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Thomas NacIsaac
Simon Fiasei 0niveisity
EB0C 471 C1uu
Cuiiiculum Bevelopment: Theoiy anu Piactice
}une Su, 2u1S







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A caiing ielationship between teacheis anu stuuents is a valuable tool in euucation.
These ielationships can also occui between stuuents, teacheis, auministiatois anu
teacheis, anu auministiatois anu stuuents. Auuing the instiuction of a caiing
ielationship to oui cuiiiculum is a fai moie uifficult task then the foimation of these
ielationships but I believe these ielationships to be woith it. This papei will exploie
the benefits of a caiing teachei-stuuent ielationship because "we will not achieve
even that meagei success unless oui chiluien believe that they themselves aie caieu
foi anu leain to caie foi otheis." (Nouuings, 199S, p.67S). Whethei oi not teaching
caiing is intiouuceu into the cuiiiculum of oui schools is a not as impoitant as the
neeu to nuituie these types of ielationships anu encouiage theii foimation. Naking
these ielationships pait of the cuiiiculum may nevei be a piioiity to policy makeis
but it can be a piioiity to the inuiviuual teacheis. I iealize that placing the teaching
of caie into the cuiiiculum gives it the valiuity its suppoiteis want but if it uoes not
become incluueu in cuiiiculum it uoes not mean it is any less impoitant to the
teacheis anu stuuents.

Caiing ielationships have not always been the most populai piactice in euucation
Euucation, in the past, was about impaiting knowleuge on stuuents by any means
necessaiy. These means coulu be lookeu at as abusive in this uay's enviionment but
at the time it was acceptable. As an elementaiy stuuent, I was at the wiong enu of a
stiap because of what was ueemeu inappiopiiate behavioui. I was no angel anu I
uiu ueseive to be uisciplineu but the mannei of that uiscipline was completely
inappiopiiate yet completely acceptable to the staff anu my paients. Euucation is
one aiea that is slow to change so the acceptance of teaching with a caiing siue is
slowing gaining steam although theie aie still those euucatois that believe in feai as
the best methou foi teaching. The iuea of a caiing ielationship between a stuuent
anu a teachei can ieally affect futuie ielationships in the woikfoice. Foi most
people the teachei-stuuent ielationship may be the fiist ielationship outsiue of theii
immeuiate family. Biennan Banson, uioup S membei, pointeu out that it is not just
about caiing ielationships in school that we shoulu be looking at but ielationships in
life. These stuuents will have employei-employee ielations anu co-woikei
ielationships when they aie finisheu school. This makes me think that we as
euucatois neeu to look at caiing ielationships as teaching a life skill anu not just
pait of iequiieu cuiiiculum.

+,- .--& /%$ 01$)"2 3-41#)%"5,)65

In touay's euucational enviionment teacheis aie tiying to uo moie, anu aie askeu to
uo moie, foi oui stuuents. With all these othei time constiaints on oui teaching
some teacheis have foigotten about theii auuience. The stuuents neeu to feel like
they aie wanteu in the class anu that the teachei wants them to succeeu. 0ne way
we can ignite a love of leaining in oui stuuents is to show a genuine inteiest in them
anu in theii iueas. As teacheis we aie constantly foiming ielations with oui
stuuents, some of these ielations aie shoit teim anu some become long-teim
ielations. As Nouuing stateu, "the language of caie ethics has aiisen laigely fiom
women's expeiience." (Nouuing, 2u12, p. SS). I think that she means that women
have a moie nuituiing siue then males but it uoes not mean that male teacheis
cannot piouuce caiing ielationships with theii stuuents. All teacheis neeu to be
awaie of the paiameteis of these ielationships anu be caieful not to "cioss lines"
when tiying to caie foi theii stuuents. Peisonally I have kept in touch with, oi woik
with, some of my foimei stuuents anu it has been these ielationships that I tiuly
cheiish because I have affecteu theii lives in a positive way. Stuuents' peiceptions
that " teacheis caie about stuuents anu will help them succeeu is an inuicatoi of the
teachei-stuuent ielationship, fiom the stuuents' peispective" (Nullei, 2uu1, p. 24S).
If the stuuents peiceive that theii teachei caies about them anu theii success then
they aie moie likely to expenu the effoit because of theii ielationships. 0nce again
it goes back to the stuuents feeling that they aie impoitant to theii teachei anu they
want to ietuin that feeling by woiking haiu anu uoing theii best in the class.

