Pedagogy (and Practice) of Care
by Daisy L. Breneman
Note: we are sending this Toolbox a little early so that it will not come during
Fall Break, for those able to take a break this week (breaks are
so important!)
On Monday, October 30, Chis
Foss, a University of Mary Washington professor, and disability studies scholar, will visit JMU to offer an
evening lecture on disability in Oscar Wilde’s fairy tales, and a
CFI roundtable
on Universal Design and the Pedagogy of Care(taking) based on his article in the journal
Pedagogy,
“Individual Redemption Through Universal Design; Or, How IEP Meetings Have Infused My Pedagogy with an Ethic of Care(taking).” Foss uses his experience as a parent to explore the Pedagogy of Care(taking), a disability-inflected pedagogy that “recognizes and
values the individuality and the fundamental humanity of one’s students”—and the very important reminder of students’ “fully adult humanity but also of their important status as somebody’s kid” (480).
Like parenting, teaching from a place of care doesn’t mean, necessarily, ignoring rigor or accountability. Learning and growth require challenge and corresponding support. (Though, of course, it doesn’t hurt for us to be, continually,
questioning
our definitions—and worship—of rigor.) Our students are capable of more than they realize, but there are also ways, as we’ve explored in previous Toolboxes (such as
Soft Places to Land), to offer scaffolding and support.
Universal Design is one way to support learner mastery, and practice care: by removing barriers, we actually allow students to
learn and achieve more. We take collective accountability for care and ensure people have access to
what they need.
Recent events have reminded us of the urgency of collective accountability for care. (Unfortunately, this seems to be a statement that’s perpetually true.) Care is
an
action, a practice, and an ongoing need.
Ethics
of care is rooted in valuing each person as inherently worthy of dignity and care and prioritizes
relationship. We don’t need to love someone to practice care. Care is an
obligation, one we carry with us into the classroom too.
There’s no one way to enact a pedagogy of care or UDL: they are not checklists, but are truly ways of being in the world. But, building on insights from Foss and other scholars, here are a few possibilities for
striving toward creating a compassionate
classroom:
In his
Pedagogy article, Foss offers many powerful ideas for care-infused, and effective, teaching strategies, including flexibility and individualization, an openness to change, an emphasis on process, and letting students
know we value their opinions—and them. If you'd like to continue this conversation, join Chris Foss at
our CFI roundtable on October 30, request a teaching consultation, or send me an email. Let’s
all care for and with each other to create the kinds of spaces that allow us all to thrive.
About the author: Daisy L. Breneman holds a joint appointment with University Advising and Justice Studies and is the co-coordinator of the Disability Studies
Minor. She is also a CFI senior faculty associate. She can be reached at
[log in to unmask].
*****
To offer feedback about this Toolbox or any others, please contact Emily Gravett ([log in to unmask]).
We always appreciate a conversation with context for feedback. For additional information about the CFI’s Teaching Toolboxes, including PDFs of past emails, please visit
our webpage.