{"id":2392,"date":"2013-04-15T13:43:08","date_gmt":"2013-04-15T13:43:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/infed.org\/mobi\/?p=2392"},"modified":"2026-03-03T11:16:33","modified_gmt":"2026-03-03T11:16:33","slug":"social-pedagogy","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/infed.org\/dir\/welcome\/social-pedagogy\/","title":{"rendered":"What is social pedagogy?"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n

Exploring the theory and practice of social pedagogy<\/h2>\r\n

on this page<\/strong>: introducing social pedagogy<\/a> \u2022 social pedagogy arenas<\/a> \u2022 key ideas in social pedagogy<\/a> \u2022 key thinkers for social pedagogy<\/a><\/h6>\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n

Pedagogy is a way of being with people. It involves:<\/p>\r\n

\u2022 joining with them to bring flourishing and relationship to life (animation<\/em>)<\/p>\r\n

\u2022 being concerned about their, and other\u2019s, needs and wellbeing, and taking practical steps to help (caring<\/em>);<\/p>\r\n

and<\/p>\r\n

\u2022 encouraging reflection, commitment and change (education<\/em>).<\/p>\r\n

It is an orientation, a set of processes and a way of thinking (Smith 2019). Social pedagogy looks to being and acting with others to foster sociality and social justice<\/p>\r\n

Often more holistic and group-oriented than dominant forms of social work and schooling, social pedagogy (sozial p\u00e4dagogik) has its roots in German progressive education \u2013 and is sometimes translated as \u2018community education\u2019 or \u2018education for sociality\u2019.<\/p>\r\n

See\u00a0Animate, care, educate.<\/a><\/p>\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n

<\/a>Introducing social pedagogy<\/h3>\r\n

While social pedagogy<\/strong><\/a> has been a key organizing idea in many European countries, it has only recently became a focus for exploration in English-speaking countries. It is often used to embrace the activities of youth workers, residential or daycare workers (with children or adults), and play and occupational therapists. Social pedagogy can also be used to describe those concerned with community learning. It overlaps considerably with the notion of informal education<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\r\n

As a practice, social pedagogy tends to look to groupwork, association, relationship and community; and to holistic educational processes. It depends very heavily on the character and integrity of the educator and their ability to reflect-in- and -on-action.<\/p>\r\n

The core processes of social pedagogy – animation, care and education – are discussed in another article: Animate, care, educate \u2013 the core processes of social pedagogy<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\r\n

\"\"<\/p>\r\n

Within informal education and social pedagogy, the character and integrity of practitioners are seen as central to the processes of working with others. The German notion of \u2018haltung\u2019 draws together key elements around this pivotal concern for pedagogues and informal educators. Explore this in another infed<\/em> article: Haltung, pedagogy and informal education<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\r\n

For an overview of developments in theory and practice see: social pedagogy<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\r\n

To appreciate social pedagogy, we need to get to grips with the nature of pedagogy. Many discussions of pedagogy make the mistake of seeing it as primarily being about teaching. Rather, pedagogy needs to be explored through the thinking and practice of those educators who look to accompany learners, care for and about them, and bring learning into life. Teaching is just one aspect of their practice. See: What is pedagogy?<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\r\n

To explore what social pedagogy looks like in practice, why not look at:\u00a0<\/p>\r\n

Dealing with the \u2018new normal\u2019. Creating places of sanctuary, community and hope for children and young people in schools and local organizations<\/a><\/strong>. We explore how educators, pedagogues and practitioners work to create the conditions in schools for education, learning and change in the context of the COVID-19 \u2018new normal\u2019.<\/p>\r\n

Mehrgenerationenh\u00e4user \u2013 multi-generational meeting houses \u2013 animation, care and pedagogy<\/strong><\/a>. Mehrgenerationenh\u00e4usen have attracted interest outside their home in Germany. In this piece, we examine what they are, how they function, and their relevance to some key issues faced by local communities \u2013 in particular around ageing. We will also look at the role of social pedagogues within them and some issues with Mehrgenerationenh\u00e4usen.<\/p>\r\n

Marie Paneth – Branch Street, The Windemere Children, art and pedagogy<\/a>.<\/strong> Paneth was a talented painter, art therapist and pedagogue. Her book, Branch Street<\/em> (1944) is a classic exploration of community-based work with children during the Second World War \u2013 and the healing use she made of art, both with The<\/em> Windemere Children <\/em>(2020) and in later practice, was pioneering. In this piece, we explore her work as a social pedagogue \u2013 mostly in the 1940s \u2013 and her continuing relevance.\u00a0<\/p>\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n

<\/a>Some key social pedagogy arenas<\/h3>\r\n

Community learning and development<\/a><\/p>\r\n

Groupwork<\/a><\/p>\r\n

Research for practice<\/a><\/p>\r\n

Youth work<\/a><\/a><\/p>\r\n

<\/a>Some key ideas for social pedagogy<\/h3>\r\n

action research<\/a><\/p>\r\n

andragogy<\/a><\/p>\r\n

animation<\/a><\/p>\r\n

association<\/a><\/p>\r\n

authenticity<\/a><\/p>\r\n

civic community<\/a><\/p>\r\n

civil society<\/a><\/p>\r\n

colonialism<\/a><\/p>\r\n

community<\/a><\/p>\r\n

community education<\/a><\/p>\r\n

community learning<\/a><\/p>\r\n

community of practice<\/a><\/p>\r\n

community work<\/a><\/p>\r\n

dialogue and conversation<\/a><\/p>\r\n

conscientization<\/a><\/p>\r\n

democracy<\/a>, education for<\/p>\r\n

evaluation<\/a><\/p>\r\n

experiential learning<\/a><\/p>\r\n

facilitation<\/a><\/p>\r\n

globalization<\/a><\/p>\r\n

\r\n

globalization and the incorporation of education<\/a><\/p>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n