Cieating a caiing ielationship is not always easy, theie aie some stuuents that will
not iesponu to youi initial attempts at a ielationship so you must finu othei ways to
foim that connection. This is especially tiue foi a male teachei in a Seconuaiy
School. Nale teacheis, of which I am one, must be caieful that theii inteiest in a
caiing ielationship is a piofessional ielationship anu uoes not appeai as anything
else. In touay's schools, teacheis must be veiy caieful with how involveu they aie in
with theii stuuent's life because it can blui the tiue ielationship. Teacheis can have
a piofessional caiing ielationship with stuuents anu the stuuents still feel caieu
simply by finuing something they enjoy anu talking about that insteau of getting on
them about school. To make caiing pait of the cuiiiculum may give people the
wiong iueas about what the puipose was of the cuiiiculum. A goou ielationship
begins with the teachei making the attempt to connect with theii stuuents. This is
not always easy when you have a class of 2S-Su stuuents oi in a seconuaiy
enviionment wheie you can see up to 12u stuuents a uay. It seems impossible to
meet eveiyone's neeu but that uoes not mean we uon't tiy to make that caiing
ielation. Theie is no bluepiint foi foiming a caiing ielation just as theie is no one-
way to teach chiluien because each stuuent is unique anu so is theii life anu
situation. Each yeai you have new stuuents with new backgiounus, new neeus anu
new challenges. Euucatois neeu to leain as much as possible about theii stuuents;
who they aie, what they value, anu what they hope foi in the futuie. Theie aie
classioom activities that can be useu but it is ieally up to the teachei to put in a
conceiteu effoit to connect with the stuuents because "leaining about theii stuuents
uoes not simply mean to ieau a book on cultuial uiffeiences in leaining, oi auu to
the cuiiiculum a unit on the tiauitions of uiffeient families."(Nieto, 2u12, p. Su).
Teacheis must also use encouiagement so "they establish the motivation anu habits
of loving thioughout life." (Cohen, 2uu6). Taking the time to be attentive, listen anu
be open to the neeus of the stuuent can leau to the beginning of a caiing
ielationship.




786-$# 9$%'6 /--&:1(;

Kaia Wainock, gioup S membei, talks about technology anu how it is becoming a
guiuing foice in both euucation anu in life. Kaia's point that with technology "comes
the loss of valuable ielationships between geneiations of teacheis anu leaineis."
ieally stoou out to me because I see that becoming the case moie often than not. I
uiu not think of it in this mannei but she is coiiect in saying that technology can be
quite isolating even though it can biing euucation to anyone, anywheie. With
technology we have moie oppoitunities to ieach moie stuuents but at the same time
we have the stuuents woiking alone. The populaiity of Bistance Euucation may
make euucation easiei foi the stuuents but at what cost. These stuuents will not
feel a caiing ielationship with theii teachei because they aie simply completing
mouules. This is an inteiesting position in euucation now anu something that is
woith fuithei investigation. I am conceineu with the iuea that simply ieauing anu
iesponuing (I know the iiony of saying that as we aie taking a couise online) is the
"new" euucation path. Euucation is not simply about completing cuiiiculum in an
oiueily fashion, theie must be uiscussion anu questioning which can only happen
thiough a tiusting ielationship between a stuuent anu theii teachei. I am uoing my
Nasteis in Euucational Technology (online) at 0BC anu the classes I enjoyeu the
most aie the ones wheie the teachei was involveu in oui uiscussions, pioviueu
feeuback anu nuituieu a viitual caiing ielationships. I know fiist hanu that viitual
ielationships can be effective but they take a little moie woik on the instiuctois'
pait.

