Pedagogical recognition in the activities of the skateboarding school
Keywords:
diversity, equity, pedagogy of recognition, skateboardingAbstract
This practical description examines the activities of the Tampere Skateboarding School in dialogue with the Pedagogy of Recognition. The activities of the Skateboarding School include weekly hobby group sessions, summer camps, and various events. The description combines internal and external understandings of the practices: the discussions about the activities involve a social pedagogy researcher who has formulated the theory of pedagogical recognition, together with the head instructor of the skateboarding school and the executive director of the organizing association. The researcher examines their experiences from the perspective of a parent of a child who skateboards; the instructor and executive director describe the activities through their professional observations and reflections. Based on shared understanding, they conclude that the activities of the skateboarding school exhibit characteristics of pedagogical recognition. Firstly, the emphasis on informal experimentation during the sessions provides space for learners' insights and recognition as identification of everyone's unique skills. Secondly, in skateboarding, capturing and being captured skateboarding through a camera can support the development of learners' self-expression and self-recognition. Thirdly, touch and holding hands demonstrate care, creating a space of mutual recognition between learners and instructors. Trusting and open interaction strengthen the cycle of positive learning. In a polarized and complex world – which is also interdependent and full of countless possibilities – a pedagogy that promotes equity and justice is needed to empower individuals and communities.
