What I'm finding, studying this PGCert, is that it provokes reflection in me on my Self, my attitudes to teaching (and learning) and my methodologies. This week we were set the task of pre-reading at least two pieces from a set reading list. I freely admit, I chose the easy options ... a 20mins read on the ethics of care in teaching from a writing by D'Olimpio and watching Lindsay J's excellent 20 mins video lesson that discusses "Love and Belonging In The Educational Realm.
The D'Olimpio piece highlights the Deontology of Immanuel Kant and Utilitarianism of Jeremy Bentham. Straight away, I am thrown into the (predictably) Feminist approach, so favoured of these kind of studies. This one states that it is challenging the traditional morals and theories as being 'male-centric'. I immediately scribble "Why? How?" not as a challenge, just as a pointer for me to continue with those questions at the forefront of my mind. It transpires that these writings are 19th century, with improvements to Bentham by Mills in the 20th. Are these thinkings juts out of touch with the here and now? I think so. I in some ways agree with some of the early observations; eg: the omission or downplaying of values associated with roles that are cast as predominantly "feminine" ... but then I go into (in my notes) *I definitely DO NOT agree! Nurturing is NOT a female only attribute! Nor is caring or being demonstrative. Is this going to be further "male-ist" rhetoric?!
I found the highlighted tropes of utilitarianism very interesting indeed ... in fact they sort of tie in with my own thoughts - thoughts that I only come to on reflection, not a deliberate standpoint. I'm a great believer in working on instinct, indeed I teach that to students re Film / TV Directing. The utilitarianism model feels socialistic ... the ethos of 'taking one for the team ... society above the individual.' Things I feel I believe in, though I have never really reflected on them. I'm a 'doer'. I just 'do' as opposed to prevaricate (prevarication in others drives me round the bend in the workplace! In myself ... it drives me to anger very quickly indeed). I wrote "The moral dilemma? Surely we put loved ones or the team / society above all other relationships? Or is that me being 'male'? Given one of my character heroes is Eric 'Coach' Taylor from Friday Night Lights or John Walton (father) from The Waltons...then yes, it probably is 'male' and if it's old-fashioned, the qualities of being a mentor, nurturer, good father figure, team coach ... then it's due a revival!
Further notes I made: re Noddings writing - "Care is a moral relationship ... (Yes!) Predominantly female/feminine." Is it? (I write) Not in my life experience. Though gender plays its part in identifying an approach ...it's not necessarily 'right', nor is it the 'only way'. Why is care the ethical and moral place / thinking particular to women / the feminine? These theories (19th C to 1980s) feel redundant in the 21st Century as I know it and definitely don't tie in with my own experience or attitudes ... or more particularly, with my own approach to pastoral care of my students. Men also have a responsibility of care. Men are (or can be) empathetic and nurturing - I certainly am and have meany written and anecdotal testaments to that end for young people who have benefitted from an open, honest, caring approach. This has been a uge part of my growth journey in life ... from the my childhood of the late 60's through the turbulent 1970s into now. For me ... this essay is all too feminist in perspective! I see the point in the underlying background, at the time of their writing certainly. I do still struggle with some of the communication ethics of my (still new) life. We human beings (and that's the point ... surely?), male or female, or any other gender id ... we FEEL. You can't pin that down in all this hyper-intellectualised meandering around the subject. Why can't we just teach like we speak? Plainly. In sensical sentence structures? In our own accent / voice? Yes, I still struggle with aspects of the age old conditioning of me upbringing, culture (I grew up in), place (in societal demographics / class shifts). I do recall an early incident here at LCC where two young lads (students) were in the office being roundly taken to task over a social media pee-take having gone sour and been immediately labelled bullying ... without any thought to the why it happened, who did what, etc. Just outright dismissed as inexcusable. It was actually funny and not particularly offensive and had been ... in my opinion sorted out between the two guys in question. I'd made a flippant remark about 'Whatever happened to just taking it outside and sorting it out quietly?' Yes. I agree! NOT acceptable ... and excessively MALE! But that's the bane of one's life riding the societal surf waves from one culture to another. I have made one hell of a journey from where I once was, where - in the words of a young Paul Weller; "Power is measured by the pound or the fist ... it's as clear as this." to my contemporary 'Listen, reason, evaluate, decide ... act!' (but do it QUICK!) ways of today.
So, an interesting read and though provocation! And what surprises me is how much it resonates with me in terms of helping me to see the strengths in my approach to my teaching and particularly my pastoral care role ... one that I cherish and cultivate tbh.
Lindsay's video brought more self-questioning and examination, particularly on the questions raised of teachers being asked to consider fundamentally, what is education and it's purpose in our uncertain world. A few quotes were noted: Education brings opportunity to liberty ..." which on my own website's Educator page, I acknowledge. It certainly brought a certain kind of liberty to me and my life. Belonging is important to education / human conditioning and progress..." I realised that yes, I do feel (and think) that way ... just not in a conscious sense - ie: I haven't critically analysed it, I just 'do'. As a year leader I do (and as a person) I do foster and encourage as much a sense of belonging in my students as I possibly can. "We're in this together.." is a mantra I use a lot with them, especially now. Then I moved again into questioning the ideas (ideals?) being espoused. I'm beginning to wonder if I need to reflect on these things tbh (if I can ever find time or headspace!), because I do have an almost automatic resistance kicks in (too male of me? I'm being sincere there btw) I wrote the question: Why always politicise these things (ie gender politics). Spirituality? Instinct? Where is that in this thinking? All these thinkers are 19th Century. Haven't we moved beyond??? You can tell, it's actually annoying me by this point. As I move on I read and make notes on: 'White men can't speak to black men's experiences.' I write: State the obvious! Nor the other way round ... isn't that the same for everyone in everything? Where is CLASS in this thinking? Why is class always buried under the race, gender and diversity debates? Drives me nuts! More notes from me: Student experience, like all life experience, is individual as opposed to collective? Not necessarily no. It is individual AND collective! Then against a quote from the lesson of "Soft femininity balancing aggressive masculinity" I wrote : Pigeon-holing as usual. I find the stereotyping of gender really frustrating ... but perhaps that's me being too male? Finally ... I took note of - and agree with - "...the economic argument re education - redistribution of wealth by access to learning." I emphatically agreed! What we don't seem to key into at present is that the given 'word' on all things in life / society is constantly shifting and evolving. With the rise of 'woke', it's almost like we've taken a retrogressive step back into a time of polarity and extremes. Not healthy. And writings like these don't hep ... in my opinion. But at least they do help to provoke thought and debate, though it's a debate I always feel the imposter in.
Overall ... a very thought provoking hour or so spent connecting with this unit ... a task that had me connect more with my Self and with my practice and sense of worth and place in this environment.
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