Empathy as Understanding
Keywords:
emergent epistemology, empathy, compassion, wisdom, narrative writing, hermeneuticsAbstract
Abstract: What role does empathy play within the context of an emergent curriculum, and ever-changing world? This paper explores how a focus on empathy, compassion and wisdom are necessary to understand and address the complex problems we face both in and outside of the classroom. It starts with the premise that knowledge is not static but instead emerges when diverse people and cultures interact. Through a narrative approach empathy is placed within lived contexts to highlight how opening ourselves up to the experience of others at both a cognitive and emotional level, allows us to add nuance and complexity to our understanding, and allows us to take action in a way that acts in the service of our shared humanity.
References
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Arendt, H. (1978). The life of the mind. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovic
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Endacott, J. & Pelekanos, C. (2015). Slaves women, and War! Engaging middle school students in historical empathy for enduring understanding. Social Studies, 106(1), 1 -7. Doi : 10.1080/00377996.2014.957378
Gadamer, H.G. (1989). Truth and method. New York: Continuum Press.
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Phenix, P. (1975) Transcendence and the curriuculm. In Pinar (Ed) Curriculum Theoriing: The Reconceptualists (p. 319 – 335)
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Smith, D.G (1988). Children and the gods of war. Phenomenology and Pedagogy. 6(1), 25 -29.
Smith, D.G. (2012). Foreword: Spiritual cardiology and the heart of wisdom. In C. M.
Chambers, E. Hasebe-Ludt, C. Leggo & A. Sinner (eds.), A heart of wisdom: Life writing as empathetic inquiry (pp. xi - xvi). New York: Peter Lang.
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Tal, C (2015). Introduction of an emergent curriculum and an inclusive pedagogy in a traditional setting in Isreal: A case study. International Journal of Early Years Education, 22(2), 141 -155. DOI: 10.1080/09669760.2014.898578
Warren, C.A. (2014). Towards a pedagogy for the application of empathy in culturally diverse classrooms. Urban Review: Issues and Ideas in Public Education. 46 (3), 395-419. Doi 10.1007/s11256-013-0262-5
Wigglesworth, C. (2014, January 12th). The Roadmap to Nobility. (Video File). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mX9adE0FSaw
Veck, W (2013). Participation in education as an invitation to become towards the world: Hannah Arendt on the authority, thoughtfulness and imagination of the educator. Educational Philosophy and Theory, 45(1), 36 -48. DOI: 10.1080/00131857.2012.71331
Arendt, H, (1958). The human condition. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press
Arendt, H. (1968). The crisis in education. Between past and Future. New
York: Viking.
Arendt, H. (1978). The life of the mind. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovic
Arendt, H. 1993. Truth and politics. In Between past and future: Eight exercises in political thought. Harmondsworth, Middlesex: Penguin
Biesta, G. (2004) “Mind the gap!” Communication and the educational relation. In C. Bingham and A.M. Sidorkin (Eds.), No Education Without Relation (pp. 11-22) New York: Peter Lang.
Berry, W. (2005). The way of ignorance. Kemmis, D. & White, C. (Eds.), The Way of Ignorance and other essays by Wendell Berry. United States; Shoemaker and Hoard
Clark, F. 2010. “Empathy and epistemic closure.” Accessed 14 October 2015. http://www. patheos.com/blogs/slacktivist/2010/04/30/empathy-and-epistemic- closure/
Cohen, L. (1992) Anthem. On The Future. Ontario: Colombia
Convention on the Rights of the Child (n.d) Retrieved Oct 23rd, 2015, from http://www.ohchr.org/en/professionalinterest/pages/crc.aspx
Dalai Lama [DalaiLama]. (2010, December 27). If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion. [Tweet]. Retrieved from: https://twitter.com/DalaiLama/status/19335233497210880
Dalai Lama (2013, August 6). Youth engaging compassion. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pJXPa1gCRWQ
Dar, F.R. (2015) Rethinking education-emerging roles for teachers. Universal Journal of Educational Research, 3(2), 63-75. Retrived from http://www.eric.ed.gov/contentdelivery/servlet/ERICServlet?accno=EJ1056095
Demir, N. (2015, September 2nd ). Alan Kurdi. Retrieved from: http://www.macleans.ca/news/world/his-name-was-alan-kurdi/
Endacott, J. & Pelekanos, C. (2015). Slaves women, and War! Engaging middle school students in historical empathy for enduring understanding. Social Studies, 106(1), 1 -7. Doi : 10.1080/00377996.2014.957378
Gadamer, H.G. (1989). Truth and method. New York: Continuum Press.
