Examining of the Construct of Empathy in Education: An Analysis of Teacher Candidates' Reflective Writing

• In Event: 64.086 - MTCC Roundtable Session 27
  In Roundtable Session: 64.086-11 - Portfolios as a Vehicle for Collaborative Inquiry and Reflection in Teacher Education

Abstract

In this multiple case study, we aim to uncover the ways in which teacher candidates in three geographically diverse universities understand and experience empathy in early childhood classrooms. We explore how teacher candidates use reflection to critically examine or reframe their understandings of empathetic interactions. Students’ reflective writing makes their learning processes around empathy in education visible and provides an opportunity to gain insight into students’ thinking. In learning more about how participants understand and experience empathy in classrooms with young children, we can individualize our practices to model and cultivate empathy in our preservice teachers. With this foundational understanding, we can provide pathways for our teacher candidates to focus on equity in their practices.

Authors

• Kevin McGowan, Bridgewater State University

• Lea Ann Christenson, Towson University

• Leah Schoenberg Muccio, University of Hawaii at Manoa