Ethic of Care A Feminist Philosophy of Education - 1100 Words

Ethic of Care: A Feminist Philosophy of Education (Dissertation Sample) Content: Ethic of care: A feminist philosophy of education The Participation of Teachers, Parents and Students in Caring According to world-renowned educationists, Nel Nooding, (1998) relationships that exists between teacher, student and parents is essential in positive development of students education. There are varying opinions as to where the initial stage of caring development starts. For instance, there are those that suggest that, parents are the foundations of positive Caring relationships while others posit that, teachers are deliberately trained to create and maintain caring relationships between parents, teachers and students. This academic postulation is tasked with investigating this relationships and fundamental flaws that are encountered in the process of building such relationships. Empirically, and most fundamentally, when teachers are perceived to be in a caring relationship, their main intention is to strengthen knowledge capacity for full academic attainm ent of students. Teachers, as the epitome of school caring functions, are in charge of ensuring that, students are encouraged to be proficient learners. Teachers are also important personalities in strengthening student`s character while considering that the world is full of compassion and hospitality. In addition to this, teachers are responsible for ensuring strong caring relationships in all students; this should be undertaken with full knowledge that, the world is filled with unity and justice. Furthermore, when teachers approach students and parents with a caring intention, it implies that, the teacher trusts and believes that, the student and parents have full Capacities to become a learner. In addition, a teacher should have trust that, both the student and Parents have a willingness to foster education (Slote, 1999). Hypothetically, it is perceived that teachers view parents and students as able to foster positive environments that are associated with learning. In this asp ect, it is perceived that, parents, teachers and students, can create a hospital, conducive, receptive and human-learning environment. This relationships between parents, teachers and students, are projected to acknowledge each persons identity and develop a society of willing learners. The relationship should depict the world as a positive place for learning while respecting all the process of learning. At the same time, the relationships should value the principles of freedom as an important ingredient of life. More importantly, since teachers are perceived as the archetype of all this relationships, they are in the best position to instill dreams, hopes, aspirations to students,, and more importantly, make them view the world as a place of connections, friendliness, learning and holistic justice (Slote, 1999). While the gender gap is evidently clear between men and women who care, Social research founded by catalyst, 2010, reveals that, women and men care at the same levels; howe ver, such stereotyping as men take charge while women take care seems to trump the reality at hand. However, academician like Nel Nodding, posit that, there are differences between how women and men care. She argues that women are take care through such aspects as rewarding while men take charge through delegation and upward influence purely as a moral act. Nel Noooding (1998) argues that caring has a lot to do with inherent or natural abilities to care. Natural caring phenomenally takes the direction of physical and emotional experiences of taking care. That is the natural attachment that we have over children and members of our society. It is a type of caring which doesnt involve any ethical efforts, (Nel Nodding 2002). Natural care then commits to a moral good or a longing for a good that comes because of experiences of feeling that you are cared for. In addition, Caring has three basic concepts that must be met in order for an act to be considered as explicit care in an educat ional setting. Modeling - education setting consists of an environment that is concerned with the growth of knowledge for the carer and the cared. In this aspect, it is vital that educators be models for caring behavior that is, not only offering reference materials for caring, but having a practical demonstration that indeed they can care.Dialogue - The intentions of a society in engagement with an education system is through dialogue. Dialogue is essential because people in an education setting endeavor to find out emotional concerns of the cared while the carer has to be keen on the prevailing feedback of the cared. Dialogue is essential because it enable the carer to assess their abilities and extend to care. In addition, dialogue contributes to the emotional growth of people who are cared for (Gordon, et al,1996).Confirmation The most important component of confirmation is trust and honest. Trust and honesty are important in confirming the intent of caring especially in an e ducational setting. In a society, that has no explicit care, trust and honest loses its meaning. This is because, in confirming the caring intentions, both teachers and students should be well conversant with each other in judging the aspects of education, that is whether they are wrong or right, (Noddings, 1998) Making great reference from Nel Nodding (2002), she identifies education as central in development of society. According to her argument, education involves, experiences, some of which are planned while others are unplanned, with the aim of generating knowledge, experiences, skills and appreciation (Flinders, 2001). She vehemently insists that, home is the primary source of education, and in agreement, a home is a source of the first care. Without care, Nodding posit, that, quality education is greatly hampered. Nevertheless, through hardships and near impossibilities, individuals encounter experiences, which in itself forms part of a constellation of education. To suppo rt this, nodding relies on her argument that education is an all-encompassing aspect, which involves experiences and lessons, which are obtained in whatever circumstances(Gordon, et al,1996). Going by its definition, caring can take place between students, teachers and Parents even if they differ on the aspect of caring (O'Toole, 1998). This is because caring is an all-encompassing aspect that involves efforts for holistic well being of all parties. It is then possible to say that in caring, we can agree to disagree, and treat the parties in accordance with the existing nature and circumstances (Flinders, 2001). For instance a teacher, who is selective in teaching part...