Greene, M. (1977). Towards wide-awakeness; an argument for the arts and humanaties in education. Teacher College Record, 79(1), 119-25.
Greene, M. (1993) Diversity and inclusion: Towards a curriculum for human beings. The Teachers College Record, 95(2), 211-221. Retrived from http://www.tcrecord.org/library/
Hamilton, M. L., Smith, L., & Worthington, K. (2008). Fitting the methodology with the research: An exploration of narrative, self-study and autoethnography. Studying Techer Education, 4(1), 17-28. Doi: 10.1080/17425960801976321
Harwood, V. (2010). The place of imagination in inclusive pedagogy: Thinking with Maxine Greene and Hannah Arendt. International Journal of Inclusive Education. 14(4), 357-369. Doi: 10.1080/13603110802504572
Horsthemke, K. (2015) Epistemic empathy in childrearing and education. Ethics and Education, 10(1), 61-72. DOI: 10.1080/17449642.2014.998025
Jardine D. (2014a). Some introductory words for two little earth-cousins. Journal of Applied Hermeneutics, 1-4. Retrieved from http://jah.journalhosting.ucalgary.ca/jah/index.php/jah/article/view/61/pdf
Jardine, D. (2014b). Story-time lessons from a dog named Fideles. In Steinberg, S.R. (Ed.), Ecological pedagogy, Buddhist pedagogy, hermeneutic pedagogy (pp. 57 – 91). New York: Peter Lang Publishing.
Jensen, D. (2004). Catherine Keller. Listening to the Land. Vermont: Chelsea Green Publishing Company.
Kinnell, G. Saint Francis and the Cow http://www.poetryfoundation.org/poem/171395
McGlynn, C. (2009) Integrating education: Parekhian multiculturalism and good practice. Intercultural Education, 20(4), 299-130. Doi: 10.1080/14675980903351938
Moyers, B. (Producer), & Berry, W. (Interviewee) (2013). (October 4, 2013). Wendell Berry, poet & prophet (Television series episode). In B. Moyers (Producer), Moyers & Company: PBS http://billmoyers.com/episode/wendell-berry-poet-prophet/
Nixon, J. (2007). Imagining ourselves into being: Conversing with Hannah Arendt. Pedagogy, Culture and Society, 9 (2), 221-36.
Osberg, D., & Biesta., G(2008) The emergent curriculum: navigating a complex course between unguided learning and planned enculturation. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 40(3), 313-328. doi: 10.1080/00220270701610746
Phenix, P. (1975) Transcendence and the curriuculm. In Pinar (Ed) Curriculum Theoriing: The Reconceptualists (p. 319 – 335)
Policies & Regulations (n.d) Retrieved November 1st, 2015, from http://www.cbe.ab.ca/about-us/policies-and-regulations/Pages/Results-Policies.aspx
Smith, D.G (1988). Children and the gods of war. Phenomenology and Pedagogy. 6(1), 25 -29.
Smith, D.G. (2012). Foreword: Spiritual cardiology and the heart of wisdom. In C. M.
Chambers, E. Hasebe-Ludt, C. Leggo & A. Sinner (eds.), A heart of wisdom: Life writing as empathetic inquiry (pp. xi - xvi). New York: Peter Lang.
Syrian Refugees. (n.d) Retrived November 11th, 2015, from http://syrianrefugees.eu
Tal, C (2015). Introduction of an emergent curriculum and an inclusive pedagogy in a traditional setting in Isreal: A case study. International Journal of Early Years Education, 22(2), 141 -155. DOI: 10.1080/09669760.2014.898578
Warren, C.A. (2014). Towards a pedagogy for the application of empathy in culturally diverse classrooms. Urban Review: Issues and Ideas in Public Education. 46 (3), 395-419. Doi 10.1007/s11256-013-0262-5
Wigglesworth, C. (2014, January 12th). The Roadmap to Nobility. (Video File). Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mX9adE0FSaw
Veck, W (2013). Participation in education as an invitation to become towards the world: Hannah Arendt on the authority, thoughtfulness and imagination of the educator. Educational Philosophy and Theory, 45(1), 36 -48. DOI: 10.1080/00131857.2012.71331
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Published
2019-10-19
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Hassett, S. (2019). Empathy as Understanding. Emerging Perspectives: Interdisciplinary Graduate Research in Education and Psychology, 3(3), 9–22. Retrieved from https://dev.journalhosting.ucalgary.ca/index.php/ep/article/view/30359
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