What is Pedagogy? Why is it Important? How to Find Your Pedagogy

By Rachel Smith – The Educators Well

In the world of education, the word pedagogy is often tossed around — in training sessions, within policies and documentation, during assessments, and even in everyday conversations among educators. It can start to feel like just another piece of jargon, a term we’re expected to understand, articulate, and demonstrate. But pause for a moment and really ask yourself:

What does pedagogy actually mean?And even more importantly — what does it mean to me, in my practice, with my children and families, in my unique environment?

Pedagogy isn’t a buzzword. It’s the heartbeat of our work as educators. It’s the “why” behind the choices we make — how we set up our learning spaces, how we engage with children, how we guide their learning, and how we see our role in their lives.

As Jean Piaget reminds us:

“The principal goal of education is to create men and women who are capable of doing new things, not simply repeating what other generations have done.”

This frames pedagogy as something deeply creative and personal — not a set of static routines, but a living, breathing expression of our beliefs, values, and relationships.

In early childhood — especially within Family Day Care — pedagogy is not one-size-fits-all. It is uniquely shaped by your context, your community, your culture, and your story.

Lev Vygotsky’s socio-cultural theory brings this to life by highlighting the central role of relationships in learning:

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

This reminds us that our pedagogy isn’t just what we teach — it’s how we teach through connection, trust, and meaningful collaboration with children, families, and fellow educators.

Loris Malaguzzi, founder of the Reggio Emilia approach, viewed pedagogy as an expression of belief in the child’s potential and the power of the environment:

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

When we are in touch with our pedagogy, we’re not just facilitating play or managing routines — we’re intentionally crafting spaces where children can flourish, explore, and feel truly seen.

And finally, Paulo Freire invites us to see pedagogy as an act of empowerment and transformation:

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

This powerful truth grounds our work in purpose. When we know our pedagogy, we can stand in our power — not just as carers or educators, but as advocates, leaders, and change-makers.

So what is your pedagogy?It’s not something you find in a textbook. It’s in the way you show up each day. The way you speak to children. The way you reflect on your practice. The way you honour each child’s voice. The way you value your role in their lives.

Owning your pedagogy means owning your why — and that is one of the most powerful things you can do, not only for yourself, but for every child and family you work with.

Let’s explore this further in the rest of this blog — because your pedagogy matters. And so do you.

How to Find Your Pedagogy

Discovering your pedagogy isn’t about choosing from a list of pre-written philosophies or ticking a box to meet regulations. It’s not about copying someone else’s approach or squeezing yourself into a theoretical framework that doesn’t quite fit. It’s about uncovering what already lives inside you — your beliefs, values, passions, and experiences — and understanding how those things shape the way you teach, care, and connect.

Pedagogy isn’t something you invent — it’s something you reveal.It’s already there in your day-to-day choices:

The way you speak gently to a child who’s struggling.

The trust you place in children to lead their own play.

The routines and rituals you create to help families feel safe and seen.

The moments you pause, reflect, and truly listen.

It’s in how you set up your environment — do you value open-ended play? Connection to nature? Rich conversations? Quiet spaces? Your pedagogy comes through in all these decisions, even if you haven’t given them a formal name.

But to find your pedagogy — and be able to articulate it with clarity and confidence — takes time. It takes reflection, curiosity, and a willingness to ask yourself big, sometimes uncomfortable questions. Questions like:

Why do I do what I do this way?

What do I believe about children, learning, and relationships?

Who am I as an educator — and who am I becoming?

This journey is deeply personal. No one else can define it for you. And it may evolve over time as you grow in your practice, respond to new challenges, or simply rediscover what lights you up.

Finding your pedagogy is about becoming more you in your work — more intentional, more aligned, more empowered. It’s about building a practice that is not only effective and inspiring for children, but also sustainable and fulfilling for you.

And most importantly?When you understand your pedagogy, you begin to feel more confident setting boundaries, choosing resources, responding to children’s needs, advocating for your practice, and communicating your vision to families, colleagues, and assessors.

So let’s begin.Let’s explore how to name what you already know — and give language to the beautiful, thoughtful, purposeful way you show up every day.

Here’s How You Can Start Finding Your Pedagogy

Finding your pedagogy is less about “getting it right” and more about getting real — with yourself, your story, and your purpose. It’s a process of peeling back the layers and uncovering the beliefs, experiences, and values that already guide your practice.

Let’s explore how you can begin this deeply personal, empowering journey:

1. Reflect on Your Values

Your values are the unseen roots of your practice — quietly but powerfully guiding every decision you make. They influence how you set up your environment, how you respond to children, how you communicate with families, and how you show up each day. They’re your compass, helping you navigate challenges, opportunities, and everyday moments with clarity and integrity.

But here’s the thing — values can be so ingrained that you might not even notice them. They show up in what you prioritise, what you get excited (or frustrated) about, and what you return to again and again in your work. Naming them gives you power. It helps you lead your practice with intention, not just instinct.

