ERIC Number: EJ1242097
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2019
Pages: 21
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1550-5170
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Available Date: N/A
Is "Bildung" Possible in the Classroom?: Autobiographical Writing as Philosophical Exercise ("Askesis") for Developing One's "Bildung"
Kim, Jeong-Hee; Morrison, Jennifer A.; Ramzinski, Elaine
Journal of Curriculum and Pedagogy, v16 n3 p242-262 2019
The development of self is an important part of formal education, and related to the notion of self is the development of "Bildung," or cultivation of the self. "Bildung" has been an integral part of curriculum theory in the United States. However, despite many theoretical debates on "Bildung" in the literature, there seems to be a lack of the pragmatic use of "Bildung" at the classroom level. Hence, the purpose of this article is to explore how classroom teachers or teacher educators can foster and nourish their students' "Bildung" at the classroom level. This study examines the "Bildung" processes of two doctoral students based on their autobiographical essays to show their effort of developing themselves. Foucault's notion of askesis has been used as a theoretical framework, which is a philosophical exercise that includes three forms of reflexivity: Memory, Meditation and Method. Based on the findings, we make the following implications for curriculum studies and teacher education: 1) "Bildung" needs to be guided, nourished, and fostered through formal education by teachers in the classroom, which then becomes a "habitat," an environment in which both teachers and students dwell as "Bildung"-centered teachers and students, 2) "Bildung" needs to be practiced as askesis by students and teachers as an act of care through classroom activities, 3) "Bildung"-centered teachers do have autonomy, agency, and independence to create such activities for their students, in which the process of "Bildung" can be carried out.
Descriptors: Student Development, Self Concept, Teaching Methods, Graduate Students, Teacher Role, Classroom Environment, Caring, Class Activities, Essays, Autobiographies
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
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Author Affiliations: N/A