The word pedagogue comes from the Ancient Greek word paidagōgos, meaning a "leader or guide of children".   It is derived by combining pais (the rootword of paid) and meaning "child" or "boy", and agōgos, meaning "leader" or "guide," derived from agō, "to lead".  

According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the noun pedagogue was first used in English before 1387, during the Middle English period, appearing in a translation by John Trevisa.  In ancient Greece, a paidagōgos was not a classroom teacher.  Instead, it was an enslaved person assigned to supervise a master’s child.  This attendant walked the child to and from school, monitored their behavior, and helped shape their manners.  The meaning has shifted to mean a schoolmaster or teacher, and today often describes a strict, dull, or dogmatic teacher.  

The concept of a pedagogue (or a teaching-oriented guide) in storytelling transforms a simple narrative into a powerful tool for imparting wisdom, shaping values, and making complex ideas memorable.   

Key Importance of the Pedagogue Concept in Storytelling: 
Bridging Abstract and Concrete: A pedagogical approach translates difficult, abstract concepts into tangible, relatable experiences that listeners can easily grasp.  
Active Meaning-Making: Rather than acting as passive recipients of facts, listeners engage their imagination and critical thinking to co-create meaning alongside the narrator.  
Emotional Resonance and Retention: Stories weave plot, emotion, and character together, making information "psychologically privileged" so that it sticks in the human memory far longer than raw data.  
Fostering Empathy and Culture: Through shared narratives, a pedagogical storytelling framework nurtures human connection, passes down cultural heritage, and builds empathetic imagination.

1 hour ago, drpaladin said:

Explaining how things really work without sounding like a pedagogue can be challenging.

I was lucky, I had one teacher, who made all the difference in my attitude towards teachers. My very first teacher ever,  was Mrs. Baker in grade one. Then fast forward to grade eight(first day in High School), first period, Home Room. As I walked into the room, the teacher called me up to her desk? Then in a lower voice, Mrs. Baker said, well S......, long time no see, welcome back my class.

Small world, eh?

Just the facts:

PEDAGOGUE Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

PEDAGOGUE Synonyms: 49 Similar Words | Merriam-Webster Thesaurus

PEDAGOGICAL Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

PEDAGOGY Definition & Meaning - Merriam-Webster

I was about to comment long the lines of not confusing pedagogue with pedant, but then I opened my copy of the Macquarie Dictionary (The dictionary of Australian usage). What did I find? Pedagogue as two usages: 1. A teacher, school teacher; and 2. (similar to Merriam-Webster) someone who is pedantic, dogmatic and formal.

I think I've met a few teachers like that too!