I am a teacher. I am well versed in pedagogy and the accompanying jargon. Similar to corporate speak, the social sciences also have their own jargon to specify certain patterns. I just don’t. I use plain, simple words. I do this with my colleagues, I do this with parents. Some regard me as unprofessional because of this—especially parents who are teachers themselves. But usually, after a few meetings they get used to it, and often they even join me in speaking like a normal human being. I once had a professor in pedagogy who eventually adapted to it as well. It took two years, but my last conversation with her this August was a warm, relaxed chat.
Stop pretending. We are all ordinary, fallible human beings. The more you compensate, the more you embarrass yourself. Just quit it.
For those in denial, here is the same comment in jargon:
As pedagogy is maintained by large, longstanding institutions, it is not unexpected that these institutions display the classic features of institutionalism, where scientifically grounded principles gradually become diluted and begin to function more as rituals. It is therefore imperative to remain critical of established, purely cognition-based frameworks. Let us not underestimate the potential gains that can be achieved through simple, ordinary situated cognition.
Plain words may not be polished. They may not be backed by elaborate statistics that prove significance while hiding sensitivity. They may sometimes be wrong, even painful, and yes—innocence can be lost. But our cognitive abilities are limited, and our subconscious exists for a reason: to help us act without overthinking, to carry what cannot be neatly calculated. Life is too short to dissect every detail into theory. Speak simply. Think clearly. Be human.