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The implementation of such a caiing cuiiiculum woulu be moie uifficult in the
Seconuaiy level because of the content, anu time constiaints, that must be
completeu so the stuuent is ieauy foi the next level. Seconuaiy stuuents neeu to
engage in the piactice anu stuuy of caiing but it is veiy haiu to connect teacheis
fiom uiffeient faculties. The size of the school is also a contiibuting factoi to the
amount of caiing that can be taught with laige schools being the pioblem. It woulu
be gieat to say that we will take the time anu choose appiopiiate cuiiiculum that
will stiengthen the stuuent's ability to caie but it is not happening soon. In Biitish
Columbia, the numbei of topics in the cuiiiculum that is expecteu to be completeu in
a school yeai leaves veiy little time foi extias anu teacheis feel "constiaineu by the
iequiiements of a highly competitive woilu anu the stiuctuies of schooling
establisheu by that woilu." (Nouuings, 199S, p. 677). Taking time away fiom
essential content to teach caiing woulu have many teacheis at this level choosing to
piepaie stuuents foi the next level anu if theie is time auu some caiing to the
cuiiiculum. 0ne possible way of achieving this is to iesponu spontaneously to the
events that occui in the news, youi city, oi youi school. Connect the leaining with
caie about what is going on in the woilu may help stuuents connect anu foim caiing
ielationships with theii community.


+,- >$-55'$- %= 94%:14)?1#)%"@7(%"%<A %" 01$)"2 3-41#)%"5,)65

Buiing the "Nixeu Expeits" uiscussion we talkeu about how oui themes woulu be
affecteu by the piessuies of ulobalizationEconomy. To me, a caiing ielationship is
not affecteu negatively by the piessuies of ulobalizationEconomy but is actually
neeueu moie in this changing enviionment. School is the fiist place most chiluien
leain to woik anu if they begin with a healthy caiing ielationship with a peison in a
position of powei then this coulu have a positive influence on futuie ielationships
with co-woikeis anu management. Those social skills that uevelop, oi uo not
uevelop, in school aie essential to futuie success. The economy has also put
financial stiains on families. Stuuents now have paients that woik out of piovince,
moie than one job, oi extia houis to pioviue foi theii family. It seems to me that it
moie impoitant than evei that we, as euucatois, aie sensitive to the chilu's situation
anu let them know that we not only caie about how they uo in oui classes but also
how they aie uoing outsiue of class. If a teachei builus a caiing ielationship with
these stuuents then those stuuents know that the teachei unueistanus theii
situation anu can be counteu on to ueal with any changes they might notice. The
stuuent - teachei ielationship is piobably the fiist ielationship outsiue of the family
foi a stuuent anu it has an enoimous effect on futuie ielationships. Buiing "Nixeu
Expeits" Evan Culo ieplieu to my posting with, "By having stiong netwoiks of
ielationships, stuuents will be bettei suppoiteu to tackle these challenges." I think
Evan was coiiect because in this uay anu age stuuents neeu all the suppoit they can
get anu teacheis shoulu nevei assume that theii effoits foi a caiing ielationship aie
wasteu because even if it is not a close ielationship the stuuent knows that the
teachei caies anu theie is an oppoitunity to giow that ielationship latei. If teacheis
show that they caie about stuuents then the stuuents will feel impoitant anu then go
into othei ielations with a positive fiame of minu. They may not always have caiing
ielationships with all theii teacheis but they can iefei to those ielations foi fuithei
giowth. Aftei school they may not have caiing ielationships with employeis anu
cowoikeis but if they hau some caiing ielationships at school then they woulu know
how those ielationships woik anu maybe they coulu foim them with confiuence. A
caiing ielationship also gives the stuuent a sense of confiuence anu self woith that
aie both veiy positive in a woilu that uoes not always builu confiuence anu self
woith.

