A Think piece by Candice Perry

     When I first started to work for Queensland education in a Special School, I was in a Prep class, this has added to the sculpture of what kind of teacher I would like to be because of the interaction and curiosity I experienced during my time there and they seem to spark in me my own creative and enthusiasm for seeing them grow and learn.

     On one occasion early in the school term I was working with a new student Miss 6, that was proving hard to build a rapport with, would not eat at school, did not interact with the other children and generally just did not want to be in class. I decided one day to microwave her cheese sandwich and share it with her (with her permission of course). From then on her family supported the activity, sometimes they made a sandwich with her to share with me. We ate lunch together and her wall came down and we became friends, still friends. She started to sit at her desk in the classroom and was calmer.

     Whenever I feel I have too much pressure from the outside world, I still have a microwave cheese sandwich and think of how brave she was at the time and how happy we were eating lunch together and her talking, and me listening. It definitely sparks joy and peace in me to know that there is hope to make a difference even if it is just to place trust and care in someone and them knowing that they are heard and cared for.

     When I read the article - The care Tradition: Beyond “add women and stir” (Noddings, 2001) It made me think about the care and attention that went into the sandwich and what sort of direction I want to take with my education as I have not yet selected where I want to focus my attention. Taking into consideration that I would like an inclusive classroom that learns together and that, like the aims of Noddings is to add into the curriculum the teachings of being a caregiver, I too agree that this is important because it will stop the curriculum from being so rigid, not every student is academic, some need nurturing of a different kind.

     There is not one philosopher that I can solely agree upon in their views of education. If however I had to decide on one alone it would be Soren Kierkegaard. I applaud the idea Kierkegaard has with teaching to become authentic and not teaching authentic education (Klausen, 2018). This resonates with me as I can see that we are all individual in our ways of thinking and that individualism needs nurturing and educating in such a way that is tailored to them.