What I would have liked to know about social pedagogy as a freshman

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Social pedagogues take care of the education of young people (symbolic image)

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There are countless job advertisements – social pedagogues seem to be desperately sought after in many places. But what exactly do they do? And how do they differ from social workers?

Malin Laurenz, 24, is studying social pedagogy to become a teacher at the Technical University of Dortmund. Here she tells us why she observed daycare children having breakfast for a seminar paper and why she regrets not having trained as an educator.

The decision in favour of social pedagogy

"Unfortunately, many people can't imagine anything about my field of study. I, on the other hand, have had contact with it all my life: My mother is a teacher of social pedagogy at a vocational college and always talked enthusiastically about her job at home. I liked how varied their work sounded – the mix of teaching, care in the social institutions and working with people. Even when I was at school, I decided to follow the same path as her.

»I applied to TU Dortmund University because I liked the combination of subjects there best.«

After graduating from high school, I first worked in the social sector for a year, doing internships in a daycare center, in inpatient youth welfare and in a family day clinic. Unfortunately, the internships were unpaid and not officially recognized as FSJ, so I didn't get any financial support. Because I continued to live with my parents in Münsterland, I at least saved the rent.

After the year, I only applied to TU Dortmund University because I liked the combination of subjects there best. I was accepted a few weeks later, and since then I have been studying social pedagogy and psychology to become teachers at vocational colleges. My master's thesis is coming up soon, and my one-and-a-half-year legal clerkship will begin next spring, after which I will be fully trained.«

Contents and structure of the course

"The social pedagogy course focuses on the upbringing and education of children and adolescents. In the Bachelor's degree, theory predominates. We got to know educational science theories, dealt with processes of early childhood education and with the basics of elementary education such as Waldorf or Montessori. The criticism of these concepts was also discussed, with the focus always on the question: What would an optimal educational institution look like?

In the Master's program, current challenges in the social sector are sometimes also discussed. An example: How do you explain to children what racism is and how do you prevent it in daycare centers? In addition, we had to complete an internship semester at a vocational college in the master's program. It was too late for my taste: I would have liked to have had more practical work earlier. In social professions, you need a sure instinct, which you learn in direct contact with people – and not through texts or analyses.

I particularly liked a master's seminar on participation. It was about how children participate in what is happening in care. My group observed a breakfast in a daycare center: Do the children set the table, do they help with the cooking, are they allowed to take the food themselves? Afterwards we wrote a seminar paper about how the little ones could be even more involved and learn more about healthy food. We designed food-themed games and planned a trip to a regional farm. Unfortunately, it was cancelled due to the pandemic.

Overall, I hardly write any exams. The module examinations usually consist of term papers or oral examinations.

There is a special feature of studying to become a teacher like me: After graduation, I will teach the subjects of social pedagogy and psychology at vocational colleges. Because the training is organized in schools, I will train prospective educators, curative education nurses, nannies and social assistants at the same time. So I will not only supervise my vocational students in class, but also accompany, evaluate and support them during their internships in daycare centers, clinics or other social institutions.«

Career prospects after graduation

"Today I regret that I didn't train as an educator before I started my studies."

"As a trainee, I will only be a few years older than my students. I'm not worried about that. In order to create distance, however, I will address them. Maybe I'll give that up as soon as I'm a little older.

All the vocational students I have met so far have been totally nice and attentive. In contrast to the ›normal‹ school, they are passionate about what they learn – after all, they have chosen this career path. Today I regret that I did not train as an educator before studying. You can certainly put yourself in the students' shoes much better if you have sat in their place yourself.

Those who are not studying to become teachers can find jobs in social institutions, with authorities or in the management of daycare centres, for example. Career prospects are now very good, and trained personnel are being sought everywhere. Pay can vary greatly depending on the employer.

A little tip at the end: All interested parties were admitted to TU Dortmund University last semester - so it's always worth applying, no matter what grade you have.«