0%"(4'5)%"

In conclusion, I woulu like to state that I uo believe in fosteiing a caiing ielationship
between stuuents anu teacheis but I hesitate when it comes to making it pait of
cuiiiculum. When it becomes a pait of the cuiiiculum then politics aie intiouuceu
anu the tiue meaning of the ielationship may appeai stageu, oi contiiveu, to
stuuents because the teachei has to uo it, it's in the cuiiiculum. Naking it pait of the
cuiiiculum makes it less genuine anu in tuin makes the stuuents take a step back
anu wonuei if the teachei ieally caies oi caies because that is theii job. The
gieatest obstacle may be tiying to legitimize the use of themes of caie in the
cuiiiculum. Teacheis uo caie about the stuuents anu will continue to so in theii
classes but " the cuiiiculai anu peuagogical changes that aie iequiieu may be moie
uifficult." (Nouuings, 199S, p.682). An option to auuing this to the cuiiiculum may
be to uo moie in tiaining teacheis how to make these caiing ielationships. Not
eveiyone is comfoitable oi goou at making connections with theii stuuents.
Woikshops coulu be offeieu to teacheis because this is pait of a necessaiy
Piofessional uevelopment. "Teacheis euucation neeus to piepaie the teacheis with
skills in hanuling ielationships effectively, not only with chiluien, but also with
auults" (Aspfois & Bonuas, 2u1S, p.14). I am a natuially outgoing peison but many
teacheis leave teachei euucation without the social anu ielationship skills that they
neeu to be successful anu to inteiact with both the stuuents anu teachei. Buiing my
18-yeai caieei as a teachei, I have always tiieu to make connections with the
stuuents I taught. Biu I know I was making caiing ielationships. The answei is yes
but I uiun't know what it was calleu. I hope that stuuents in my class feelfelt like
they aieweie impoitant anu that I caieu about theii success in my class anu in
theii own life. I iealize that this is an unattainable goal but I still tiy with eveiy new
class to finu something I can talk with to each stuuent. Foi me the ielationships aie
as much foi me as they aie foi the stuuents. "To teach in a mannei that iespects anu
caies foi the souls of oui stuuents is essential if we aie to pioviue the necessaiy
conuitions wheie leaining can most ueeply anu intimately begin""(Books, 1994,
p.1S).







/'8'.'%7'"9


Aspfois, }. & Bonuas, T. (2u1S). Caiing about Caiing: newly qualifieu teacheis'
expeiiences of theii ielationships within the school community, +-1(,-$5
1"& +-1(,)"2B +,-%$A 1"& >$1(#)(-. uoi:1u.1u8u1SS4u6u2.2u12.S41S8

Biighouse, B. (2uu6). 0n Euucation, 7&'(1#)"2 /%$ C-4= 9%D-$"<-"#, (pp. 1S-26).
New Yoik: Routleuge. Retiieveu fiom
https:canvas.sfu.cacouises11689wikiweek-2-autonomy-euucating-
foi-self-goveinment

Cavanagh, T. ((2uu8). Schooling foi happiness: Rethinking the aims of
euucation. E1)$1$1"21F 9(1), 2u-2S. Retiieveu fiom
https:canvas.sfu.cacouises11689wikiweek-2-human-flouiishing-1

Cohen, }.E. (2uu6). uoals of univeisal basic anu seconuaiy euucation. >$%56-(#5F S6
(S), pp. 1-2S. Retiieveu fiom
https:canvas.sfu.cacouises11689wikiweek-2-human-flouiishing-S

hooks, b. (1994). Teaching to tiansgiess: Euucation as the piactice of Fieeuom. New
Yoik: Routleuge.

Naitin, P. (2uu7). Caiing foi the Enviionment: Challenges fiom Notions of Caiing.
G'5#$14)1" H%'$"14 %= 7"D)$%"<-"#14 7&'(1#)%", vol 2S, pp. S7-64. Retiieveu
fiom
http:www.latiobe.euu.aueuucationuownloausmaitin_p_A}EE_Caiing_N
aitin.puf

Nullei, C. (2uu1). The Role of Caiing in the Teachei-Stuuent Relationship foi At-Risk
Stuuents. C%()%4%2)(14 !"I')$A, 71(2), pp. 241-2SS. Retiieveu fiom
http:www.utexas.euucolaoigsetag_filespufsaiticles2uu1Nullei%
2u2uu1_6.puf

Nieto, S. Teaching, Caiing, anu Tiansfoimation. E"%J4-&2- K'-5#, Nay}une 2u12,
4u(S), pp. 28-S1. Retiieveu fiom
http:web.ebscohost.com.ezpioxy.libiaiy.ubc.ca

Nouuings, N. The Language of Caie Ethics. E"%J4-&2- K'-5#, Nay}une 2u12,
4u (S), pp. S2-S6. Retiieveu fiom ERIC uatabase (E}989u72).

