Pedagogy - It’s Not What You Teach, but How:

Pedagogy - It’s Not What You Teach, but How You Teach: it’s about how you feel when you teach, it’s about how they feel about what they learn, not just about what they learn. There is a story …

The Story of the Berry Patch In a small community near the forest’s edge, an Elder named Aiyana often taught the young ones beneath the big cedar tree. Her way of teaching was gentle—she told stories, asked questions, and let silence carry meaning. One morning, she gathered the children to teach them about edible berries. She pointed to a branch with leaves and small red berries on it and asked, “Does anyone know this berry?” Little Niko’s hand shot up. “It’s a sweetberry!” he said confidently. 

Aiyana smiled, her eyes soft. She didn’t say, “No.” She didn’t say, “Wrong.” Instead, she nodded slowly and said, “Sweetberry is a good guess. They do look very alike.” Then she turned to the others. “What do you notice about this berry? What makes it different?” Another child, Leela, said, “The leaves are thinner. And it grows lower to the ground.” Aiyana crouched beside the plant. “Yes, you see well. This one is called Bitterroot berry. It’s not sweet, but it can help with fever if prepared properly.” She turned back to Niko and added, “You have good eyes to see a sweetberry in it. That tells me you’re remembering the land.” Niko beamed. He wasn’t ashamed. He stayed curious.

Reflection on this story: Aiyana follows the principles of native pedagogy: Non-humiliation: She doesn’t embarrass Niko for his mistake. Respect and dignity: She finds the value in his answer and builds on it. Teaching through community: She invites others to share, creating a web of learning. Observation and experience: Rather than correcting with authority, she leads the children to notice and discover. In this way, everyone learns—not just the right answer, but how to treat one another with care. The moment of “error” becomes a deeper teaching, rooted in respect and humility.

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