pedagogy
Americannoun
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the function or work of a teacher; teaching.
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the art or science of teaching; education; instructional methods.
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of pedagogy
First recorded in 1570–80; from Middle French pédagogie, from Greek paidagōgía “office of a child's tutor.” See pedagogue, -y 3
Explanation
Pedagogy is another word for education, the profession and science of teaching. Pedagogy and pedagogue come from the Greek paidos "boy, child" plus agogos "leader." Pedagogy refers to the teaching profession as well as the science of education, for example as a college subject. This might be one reason that the word, pedagogue, is often used for a teacher who is overly interested in rules and details, hence the science of teaching, rather than actually getting through to his or her students.
Vocabulary lists containing pedagogy
100 SAT words Beginning with "P"
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"The Palace Thief" by Ethan Canin
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Banned Book Club
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The Theory of Planetary Social Pedagogy is a way of learning applicable to all societal sectors.
From Science Daily • Oct. 25, 2023
“The people who can afford this are a smaller group of quite wealthy Danish people,” said Peter Allerup, a professor emeritus at Denmark’s Institute for Pedagogy and Education.
From New York Times • Aug. 28, 2022
Pedagogy should not be confused with therapy or reduced to zones of emotional safety.
From Salon • Feb. 18, 2019
There, teachers taught her to challenge patriarchy, drawing straight from Paolo Freire’s Pedagogy of the Oppressed.
From Time • Aug. 4, 2016
In 1898 a new building was erected on College Hill—The Hall of Pedagogy.
From The Story of Chautauqua by Hurlbut, Jesse Lyman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
