The purpose of this study was to explore how critical pedagogy, culturally relevant curriculum, and student centered instruction impacted student engagement in reading for struggling high school readers, including first- and second-generation immigrants. The researcher/practitioner (r/p) chose to highlight Latinas in the study to understand the…

According to an influential view, empathy has, and should have, a role in ethics, but it is by no means clear what is meant by "empathy", and why exactly it is supposed to be morally good. Recently, Peter Goldie has challenged that view. He shows how problematic empathy is, and argues that taking an external perspective is morally…

Successfully navigating early adolescence depends, in large part, on the availability of safe and engaging activities and supportive relationships with adults, yet many preteens have limited access to positive supports and opportunities such as high-quality after-school programs that could put them on a path to success. Funders, policymakers and…

According to care theory the good parent confronting a helpless child has an unmediated impulse to relieve his distress; that impulse grows into a prescriptive ethic of relatedness, often contrasted to the more individualistic ethic of justice. If, however, a child's nature is understood as assertive and competent as well as fragile and dependent;…

The release of "The New Zealand Curriculum" causes us to rethink the aims of education. Dr Cavanagh offers an alternative set of aims to the vision outlined in the Ministry of Education document, which is based, at least in part, on socialisation into the corporate industrial world. Dr Cavanagh's position is focused on putting…

Ecological approaches (e.g. [Gibson, J.J., 1979. "The Ecological Approach to Visual Perception." Houghton-Mifflin, Boston]) to psychology and language are selectively reviewed, focusing on social learning. Is social learning (e.g., acquiring language) a matter of conformity [Tomasello, M., 2006. "Acquiring linguistic…

The purpose of the present study was to identify and investigate critical incidents at school that require ethically sensitive teaching. This kind of knowledge is needed in teacher education to prepare future teachers for their profession. The data included narrative interviews with 12 teachers from four urban schools in Finland. Critical…

High schools have been described as potent breeding grounds of alienation and boredom (Bronfenbrenner, 1974; Furrer & Skinner, 2003; Marks, 2000) while recent literature has focused on student-teacher relationships and the importance of pedagogies of care (Noddings, 1992; Wentzel & Looney, 2006). This paper examines the link between social…

The current quest for educational excellence in the United States is characterized by numerous well-intentioned caveats accompanied by several challenging barriers. In the present paradigm, the curriculum is preeminent; norms of excellence are predetermined; and an individualistic, competitive, "one-size-fits-all" approach prevails. In a…

Numerous researchers have stressed the critical need for preservice teachers, especially White middle-class teachers, to be educated in strategies and philosophies that are culturally responsive to an increasingly diverse K-12 student population. To this end, Geneva Gay's framework of culturally responsive pedagogy, which includes caring,…

In this study, the researchers analyzed stories told by students (n = 80) of their poorest K-12 teachers who behaved in an unprofessional manner. Nine dominant themes were identified: poor teaching; learning not occurring; poor communication with students; uncaring; no explanations; being overly emotional; high school teachers; off-task behaviors;…

This study examined a six-month implementation of the Responsibility Model in a New Zealand secondary school. Data were collected through interviews, observations and student self-assessments. The implementation was found to be successful in developing positive, supportive and well-behaved classes in physical education. The majority of students…

Academic inquiry has focused recently on how to create caring classrooms and school communities--that is, classrooms and school communities that encourage children to continue to develop caring feelings, thoughts, and behaviors, or to feel, think, and practice them anew. After reviewing research on caring and attachment, this article discusses how…

Classroom conversations designed to foster mutual understanding encourage students to listen in a way that is receptive, open, and self-eclipsing. Such an emphasis on tolerance makes these conversations vulnerable to relativism and cynicism. I argue that dialogical philosophical inquiry diminishes such threats, as it fosters mutual appreciation of…

Professional school counselors (PSCs) can support school personnel in promoting educational climates conducive to optimal student academic and social development. Critical elements in fostering caring schools include encouraging positive relationships; providing leadership for teachers and school personnel; facilitating collaboration between…