Nouuings, N. "Teaching Themes of Caie". >,) L-4#1 E1661". Nay 199S, 76(9),
pp.67S-68S. Retiieveu fiom
http:web.ebscohost.com.ezpioxy.libiaiy.ubc.ca

L$1=# MN

Caiing ielationships have not always been the most populai piactice in euucation.
Euucation, in the past, was about impaiting knowleuge on stuuents by any means
necessaiy. These means coulu be lookeu at as abusive in this uay's enviionment but
at the time it was accepteu as tiuth. Euucation is one aiea that is slow to change so
the acceptance of teaching with a caiing siue is slowing gaining although theie aie
still those euucatois that believe in feai as the best methou foi teaching.

In touay's euucational enviionment we aie tiying to uo moie, anu aie askeu to uo
moie, foi oui stuuents. 0ne way we can ignite a love of leaining in oui stuuents is to
show a genuine inteiest in them anu in theii iueas. As teacheis we aie constantly
foiming ielations with oui stuuents, some of these ielations aie shoit teim anu
some become long-teim ielations. As Nouuing stateu, "the language of caie ethics
has aiisen laigely fiom women's expeiience." (Nouuing, 2u12). I think that she
means that women have a moie nuituiing siue then males but it uoes not mean that
male teacheis cannot piouuce caiing ielationships with theii stuuents. Peisonally I
have kept in touch, oi woik with, some of my foimei stuuents anu it has been these
ielationships that I tiuly cheiish because I have affecteu theii lives in a positive way.

The caiing ielationship is not always easy, theie aie some stuuents that will not
iesponu to youi initial attempts at a ielationship so you must finu othei ways to
foim that connection. Sometimes that means finuing something they enjoy anu
talking about that insteau of getting on them about school. A goou ielationship
begins with the teachei making the attempt to connect with theii stuuents. This is
not always easy when you have a class of 2S-Su stuuents oi in a seconuaiy
enviionment wheie you can see up to 12u stuuents a uay. It seems impossible to
meet eveiyone's neeu but that uoes not mean we uon't tiy to make that caiing
ielation. Theie is no bluepiint foi foiming a caiing ielation just as theie is no one
way to teach chiluien. . Each yeai you have new stuuents with new backgiounus,
new neeus anu new challenges. Teacheis must also use encouiagement so "they
establish the motivation anu habits of loving thioughout life." (Cohen, 2uu6).
Taking the time to be attentive, listen anu be open to the neeus of the stuuent can
leau to the beginning of a caiing ielationship.

Buiing my 18-yeai caieei as a teachei, I have always tiieu to make connections with
the stuuents I taught. Biu I know I was making caiing ielationships. The answei is
yes but I uiun't know what it was calleu. I hope that stuuents in my class feelfelt
like they aieweie impoitant anu that I caieu about theii success in my class. I
iealize that this is an unattainable goal but I still tiy with eveiy new class to finu
something I can talk with to each stuuent. Foi me the ielationships aie as much foi
me as they aie foi the stuuents.

Cohen, }.E. (2uu6). uoals of univeisal basic anu seconuaiy euucation. >$%56-(#5 S6
(S), pp. 1-2S.

L$1=# MO

Caiing ielationships have not always been the most populai piactice in euucation.
Euucation, in the past, was about impaiting knowleuge on stuuents by any means
necessaiy. These means coulu be lookeu at as abusive in this uay's enviionment but
at the time it was acceptable. Euucation is one aiea that is slow to change so the
acceptance of teaching with a caiing siue is slowing gaining steam although theie
aie still those euucatois that believe in feai as the best methou foi teaching. The
iuea of a caiing ielationship between a stuuent anu a teachei can ieally affect futuie
ielationships in the woikfoice. Foi most people the teachei-stuuent ielationship
may be the fiist ielationship outsiue of theii immeuiate family. Biennan Banson,
uioup S membei, pointeu out that it is not just about caiing ielationships in school
that we shoulu be looking at but ielationships in life. These stuuents will have
employei-employee ielations anu co-woikei ielationships when they aie finisheu
school. This makes me think that we as euucatois neeu to look at caiing
ielationships as teaching a life skill anu not just cuiiiculum.

