: it’s personal, contextual, and evolving.

💬 Maybe you find strength in Vygotsky’s relational learning, curiosity in Malaguzzi’s hundred languages, and grounding in Cups Theory’s approach to wellbeing. You can mix, match, and make it your own — that’s not only okay, it’s encouraged.

Here’s what matters:

• Does this theory reflect your values?

• Does it support the way you want to show up for children and families?

• Does it help you grow as an educator and human being?

Your pedagogy is something you build thoughtfully over time — a living, breathing expression of who you are and what you believe. Theory doesn’t define it; it helps you shape it with intention.

Make It Yours

It’s one thing to read about theory… and another to let it settle into your practice.

Take time to sit with theory.Not just for study or documentation — but to reflect. Journal your thoughts. Chat with trusted colleagues. Notice when a theory helps you make sense of something you’ve always intuitively done. Bring those moments into your programming notes, your reflections, or your planning cycles.

Try writing simple, authentic statements like:

• “Vygotsky’s ideas about social learning help me explain why I co-construct experiences with children.”

• “I’m inspired by the Reggio Emilia image of the child — it reminds me to slow down and listen.”

• “Freire’s belief in education as liberation affirms my commitment to social justice and inclusion.”

You don’t have to sound academic — you just have to sound like you.The goal isn’t perfect quotes or textbook language — it’s about owning your pedagogy in a way that feels meaningful and true.

Why This Matters

Understanding and articulating how theory supports your practice builds:

• Professional confidence – You can clearly express the “why” behind your choices.

• Advocacy skills – You feel equipped to speak with families, assessors, and sector leaders about your philosophy.

• Intentionality – You become more conscious of how theory shapes your decisions, interactions, and learning environments.

It’s not about ticking boxes — it’s about owning your impact.

Come back tomorrow for Step 4: Notice What Makes You Feel Aligned — and What Doesn’t We’ll unpack how to listen to that inner sense of alignment — and how to gently notice when things feel off. It’s all part of building a sustainable, values-led, and energising pedagogy.

You’re doing this with heart — and it shows.