Exploring Caring Pedagogy Through Self-Study: A Mathematics Educator’s Journey

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Friday 1:45 pm - Gold 2
  In Roundtable Session: Fostering Care Through Self Study: Caring for Self; Caring for Others

Abstract

This self-study investigates my efforts to cultivate a positive learning environment in a capstone mathematics course for preservice middle school teachers. Motivated by earlier negative course evaluations and inspired by heart-centered pedagogy, I examined how my beliefs, emotions, and teaching practices evolved as I sought to integrate kindness, promote mathematical thinking, and support students’ well-being. Using data from dialogue transcripts, reflective journals, and reconstructed tutoring notes, I identified tensions between content coverage and relational pedagogy, and between deficit- and strength-based views of students. Through critical dialogue and reflective inquiry, I gained deeper insight into my identity as a caring educator and the transformative potential of teaching with kindness, empathy, and genuineness.

Author

• Kien H. Lim, The University of Texas - El Paso