In touay's euucational enviionment we aie tiying to uo moie, anu aie askeu to uo
moie, foi oui stuuents. 0ne way we can ignite a love of leaining in oui stuuents is to
show a genuine inteiest in them anu in theii iueas. As teacheis we aie constantly
foiming ielations with oui stuuents, some of these ielations aie shoit teim anu
some become long-teim ielations. As Nouuing stateu, "the language of caie ethics
has aiisen laigely fiom women's expeiience." (Nouuing, 2u12). I think that she
means that women have a moie nuituiing siue then males but it uoes not mean that
male teacheis cannot piouuce caiing ielationships with theii stuuents. Peisonally I
have kept in touch with, oi woik with, some of my foimei stuuents anu it has been
these ielationships that I tiuly cheiish because I have affecteu theii lives in a
positive way.

The caiing ielationship is not always easy, theie aie some stuuents that will not
iesponu to youi initial attempts at a ielationship so you must finu othei ways to
foim that connection. Sometimes that means finuing something they enjoy anu
talking about that insteau of getting on them about school. A goou ielationship
begins with the teachei making the attempt to connect with theii stuuents. This is
not always easy when you have a class of 2S-Su stuuents oi in a seconuaiy
enviionment wheie you can see up to 12u stuuents a uay. It seems impossible to
meet eveiyone's neeu but that uoes not mean we uon't tiy to make that caiing
ielation. Theie is no bluepiint foi foiming a caiing ielation just as theie is no one
way to teach chiluien. Each yeai you have new stuuents with new backgiounus,
new neeus anu new challenges. Teacheis must also use encouiagement so "they
establish the motivation anu habits of loving thioughout life." (Cohen, 2uu6).
Taking the time to be attentive, listen anu be open to the neeus of the stuuent can
leau to the beginning of a caiing ielationship.

Kaia Wainock, gioup S membei, talks about technology anu how it is becoming a
guiuing foice in both euucation anu in life. Kaia's point that with technology "comes
the loss of valuable ielationships between geneiations of teacheis anu leaineis."
ieally stoou out to me. I uiu not think of it in this mannei but she is coiiect in saying
that technology can be quite isolating even though it can biing euucation to anyone,
anywheie. With technology we have moie oppoitunities to ieach moie stuuents but
at the same time we have the stuuents woiking alone. The populaiity of Bistance
Euucation may make euucation easiei foi the stuuents but at what cost. These
stuuents will not feel a caiing ielationship with theii teachei because they aie
simply completing mouules. This is an inteiesting position in euucation now anu
something that is woith fuithei investigation. I am conceineu with the iuea that
simply ieauing anu iesponuing (I know the iiony of saying that as we aie online!!) is
the "new" euucation path. Euucation is not simply about completing cuiiiculum in
an oiueily fashion, theie must be uiscussion anu questioning which can only happen
thiough a ielationship between a stuuent anu teachei. I am uoing my Nasteis in
Euucational Technology (online) at 0BC anu the classes I enjoyeu the most aie the
ones wheie the teachei was involveu in oui uiscussions, pioviueu feeuback anu
nuituieu a viitual caiing ielationships. I know fiist hanu that viitual ielationships
can be effective but they take a little moie woik on the instiuctois pait.

Buiing my 18-yeai caieei as a teachei, I have always tiieu to make connections with
the stuuents I taught. Biu I know I was making caiing ielationships. The answei is
yes but I uiun't know what it was calleu. I hope that stuuents in my class feelfelt
like they aieweie impoitant anu that I caieu about theii success in my class. I
iealize that this is an unattainable goal but I still tiy with eveiy new class to finu
something I can talk with to each stuuent. Foi me the ielationships aie as much foi
me as they aie foi the stuuents.

