They’re blossoming: Cultivating care in a rural kindergarten classroom

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Saturday 1:45 pm - Gold 2
  In Roundtable Session: Inclusive and Equitable Rural Education: Care, Community, and Student Well-Being

Abstract

This three-year qualitative study explored the experiences of Cora Jaffee (pseudonym), a rural kindergarten teacher in Indiana. The focus was on how Ms. Jaffee defined and enacted an ethic of care with her students and their families, emphasizing relational care as conceptualized by Noddings (1984, 2012). Using interview data and classroom observations, the study employed small story narratives (Georgakopoulou, 2006) to highlight everyday occurrences and relational practices within the classroom community. The narrative approach aims to create a reflective space for pre-service teachers to learn from practicing educators’ experiences and to consider how the principles of relational care can inform their future pedagogical practices. This work contributes to understanding care ethics in early childhood education and supporting teacher development.

Author

• Stephanie Oudghiri Scherer, Purdue University