Handle With Care: Leading Teachers to Authentically Care for All Students

• In Event: Critical Care as a Mechanism for School Improvement and Change

Abstract

Care, particularly caring teacher relationships, makes a significant impact on student social, emotional, and academic growth. Here, care is meant as an authentic and genuine regard for the social, emotional, and academic well-being of all children, specifically Black and Brown children who are historically underserved and neglected in school systems. This study integrates womanism, ethic of care, culturally relevant pedagogy, and relational leadership to advance a critical care leadership framework. Through a qualitative narrative research design, we find four prevalent themes that address caring teacher relationships, educational leadership, perceptions of care, and barriers to caring capacity. Findings align to the conference theme of accepting responsibility and identifies key educational actors that have a direct role in impacting caring school environments.

Authors

• Aaren Nichole Cassidy, The University of Memphis

• Derrick Robinson, University of Memphis