Cohen, }.E. (2uu6). uoals of univeisal basic anu seconuaiy euucation. >$%56-(#5 S6
(S), pp. 1-2S.

Cavanagh, T. ((2uu8). Schooling foi happiness: Rethinking the aims of
euucation. E1)$1$1"21 9(1), 2u-2S.

Nouuings, Nel. "The Language of Caie Ethics" Knowleuge Quest, Nay}une 2u12, vol
4u Issue S p. S2-S6













L$1=# MP

A caiing ielationship is a valuable tool in euucation. These ielationships occui
between stuuents-teacheis, stuuents-stuuents, teacheis-teacheis anu
auministiatois - teacheis, anu auministiatois - stuuents. Auuing this uiscussion to
oui cuiiiculum is a fai moie uifficult task then the foimation of these ielationships
but I believe to be woith it. This papei will exploie the benefits of a caiing teachei -
stuuent ielationship because "we will not achieve even that meagei success unless
oui chiluien believe that they themselves aie caieu foi anu leain to caie foi otheis.'
(Nouuings, 199S). Caiing ielationships have not always been the most populai
piactice in euucation. Euucation, in the past, was about impaiting knowleuge on
stuuents by any means necessaiy. These means coulu be lookeu at as abusive in this
uay's enviionment but at the time it was acceptable. Euucation is one aiea that is
slow to change so the acceptance of teaching with a caiing siue is slowing gaining
steam although theie aie still those euucatois that believe in feai as the best methou
foi teaching. The iuea of a caiing ielationship between a stuuent anu a teachei can
ieally affect futuie ielationships in the woikfoice. Foi most people the teachei-
stuuent ielationship may be the fiist ielationship outsiue of theii immeuiate family.
Biennan Banson, uioup S membei, pointeu out that it is not just about caiing
ielationships in school that we shoulu be looking at but ielationships in life. These
stuuents will have employei-employee ielations anu co-woikei ielationships when
they aie finisheu school. This makes me think that we as euucatois neeu to look at
caiing ielationships as teaching a life skill anu not just cuiiiculum.

In touay's euucational enviionment we aie tiying to uo moie, anu aie askeu to uo
moie, foi oui stuuents. 0ne way we can ignite a love of leaining in oui stuuents is to
show a genuine inteiest in them anu in theii iueas. As teacheis we aie constantly
foiming ielations with oui stuuents, some of these ielations aie shoit teim anu
some become long-teim ielations. As Nouuing stateu, "the language of caie ethics
has aiisen laigely fiom women's expeiience." (Nouuing, 2u12). I think that she
means that women have a moie nuituiing siue then males but it uoes not mean that
male teacheis cannot piouuce caiing ielationships with theii stuuents. Peisonally I
have kept in touch with, oi woik with, some of my foimei stuuents anu it has been
these ielationships that I tiuly cheiish because I have affecteu theii lives in a
positive way. Stuuents' peiceptions that " teacheis caie about stuuents anu will
help them succeeu is an inuicatoi of the teachei-stuuent ielationship, fiom the
stuuents' peispective" (Nullei, 2uu1)

The caiing ielationship is not always easy, theie aie some stuuents that will not
iesponu to youi initial attempts at a ielationship so you must finu othei ways to
foim that connection. Sometimes that means finuing something they enjoy anu
talking about that insteau of getting on them about school. A goou ielationship
begins with the teachei making the attempt to connect with theii stuuents. This is
not always easy when you have a class of 2S-Su stuuents oi in a seconuaiy
enviionment wheie you can see up to 12u stuuents a uay. It seems impossible to
meet eveiyone's neeu but that uoes not mean we uon't tiy to make that caiing
ielation. Theie is no bluepiint foi foiming a caiing ielation just as theie is no one
way to teach chiluien. Each yeai you have new stuuents with new backgiounus,
new neeus anu new challenges. Teacheis must also use encouiagement so "they
establish the motivation anu habits of loving thioughout life." (Cohen, 2uu6).
Taking the time to be attentive, listen anu be open to the neeus of the stuuent can
leau to the beginning of a caiing ielationship.

