Caring+in+Education


 * Reproduced from the encyclopaedia of informal education [www.infed.org] ||

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Reflecting on Care
Caring in education, not just caring for the education but caring for the people... what an interesting read, we (Jim, Leo, me) have close relationship with our students....small group, much time spent together, ethos

Just a few days ago I was discussing this topic with my students, explaining that having close relationship with students was happening but they should be wary of it as it could make their professional life much more difficult.

"When I care, my motive energy begins to flow toward the needs and wants of the cared-for. This does not mean that I will always approve of what the other wants, nor does it mean that I will never try to lead him or her to a better set of values, but I must take into account the feelings and desires that are actually there and respond as positively as my values and capacities allow."

"Perhaps teacher and students need more time together to develop a relation of care and trust?Perhaps classes should be smaller? Perhaps the pressure of standardized testing should be reduced so that teacher and students can explore topics of mutual interest more deeply?Perhaps more attention should be given to students’ interests? Developing a rigorous curriculum that builds upon or, at least, includes student interests is a challenging and satisfying pedagogical task, but teachers need extra time and encouragement to work this way." yes, and I have it....

we have all this...time, not too much pressure on testing, small classes ...but we are not the only one....should check with richard

" [|John Dewey] rejected this view (he views care as very important) and urged us to consider virtues as “working adaptations of personal capacities with environing forces” (1930, p. 16). Care theorists expand this Deweyan insight and emphasize the role of our partners in interaction as a central factor in “environing forces."

I think this view is much closer to mine than I thought, it is refreshing to find a theorist with such a similar understanding of education. to find him(her) acknowledging "the central factor" a caring teacher can become.... I was (again) just discussing the subject with my student....your expertise, experience, knowledge etc are not what makes you the "special" coach; your "va va voom" is the most important. So what is it? Personal energy and care for the players with a personal ability to learn.

" as we acquire knowledge about our students’ needs and realize how much more than the standard curriculum is needed, we are inspired to increase our own competence (Noddings, 1999)."