I propose to explore the concept of pedagogical tact as a critical theoretical construct for understanding and enhancing teacher agency. Throughout the history of educational thought, the notion of tact has been central to discussions of teacher education: Johann Friedrich Herbart (1806) emphasized the importance of moral guidance and attentiveness, while Friedrich Schleiermacher (1820) underscored the relational and dialogical dimension of teaching. More recently, scholars such as Prairat (2020) and van Manen (1991, 2014, 2015) have expanded these foundational ideas, describing pedagogical tact as an ethically grounded, context-sensitive, and relational faculty that empowers educators to respond thoughtfully and immediately to the often unpredictable situations that arise in classrooms.

My interest in pedagogical tact stems from its potential to sharpen current discourses on teacher agency. The latter has been widely theorized as a function of individual capacity, cultural resources, and structural constraints (Priestley, Biesta, & Robinson, 2015). Yet, I argue that pedagogical tact offers a more granular lens on how educators make in-the-moment decisions in ways that reveal both moral sensitivity and professional autonomy. This lens is particularly valuable for three reasons. First, it foregrounds the ethical dimension of teaching, reminding that each instructional choice carries moral weight and has implications for student well-being. Second, it highlights the relational responsiveness that teachers must embody, from reading subtle emotional cues in students to adjusting communication strategies on the spot (Biesta, 2006). Third, it underscores the improvisational nature of classroom life, suggesting that educators must not only plan meticulously but also enact decisions spontaneously and reflectively when confronted with unforeseen challenges.

Against this background, I posit the following central research question: how can pedagogical tact be conceptualized and empirically evaluated as a fundamental dimension of teacher agency, particularly regarding teachers’ capacity to manage unforeseen classroom events? To address this question, I pursue three main objectives. 

First, I seek to justify the inclusion of pedagogical tact – drawing on Herbart (1802/96), Schleiermacher (1820), Prairat (2020), and van Manen (1991, 2014, 2015) – as a critical concept in reading the moral, interpersonal, and situational dynamics that characterize real-time teaching. 

Second, I intend to propose a theoretical-descriptive framework for pedagogical tact, inspired by but re-elaborated from Gastager, Patry et alii (2017), in order to situate it more coherently within the ecological perspective of teacher agency (Priestley, Biesta, & Robinson, 2015). Even this part of the paper is in an initial phase of research design. By mapping four dimensions, I hope to advance a comprehensive model of pedagogical tact that foregrounds moral responsiveness, situational discernment, and improvisational adeptness – qualities integral to the exercise of teacher agency. At the core of this conceptual framework lie four reworked components, each capable of empirical investigation. These include:

1. Sensitivity to Learner Needs – Teachers’ awareness of students’ emotional states, cognitive processes, and learning profiles, 

2. Emotional Regulation – The ethical management of personal and collective emotions

3. Reflexive Decision-Making – The capacity to assess evolving circumstances critically and act promptly

4. Contextual Adaptation – The skill of aligning one’s pedagogical interventions with specific institutional and cultural parameters, evaluated 

Point 1 and 3 are measurable through stimulated recall interviews; Point 2 and 4 are analyzed through case study analyses and focus groups, that document teachers’ capacity to flexibly navigate constraints. In addition, another methodological tool involved in this research should write a reflective journals, to have self-report instrument.

Finally, I aim to analyze the coherence and impact of this revised framework in the broader field of Teacher Education, showing how it can inform both empirical research and practical strategies for teacher preparation and professional development.

To address my three main objectives—(1) justifying the inclusion of pedagogical tact as a critical concept, (2) proposing a theoretical-descriptive framework, and (3) analyzing the coherence and impact of this framework within Teacher Education—my approach adopts a systematic, theory-driven methodology grounded in historical and contemporary scholarship on both pedagogical tact and teacher agency. First, to justify the inclusion of pedagogical tact as a lens for understanding real-time teaching dynamics, I engage in a theoretical synthesis of key texts by Herbart (1806), Schleiermacher (1820), Prairat (2020), and van Manen (1991, 2015). Through critical textual analysis—focusing on how each author conceptualizes tact, its ethical foundations, and its situated nature—I establish a historical and philosophical lineage for this construct. I then position these insights alongside teacher agency research (Priestley, Biesta, & Robinson, 2015), identifying points of convergence, such as moral responsibility and relational responsiveness, that further validate tact’s relevance for understanding agency. Second, to propose a theoretical-descriptive framework for pedagogical tact, I employ a comparative analytical approach. Drawing on Gastager, Patry et alii (2017) conceptual dimensions but re-elaborating them to align with the ecological perspective of teacher agency, I map out key elements—such as sensitivity, emotional regulation, reflexivity, and contextual adaptation—into a coherent model that situates pedagogical tact at the core of teachers’ professional decision-making, especially in unplanned situations or controversial discussions (Johnson & Johnson, 2014). This phase involves conceptual refinement: I compare existing models of tact with broader agency frameworks to ensure internal consistency and to highlight how micro-level interactions (tact) inform macro-level constructs (agency). Finally, to analyze the coherence and potential impact of this revised framework within Teacher Education, I adopt a scoping review methodology that surveys current empirical and theoretical studies on teacher agency and teacher preparation. I examine how the proposed model of pedagogical tact might inform preservice and in-service programs, highlighting possible avenues for training (e.g., reflective practice, case discussions, and simulations) that foster moral, relational, and adaptive competences, especially in case of controversial issues (Kelly, 1986, Cassar, Oosterheert & Meijer, 2023). Although practical research phases will follow in subsequent studies, this methodological step establishes a conceptual baseline from which future empirical investigations (e.g., classroom observations, survey measures, and qualitative interviews) can be developed. In doing so, I ensure the framework’s relevance for both academic inquiry and practical application in teacher education contexts.

The exploration of pedagogical tact as a theoretical and empirical construct has underscored its critical role in bridging the gap between theory and practice in teacher agency. Rooted in historical and philosophical traditions, from Herbart’s (1802) early articulations to van Manen’s (1991) phenomenological perspectives, pedagogical tact is revealed as an essential, intuitive faculty that enables teachers to navigate the unpredictability of classroom interactions with ethical sensitivity and professional autonomy​. A key finding of this study is that pedagogical tact does not function as a rigidly defined skill but rather as a responsive and adaptable professional competence that should be part of teacher training programs and teacher agency theory. Furthermore, this study has proposed a re-elaborated framework of pedagogical tact that integrates insights from empirical research, particularly drawing from Gastager, Patry et alii (2017) while aligning it with the ecological approach to teacher agency proposed by Priestley, Biesta, and Robinson (2015). This re-elaboration highlights the necessity of professional development programs that cultivate teachers’ intuitive responsiveness and reflective judgment. The implications of this research for teacher education are substantial. By embedding pedagogical tact within teacher training curricula, educators can be better equipped to handle the moral, interpersonal, and contextual complexities of teaching. This aligns with the broader discourse in teacher agency, emphasizing the importance of empowering educators to act as reflective and autonomous professionals rather than mere implementers of pre-defined policies. Future research should focus on empirically testing the proposed framework of pedagogical tact, particularly in relation to its impact on student engagement and teacher effectiveness. In conclusion, pedagogical tact remains a foundational yet often overlooked dimension of teaching professionalism. By recognizing its role in fostering teacher agency, educational research and practice can move toward a more nuanced and ethically attuned understanding of what it means to teach.

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