Responsibility: Philosophy of Education in Practice

Students, parents, teachers, leaders, and policymakers must understand their responsibility for educational interactions and strive for greater attention to diversity and equity, individual and common goods, and the moral dimensions of teaching and learning. Barbara S. Stengel's book "Responsibility in Education" provides a case study of a middle school turnaround in Nashville, USA, and calls for educators to be responsible for their and their students' lives-in-common and the individual well-being of all in the community.

Format: Hardback
Length: 144 pages
Publication date: 14 December 2023
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Students, parents, teachers, leaders, and policymakers often engage in efforts without fully comprehending the weight of their responsibility. Barbara S. Stengel contends that every educational encounter presents an opportunity and a call to action for responsibility from all involved parties. In essence, responsibility serves as the ultimate objective for students, the guiding vision for educators' practice, and a valuable design principle for leaders and policymakers. By adopting a critical pragmatist perspective on responsibility, Stengel demonstrates how greater attention to responsibility fosters a deeper understanding of diversity and equity, as well as individual and collective goods. This approach enables a more profound exploration of the moral dimensions of teaching and learning, focusing on growth rather than assigning blame retrospectively. The philosophical discourse on responsibility is intertwined with discussions of the lived experiences of students, teachers, aides, and administrators, drawing evidence from a case study of a middle school turnaround in Nashville, USA. The Bailey Middle School community crafted a reading of responsibility that aligned with educators' intuitions and experiences, while enhancing students' sense of belonging and global awareness. The book serves as a rallying call for educators to embrace their responsibility for the lives-in-common of their students and the well-being of all members of the community.

Weight: 268g
Dimension: 134 x 211 x 15 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781350302600