Pädagogisch handeln

Is everything that involves dealing with children and adolescents, or what happens in families and schools, already educational? Probably not! But how can one know if they are acting educationally? Or how can one recognize whether an educational approach is being taken in a situation? How can educational actions be distinguished and delineated from other types of actions? The present study provides answers to these questions—not only for parents, educators, and teachers but also for educational research. After all, it is constantly confronted with the question of whether its subject of study is even related to pedagogy. The author views pedagogy as a science of action that strives for the theoretical analysis and clarification of educational practice. It must be able to articulate what educational practice is and justify it. Above all, it must provide guiding principles for educational actions within the family.