Start by asking yourself:

What do I believe children need most in the early years?(e.g., safety, connection, freedom, creativity, nature, belonging)

What kind of learning do I believe lasts a lifetime?(e.g., hands-on, inquiry-based, socially driven, emotionally supported)

When families walk into my service, what do I want them to feel?(e.g., welcomed, respected, reassured, inspired)

Your answers will help uncover what matters most to you — not in theory, but in real, everyday ways.

Examples of Core Values:

• Connection – You slow down to listen deeply. You value warm, responsive relationships. You prioritise consistent key educators, transition rituals, and meaningful conversations.

• Curiosity – You see questions as more important than answers. You provide open-ended materials, sensory experiences, and time for wondering.

• Independence – You trust children to make choices. You design your space to be accessible, predictable, and empowering.

• Respect – You honour each child’s identity, culture, and voice. You use inclusive language, welcome family input, and celebrate diversity.

• Nature – You see the outdoors as a co-educator. You embed seasonal rhythms, natural materials, and environmental care into your daily life.

Example: If your strongest value is connection, your pedagogy might focus on creating emotionally safe, attachment-rich environments. You might emphasise primary caregiving, small group experiences, and time for uninterrupted play and conversation — because you believe learning happens best in relationships.

If you value independence, your pedagogy might centre around agency and choice. You might build routines that allow children to lead, choose their learning path, and solve problems with support but not direction.

If curiosity is at your core, you might design a space full of invitations to explore, with provocations that invite questioning, risk-taking, and discovery.

Your values are not just words on a wall — they are the heartbeat of your pedagogy. When you take the time to name and nurture them, you create a practice that is not only meaningful to children and families, but also deeply nourishing for you.

And the best part? You don’t need to adopt anyone else’s values to be an incredible educator. You just need to own yours — and let them lead.

2. Look to Your Lived Experience

Your story matters. Who you are outside your role as an educator deeply shapes who you are within it. Pedagogy isn’t just formed through study or training — it’s built from the ground of your life. Your upbringing, your culture, the way you were parented (or not parented), your education, your relationships, your health, your struggles and triumphs — all of it plays a part in how you view children, learning, and your role in the world.

When you start to unpack these experiences, you begin to see that your practice isn’t accidental. It’s deeply rooted in who you are.

Ask yourself:

• What life experiences have shaped the way I understand children and learning?(e.g., Did you grow up helping raise siblings? Were you often outdoors? Did you feel seen and heard as a child — or not?)

• What beliefs have remained constant in my practice, even as the context has changed?(e.g., That children deserve to be trusted? That play matters most? That families are partners?)

• Who inspired me — and why?(e.g., A past teacher, mentor, family member, or even a child you once worked with who taught you something profound?)

These reflections help you make sense of what drives you and why certain approaches feel “right” in your gut — even before you had language or theory to describe them.

Examples from lived experience:

• If you grew up in a home where food was a way of connecting, you might naturally bring warmth and ritual to mealtimes in your service, seeing them as moments of relationship and learning — not just routines.

• If you struggled in school, you may feel passionate about creating environments that are flexible, inclusive, and responsive — spaces where every child feels they belong and no one is left behind.

• If your family emphasised nature, rhythm, and sustainability, your pedagogy might include gardening, seasonal cycles, and respect for the Earth.

• If you’ve faced health challenges or neurodiversity, you may be more attuned to children who need quieter spaces, alternative approaches, or more patience than the mainstream system allows.

Example: If you grew up in a rural area where outdoor play and hands-on work were central to your life, you might naturally lean toward a pedagogy that values nature-based learning, real tools, community connections, and sustainability — not because you read it in a book, but because it’s in your bones.

Your pedagogy isn’t something you “adopt” — it’s something you uncover. It’s already within you, shaped by your story, your relationships, and your way of being in the world. When you acknowledge and honour your lived experience, your practice becomes more grounded, more authentic, and more sustainable — because it’s not borrowed, it’s yours.

And as you reflect on your story, remember this:Your experience is valid. Your journey is worthy. And your wisdom — even the hard-won kind — is a gift to the children and families in your care.

Wrapping Up: Your Pedagogy Starts With You

As we’ve explored today, the foundation of your pedagogy doesn’t begin with frameworks or theories — it begins with you.

Step 1: Reflecting on Your Values reminded us that our values are our inner compass — guiding how we care, teach, connect, and create. When we name them, we begin to teach from a place of clarity and authenticity.

Step 2: Looking to Your Lived Experience showed us that our stories — the way we were raised, the paths we’ve walked, the lessons we’ve learned — shape the way we see children, families, and our role as educators. Our lived experience isn’t a side note; it’s a source of deep professional wisdom.

Together, these reflections remind us that pedagogy isn’t a box to fit into — it’s a personal, evolving expression of who you are, what you believe, and what you’ve lived.

And that’s powerful.

Tomorrow, in Step 3: Explore the Theories That Resonate, we’ll start connecting your personal insights to professional knowledge — not to lose yourself in it, but to expand and strengthen what’s already there.

Because great pedagogy doesn’t come from copying someone else’s voice — it comes from confidently owning your own.

Come back tomorrow as we continue building a pedagogy that is meaningful, sustainable, and deeply you.Until then, take a moment to jot down a few reflections — and honour how far you’ve already come.

You’re not just building a philosophy.You’re building a legacy.