Introduction
Pedagogy is a profession that requires an extensive skill set in a wide variety of fields. When it comes to pedagogy in elementary school, the primary skill after communication is writing. The reason is that a good teacher needs to interest children, and for this, it is necessary to show them what vast possibilities open up for them in the field of writing. Thus, it is necessary to develop critical writing skills first, including conciseness and clever speech patterns. At this time, I try to develop extensively in these areas, but I often encounter certain obstacles. Consequently, it makes sense to analyze in detail these basic skills of writing in pedagogy and describe research that will help improve them drastically and study a new concept of pedagogy. Definition of core skills
The first skill required for a good teacher is conciseness, both in writing and explaining complex ideas. Due to children’s early age, it is difficult to perceive, analyze and remember information described in complex, academic language. It is preferable to use simple sentences that lay the main ideas but at the same time arouse interest in a child. This way, they will ask questions, which will help establish communication. As a result, such skill is crucial for a teacher to be efficient in the profession of pedagogy.
Assessing my skill level, I consider that I have it acceptable. The primary method of its development is the writing of many different texts and stories, in which one is required to limit oneself in the length of sentences expressly. For example, I recently compiled a short text in which I tried to briefly and clearly explain to children the current causes of environmental pollution. The word limit for each sentence was fifteen words so that when reading it, a child would not struggle with complicated syntax structures. In the text, I described various sources of pollution and ways to get rid of them. However, I tried to use short, simple examples instead of complex analytical information. Instead of describing how the smoke emitted by factories eats away at the ozone layer, I used the example of how cars emit foul-smelling air, which often stings the eyes. Using such methods of developing conciseness of the text and thoughts, a teacher will learn how to figure phrasings correctly, compose interesting subject materials, and conduct engaging, memorable lessons for children.
The second critical skill for a teacher is clever speech patterns, making intuitive choices regarding suitable grammatical constructions, idioms, and words. In everyday life, each person has their speech pattern, usually called behavior or character traits. In the case of pedagogy at an elementary school, it is essential to inspire absolute trust and confidence in the children when it comes to the knowledge of their teacher. Thus, the presence of such a skill creates a vital image for children of their mentor – bright, knowing, and ready to share their observations in simple and understandable language.
As for my personal experience developing this skill, I try to reflect on and analyze my childhood. It becomes easier for me to understand how to write subject materials for young students by remembering my friends’ speech patterns, character traits, and communication styles. Moreover, my experience working with children has made considerable progress in this matter. Analyzing the lessons I have given, I notice my mistakes, such as when I had to simplify the sentence written on the board. The reason for most of these cases was that I noticed misunderstanding in the eyes of the children. As a result, practice and subsequent analysis are the main ways to develop these skills and directly relate to my personal experience.
Written communication research results
The conducted research touches upon one of the most important aspects of pedagogy, the integral parts of which are the skills of writing developed by me in a given time. While studying various academic materials on this topic, I discovered the concept of a cognitive apprenticeship. Cognitive apprenticeship’s principle is the sequence “I do it, We do it, You do it,” where a teacher acts, repeats it with their student, and in the end the copes alone (Brown, B. A., Boda, P., Lemmi, C., & Monroe, X., 2019) The importance of this study lies in the fact that the writing skills that I develop, and writing communication in general, are essential for the implementation of this approach. Moreover, the principle of this method is coherent with a popular opinion of a great pedagogy researcher Maria Montessori who stated: “Never help a child with a task at which he feels he can succeed” (Worldwide, 2018.) Thus, the importance of writing communication is undeniable, and with the spread of such a methodology, it can become mandatory in the future.
Conclusion
As a result, based on the analysis of the skills I studied and methods for their development and researching this topic, I began to study a new, helpful concept of pedagogy. Through developing my conciseness and clever speech patterns, I will try to learn new development methods in writing and the areas of knowledge that come from it, developing both as a professional and a researcher. As I have learned from Chapter 1: “Since writing is an acquired skill, anyone can become a good writer through a combination of hard work and commitment.” (Instructor’s Last Name, 2022, p. 4.) As of now, my confidence regarding writing skills in pedagogy is consistent, as this approach to learning effective methodologies is the key to successful teaching and motivated, joyful children.
References
Brown, B. A., Boda, P., Lemmi, C., & Monroe, X. (2019). Moving culturally relevant pedagogy from theory to practice: Exploring teachers’ application of culturally relevant education in science and mathematics. Urban education, 54(6), 775–803. Web.
Worldwide. (2018). The 10 best Maria Montessori quotes. ScooNews. Web.
Instructor’s First and Last Name (2022), Naming of the Course Text [Class handout]. University of Arizona Global Campus, ENG121.