The Noddings Center

According to Noddings (2005b), there are four major pedagogical components of a caring education:

 

Modeling- Rather than teaching students the principle of moral education, we show how to care for others. We do not tell students to care, but instead model the act of creating caring relationships with the students.  “The capacity of care may be dependent on adequate experience in being cared for” (p. 22). 

 

Dialogue- Dialogue is different than speaking. With dialogue, the conversation is open-ended and neither party knows the outcome. Dialogue is important in getting to know someone, to anticipate their needs, and consequently becomes an essential part of caring.  “Dialogue is a common search for understanding, empathy, or appreciation. It can be playful or serious, logical or imaginative, goal or process oriented, but it is always a genuine quest for something undetermined at the beginning” (p. 23).

 

Practice- Practice in caring can be difficult to isolate from acts of kindness and social civility. But it is possible with focused planning that practice in caring can be achieved. “Attitudes and mentalities are shaped, at least in part, by experience” (p. 23).

 

Confirmation- Receiving confirmation of a job well done has traditionally been reported through grades. But confirmation here is not based on a system of strategies, instead it is realized through dialogue that is affirming and encouraging. “When we confirm someone, we spot a better self and encourage its development. We can do this only if we know the other well enough to see what he or she is trying to become” (p. 25)