Reading for Values and Ethics in Teaching seminar
I chose to read the bell hooks’ text recommended for Values and Ethics in Teaching seminar, as her book has been on my reading list for some time now. I read, re-read, and re-read this text again. I found it absolutely captivating. I find it difficult to think about this text in the same category as the other books and articles I read for the course so far. It defies the standard responses I would usually have when reading for my studies. bell hooks writing cannot be easily reflected upon in terms of agreeing with the author or thinking how it relates to my academic practice. It relates to all aspects of life – probably not that surprising as the author talks about love, the subjects that we all are emotionally invested in. What was great about this text is how love is also looked at as a research subject. It was fascinating and very informative to learn how differently men’s and women’s writings on love can be perceived (or are they different altogether?).
I was especially captivated by the author talking about love in connection to social justice movements and how the most important of them “have strongly emphasized a love ethics” (hooks, 2000, p.XiX). This, and the fact that love is so intricately connected to belonging (“…where I felt loved, where I felt a sense of belonging.” p. X) brought the compassionate pedagogies into my mind. My interest in them has already been peeked when I received my feedback on the microteaching and I want to explore meaning and place of compassion in education further.