Situating Pedagogical Narrative Within the Literature and Professional Learning
This article introduces the methodology of pedagogical narratives, a new approach to teacher research that blends storytelling with systematic inquiry. Pedagogical narratives are highly relevant for teacher educators and school leaders because they are powerful tools for fostering inquiry-based practice, helping educators recognize and articulate the knowledge they generate through working with children. By integrating pedagogical narratives into coursework and professional development, teacher educators and leaders can cultivate a culture of reflection and inquiry that strengthens professional growth and positions educators as contributors to the knowledge base.
At the same time, pedagogical narratives provide an accessible way for educators who work directly with children to engage in inquiry— without needing to take on the identity of the researcher. By documenting and reflecting on meaningful moments in their settings, educators can use storytelling to deepen their practice, uncover insights, and contribute to shared knowledge about teaching and learning.
Here, I offer background information and guidance that teacher educators and leaders can use as they support educators to engage in pedagogical narratives.
Grounding for Pedagogical Narratives
Drawing from qualitative research traditions such as narrative inquiry( Clandinin & Connelly 2000) and early childhood education practices like the learning stories approach( Carr & Lee 2012, 2019; Escamilla et al. 2021) as well as Reggio Emiliainspired pedagogical documentation( Rinaldi 2006), pedagogical narratives allow teachers to document and share moments of insight. Such moments are turning points in teaching, learning, child development, and the daily interplay between children and adults, and they provide the foundation for rapport, community, and empathy. Pedagogical narratives offer a lens through which educators can explore their practices and uncover deeper truths about their work with children and families.
Contrasting Pedagogical Narrative with Pedagogical Narration
It is essential to note that a strongly related term, pedagogical narration, is already used in early childhood education. Pedagogical narration focuses on documenting children’ s learning as it spontaneously unfolds in a local context. Forms of it appear in Reggio-style documentation( Rinaldi 2006), project-based work( Katz & Chard 1989; Helm et al. 2023), emergent curriculum( Jones & Nimmo 1994), floor books( Warden 1995), learning stories( Escamilla et al. 2021), and the open-ended and progressive Early Learning Framework from British Columbia( British Columbia Ministry of Education 2019).
For example, the British Columbia( BC) Early Learning Framework uses the phrase pedagogical narration to explain the role of the teacher in documenting and sharing children’ s learning. BC first embraced the practice in the 2008 version of its framework, and several Canadian early childhood education scholars( Atkinson 2012; Pacini-Ketchabaw et al. 2014; Berger 2015) explored this approach and wrestled with this term in depth. Berger defines it in this way:
Pedagogical narration is a term that we use in British Columbia to describe a process through which early childhood educators document... and then share... with the purpose of engaging others( children, colleagues, parents) in critical dialogue where assumptions about early childhood pedagogical practices and children’ s identities are made visible and open for disputation and renewal.( 130)
The document provides many definitions, summarizing,“ Simply put, pedagogical narration may be thought of in this way: Listen deeply. Be curious. Embrace wonder. Share the story”( Berger 2015, 51).
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