Stages of psychological development provide important information for pedagogists, parents, and educators who want to have a more pedagogical approach to their children and students. As I used to say:
Educators and Pedagogists are two very different things: Educators try to internalize external rules in children and shape them, whereas Pedagogists try to externalize the personal internal rules of children and expand them.(Agathangelu, M. 2023)
Working with all kinds of kids (behavioral problems, mainstream, special needs) in any kind of setting (outdoor centers, training centers, schools, universities) over the last decade, I have concluded that the ages of 0 to 6-7 are the most crucial years for a child. These are the years, according to Erikson's theory of psychological development, when the psychological elements of Hope, Will, and Purpose develop in a child's self-perception.
This psychological development consists of the expression of feelings and thoughts through purposeful actions as the child's development proceeds.
The role of a pedagogist is to supplement and extend the role that parents play in the child's earliest years, fostering healthy psychological development in the child.
By being aware of the instinctual and subconscious needs of the child(Erikson's Theory), a pedagogist can create an emotional atmosphere in their setting that harmonizes with the child's needs, giving the child breathing space for deep personal development and personal relationships. Working within that emotional atmosphere, the pedagogist continues the work of the parents by showing love and providing the child with experiences and challenges for his development, which sometimes being expected to be refused (hated, suspected) as well as accepted (trusted).
For that reason, a pedagogist has to be in touch with their maternal functions, which is something that I have personally observed to be missing from most educators and is generally not recognized within the educational system environment.
As pedagogists, our duty is to develop a parental emotional bond with the child, maintain, strengthen, and enrich the child's personal relationship with the family, and at the same time, introduce the wider, paradoxical picture of the real world with its ideas, opportunities, and dangers, while preparing the child physically, emotionally, and socially for the journey of self-actualization through that world.
In that case, the pedagogist's role is to become a warm-hearted and sympathetic friend who will not only be the backbone or Guru of the child's life away from home but also a person who is resolute and consistent in their behavior towards them, discerning of their personal joys and sorrows, tolerant of their inconsistencies, and able to help the child in times of special need.
A pedagogist plays an essential role in a child's psychological development by combining sensitivity to and knowledge of children's symbolic language and expression and an appreciation of their special needs on their journey of self-actualization, towards their transpersonal adventure
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