Pedagogy, the Greek word that has come to mean the art and science of teaching mean "leading children." This term, commonly used throughout the teaching profession, has become education's way of explaining teaching and the relationship between teacher and student. Pedagogy can be defined as the combination of learning and teaching, the how and the why of a student's ability to apply what they have learned. Stated more simply, the art and science of teaching can be described as the interconnected workings of the personal nature and the professional nature of the teacher.
             There are numerous distinctions between these two tenets of teaching. However, distinguishing between them is not an absolute. How does a novice teacher learn to segregate the art and science of teaching into two separate entities? Donna Qualters says that "one must explore the science of the field before one can practice the art" (Qualters). Whether a teacher views one entity as art or science depends on the qualities that the teacher perceives that it contains.
             The art of teaching is centered on the individual experience and practice of the teacher. It is looking out at the students in a classroom to discover their strengths and weaknesses while determining how to develop their potential. Being real to the students, not just the "teacher," is a facet of the art of teaching. Adjusting lesson plans to deal with grief or joy requires a great deal of empathy. No amount of book learning can teach an instructor how to deal with any critical problems. Crisis situations require the teacher to be ready to make instantaneous, emotion-based decisions that will have an immediate effect on the climate in the classroom. Planning and designing lessons or projects that will stimulate the minds of students' demands this unique artistic talent. A large part of teaching is something that the teacher has "learned slowly and carefully through mentors, self-discipline, an...