groupwork<\/a><\/p>\r\n

happiness<\/a><\/p>\r\n

haltung<\/a><\/p>\r\n

helping<\/a><\/p>\r\n

holistic education<\/a><\/p>\r\n

hope<\/a><\/p>\r\n

informal learning<\/a><\/p>\r\n

learning society<\/a><\/p>\r\n

learning theory<\/a><\/p>\r\n

networks – learning<\/a><\/p>\r\n

non-formal education<\/a><\/p>\r\n

non-formal and informal education <\/a><\/p>\r\n

pedagogy<\/a><\/p>\r\n

popular education<\/a><\/p>\r\n

post-modernism\/postmodernity<\/a><\/p>\r\n

power<\/a><\/p>\r\n

praxis<\/a><\/p>\r\n

‘race’, difference and lifelong learning<\/a><\/p>\r\n

reflection<\/a><\/p>\r\n

relationship<\/a><\/p>\r\n

self-direction<\/a><\/p>\r\n

selfhood<\/a><\/p>\r\n

social action<\/a><\/p>\r\n

social capital<\/a><\/p>\r\n

social exclusion, ‘joined-up’ thinking and individualization <\/a><\/p>\r\n

social group work<\/a><\/p>\r\n

theories of action<\/a><\/p>\r\n

vocation<\/a><\/p>\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n

<\/a>Some key thinkers for social pedagogy<\/h3>\r\n

Baden Powell, Robert <\/a><\/p>\r\n

Brew, Josephine Macalister <\/a><\/p>\r\n

Bruner, Jerome C. <\/a><\/p>\r\n

Buber, Martin <\/a><\/p>\r\n

Caldwell Cook, Henry <\/a><\/p>\r\n

Carpenter, Mary <\/a><\/p>\r\n

Coyle, Grace <\/a><\/p>\r\n

Dewey, John <\/a><\/p>\r\n

Eisner, Elliot W. <\/a><\/p>\r\n

Follett, Mary Parker<\/a><\/p>\r\n

Freire, Paulo <\/a><\/p>\r\n

Froebel, Friedrich <\/a><\/p>\r\n

Fromm, Erich <\/a><\/p>\r\n

Gardner, Howard <\/a><\/p>\r\n

Grundtvig, N. F. S.<\/a><\/p>\r\n

Gulick, Luther <\/a><\/p>\r\n

Hahn, Kurt <\/a><\/p>\r\n

hooks, bell <\/a><\/p>\r\n

Illich, Ivan <\/a><\/p>\r\n

Knowles, Malcolm<\/a><\/p>\r\n

Kolb, David <\/a><\/p>\r\n

Konopka, Gisela <\/a><\/p>\r\n

Krishnamurti, Jiddu <\/a><\/p>\r\n

Lane, Homer <\/a><\/p>\r\n

Lindeman, Eduard <\/a><\/p>\r\n

Mason, Charlotte <\/a><\/p>\r\n

Montessori, Maria <\/a><\/p>\r\n

More, Hannah <\/a><\/p>\r\n

Noddings, Nel <\/a><\/p>\r\n

Owen, Robert <\/a><\/p>\r\n

Palmer, Parker J. <\/a><\/p>\r\n

Pestalozzi, Johann H. <\/a><\/p>\r\n

Rogers, Carl <\/a><\/p>\r\n

Rousseau, Jean-Jacques\u00a0 <\/a><\/p>\r\n

Schon (Sch\u00f6n), Donald <\/a><\/p>\r\n

Tagore, Rabindranath <\/a><\/p>\r\n

Wollstonecraft, Mary <\/a><\/p>\r\n

Yeaxlee, Basil <\/a><\/p>\r\n

 <\/p>\r\n

Acknowledgement<\/strong>: the opening diagram is taken from Smith, M. K. (2016, 2019) Animate, care, educate. The core processes of social pedagogy, Developing Learning<\/em>. [http:\/\/developinglearning.com\/animation-care-education\/<\/a>].<\/p>\r\n

Picture<\/strong>: #Haltung is by Trending Topics 2019<\/a> and sourced from Flickr<\/a> (ccby2).<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Exploring the theory and practice of social pedagogy on this page: introducing social pedagogy \u2022 social pedagogy arenas \u2022 key ideas in social pedagogy \u2022 key thinkers for social pedagogy   Pedagogy is a way of being with people. It involves: \u2022 joining with them to bring flourishing and relationship to life (animation) \u2022 being … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":28911,"parent":0,"menu_order":368,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"no","footnotes":"","_wp_rev_ctl_limit":""},"class_list":["post-2392","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail"],"yoast_head":"\nWhat is social pedagogy? - infed.org<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/infed.org\/dir\/welcome\/social-pedagogy\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"What is social pedagogy? - infed.org\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Exploring the theory and practice of social pedagogy on this page: introducing social pedagogy \u2022 social pedagogy arenas \u2022 key ideas in social pedagogy \u2022 key thinkers for social pedagogy   Pedagogy is a way of being with people. 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