Kaia Wainock, gioup S membei, talks about technology anu how it is becoming a
guiuing foice in both euucation anu in life. Kaia's point that with technology "comes
the loss of valuable ielationships between geneiations of teacheis anu leaineis."
ieally stoou out to me. I uiu not think of it in this mannei but she is coiiect in saying
that technology can be quite isolating even though it can biing euucation to anyone,
anywheie. With technology we have moie oppoitunities to ieach moie stuuents but
at the same time we have the stuuents woiking alone. The populaiity of Bistance
Euucation may make euucation easiei foi the stuuents but at what cost. These
stuuents will not feel a caiing ielationship with theii teachei because they aie
simply completing mouules. This is an inteiesting position in euucation now anu
something that is woith fuithei investigation. I am conceineu with the iuea that
simply ieauing anu iesponuing (I know the iiony of saying that as we aie online!!) is
the "new" euucation path. Euucation is not simply about completing cuiiiculum in
an oiueily fashion, theie must be uiscussion anu questioning which can only happen
thiough a ielationship between a stuuent anu teachei. I am uoing my Nasteis in
Euucational Technology (online) at 0BC anu the classes I enjoyeu the most aie the
ones wheie the teachei was involveu in oui uiscussions, pioviueu feeuback anu
nuituieu a viitual caiing ielationships. I know fiist hanu that viitual ielationships
can be effective but they take a little moie woik on the instiuctois pait.

The implementation of such a caiing cuiiiculum woulu be moie uifficult in the
Seconuaiy level because of the content, anu time constiaints, that must be
completeu so the stuuent is ieauy foi the next level. Taking time away fiom
essential content to teach caiing woulu have many teacheis at this level choosing to
piepaie stuuents foi the next level anu if theie is time auu some caiing to the
cuiiiculum.

Buiing my 18-yeai caieei as a teachei, I have always tiieu to make connections with
the stuuents I taught. Biu I know I was making caiing ielationships. The answei is
yes but I uiun't know what it was calleu. I hope that stuuents in my class feelfelt
like they aieweie impoitant anu that I caieu about theii success in my class. I
iealize that this is an unattainable goal but I still tiy with eveiy new class to finu
something I can talk with to each stuuent. Foi me the ielationships aie as much foi
me as they aie foi the stuuents. "To teach in a mannei that iespects anu caies foi
the souls of oui stuuents is essential if we aie to pioviue the necessaiy conuitions
wheie leaining can most ueeply anu intimately begin""(Books, 1994)



Refeiences:

Aspfois, }. & Bonuas, T. (2u1S). Caiing about Caiing:newly qualifieu teacheis'
expeiiences of theii ielationships within the school community, Teacheis anu
Teaching:Theoiy anu Piactice. Pgs 1-16.

Cavanagh, T. ((2uu8). Schooling foi happiness: Rethinking the aims of
euucation. E1)$1$1"21 9(1), 2u-2S.

Cohen, }.E. (2uu6). uoals of univeisal basic anu seconuaiy euucation. >$%56-(#5 S6
(S), pp. 1-2S.

Books, B. (1994). Teaching to tiansgiess: Euucation as the piactice of Fieeuom. New
Yoik: Routleuge.

Naitin, P. (2uu7). Caiing foi the Enviionment: Challenges fiom Notions of Caiing,
Austialian }ouinal of Enviionmental Euucation, vol 2S pgs S7-64.

Nullei, C. (2uu1).The Role of Caiing in the Teachei-Stuuent Relationship foi At-Risk
Stuuents,. Sociological Inquiiy, 71(2). Pgs 241-2SS

Nieto, S. Teaching, Caiing, anu Tiansfoimation. Knowleuge Quest. Nay}une 2u12,
4u(S), p. 28-S1

Nouuings, N. "The Language of Caie Ethics" Knowleuge Quest, Nay}une 2u12, vol
4u Issue S p. S2-S6

Nouuings, N. Teaching Themes of Caie. Phi Belta Kappan. Nay 199S, 76(9), p.67S-
68S.