Master of Teaching (MTeach) / MA Education (Muslim Societies and Civilizations) IOE ASSIGNMENT REGULATIONS FORM Each copy of your coursework must have a title page sheet. (See the STEP VLE for more details.) Coursework must be submitted in person, or posted (postmarked no later than the submission deadline), to Farjanna Manna, room 724, Institute of Education, 20 Bedford Way, London WC1H 0AL. __________________________________________________________________ To be completed by student: - Name: Natasha Bandali Module name: Practice Based Enquiry (PBE) Report Term and year taken: Summer 2016 (Term 3, Year 2) Word count: 10,984 Submission deadline: 15th September 2016 Date of submitting essay: 15th September 2016 Number of copies submitted: 2 hardcopies, 1 electronic I confirm that I have read and understood the IOE Code on Citing Sources and Avoidance of Plagiarism. I confirm that this assignment is all my own work and conforms to this Code. This assignment has not been submitted on another occasion. Signed: Natasha Bandali Date: 15th September 2016 Page |1 Master of Teaching (MTeach) University College London, Institute of Education Practice Based Enquiry (PBE) Report How Can Teacher Empathy Inform The Classroom Experience? Natasha Bandali Month and Year of Submission: September 2016 Word count: 10, 984 This report may be made available to the general public for borrowing, photocopying or consultation without the prior consent of the author. Natasha Bandali Page |2 ABSTRACT This qualitative research seeks to understand how Teacher Empathy informs the UK Religious Education classroom experience. The objective is to demonstrate the significance of the teacher’s role in shaping the classroom environment and influencing student behavior through the use of empathy. The need to develop understanding and empathy in the world has become more apparent then ever before, particularly within our classrooms, priming students to become caring and compassionate world citizens. To gain a wider perspective a variety of data collection tools were used, such as classroom observations, a student focus group and the use of a critical friend. The data was thematically analysed and the findings implied that teacher empathy had a positive impact on the classroom experience, facilitating better levels of student engagement, a closer classroom community and over all less behavioural issues. The research also highlighted some of the possible challenges when implementing teacher empathy in the classroom, such as time constraints and teacher congruence. Nevertheless, these challenges were addressed over the course of the research and added depth to the findings. Natasha Bandali Page |3 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS There are many individuals who have helped pave my journey and without whom this report would not be possible. Firstly, I would like to appreciate His Highness the Aga Khan for awarding me with such a blessed opportunity to be part of the Secondary Teachers Educators Programme. I can only hope that I am worthy of contributing to such a wonderful vision. Secondly, my supervisor Rosalind Janssen, Thank you for your support, wisdom and continuous understanding. In addition, I would like to extend my gratitude to ITREB UK, you have welcomed me so warmly and reminded me that there is strength in numbers by being with me every step of the way. Especially, my Academic Director and mentor, Rizwan Lalani, you always push me to be better and dig deeper. To my friends, my biggest supporters, never allowing me to give up, reminding me that nothing comes easy. Thank you for countless, phone calls, hugs, tears and particularly to Selina Rawal for hours of proof reading. To my husband, Shafik Ladak, thank you is not suffice, for your love, support, patience and belief in me. Together, I know nothing is impossible. Lastly, I would like to dedicate this report and my deepest gratitude to my parents, both sets, Kamal & Shahin Bandali, Ramzanali & Nurry Ladak. Your love, support and prayers have helped fulfil my dreams, you have fuelled my passion to teach and instilled in me an ethos to share my privilege with others. Thank you. Natasha Bandali Page |4 TABLE OF CONTENTS List of Acronyms 5 Chapter 1 Introduction 6 Chapter 2 Literature Review 9 Chapter 3 Aims and Methods 22 Chapter 4 Findings, Analysis and Discussion 31 Chapter 5 Conclusion 47 Bibliography 52 Appendix A Focus Group Interview Schedule 60 Appendix B Parental Consent Form 62 Appendix C Student Consent Form 63 Appendix D Learning Agreements 64 Natasha Bandali Page |5 LIST OF ACRONYMS REC – Religious Education Centre IIS – Institute of Ismaili Studies STEP – Secondary Teacher Education Programme ITREB- Ismaili Tariqah Religious Education Board OFSTED - The Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills BERA- British Educational Research Association EI- Emotional Intelligence Natasha Bandali Page |6 CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION Having spent most of my childhood education being undiagnosed with dyspraxia I found my schooling experience often compared differently to others. Throughout my journey there was one major contributing factor that enhanced my classroom experience; the teacher. I found when the teacher showed compassion, understanding and empathy, I flourished in class. This impacted my classroom behaviour; my willingness to participate, my efforts and desire to attend classes in comparison to instances where I felt misunderstood and marginalised by the teacher. This experience has implored me to explore how teacher empathy, if at all, can inform the classroom experience within the Ismaili Religious Education Center (REC) framework. Teaching the Institute of Ismaili Studies (IIS) secondary curriculum can be challenging at times, it requires engagement with adolescents who are often at complex junctures in life. The need for sensitivity is recognised in the Teacher’s Guide of all modules that have been formally issued by the IIS (2013). Each book is equipped with guidance, for example, the Faith and Practice in Islamic Traditions module expresses the importance of “creating an inviting atmosphere in the class where students feel wanted…(and) will respond with motivation and commitment if they are valued… if their presence and contribution in…classes are acknowledged with support and encouragement.” (IIS, 2016, p.11). This point speaks directly to teacher attitude and pedagogy, highlighting their pivotal role in facilitating an environment that nurtures and supports students. This must be absorbed by the educator as a significant component within their teaching Natasha Bandali Page |7 pedagogy. Albeit, no actual research has been conducted by previous Secondary Teachers Educators Programme (STEP) students on the topic of teacher empathy. Rationale: Although, my interest and desire to explore teacher empathy stems from my personal experience. This topic has sparked much debate in academia, the last two decades have seen a growth in research conducted around empathy and EI. Schools have come under pressure by stakeholders and politicians to embrace the ‘hidden curriculum’ in classrooms and calling for more caring teachers (Hargreaves, 1972). Referring to the subtler messages that pupils absorb through their daily engagement in school, through teacher’s behaviour in the classroom and their relationships with other students (Hersch et al., 1980). Cooper (2011, p.121) highlights the importance of teacher empathy, stating; “commitment and involvement by the teacher has a mirror effect on the children; they will give the best to someone who models the same.” Although this echoes the sentiment mentioned in the IIS Teachers Guides, no further guidance is offered to teachers on how to build this rapport or environment within the classroom. Context: My research was situated in the UK, in a bi-monthly Encounters class 15, in London. Encounters is a programme for Ismaili secondary youth aged 14-18 years across the country. The Encounters classes consists of 132 students nationally, London houses 66, of this Class 15 has 32 on it’s register, of which on average 10-14 attended regularly. Natasha Bandali Page |8 The class consisted of students from diverse socio-economic backgrounds, with a relatively even split of male and female attendance. My research was spaced over 7 classes from January to March 2016. Having now conveyed my rationale to explore teacher empathy in the classroom. This next chapter will review the wider literature available and its relevance. Natasha Bandali Page |9 CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW The following chapter will review the existing literature available on empathy in education and the role of the teacher, exploring the benefits of teacher empathy and how it shapes the classroom experience. As the literature on empathy in education is relatively limited and somewhat new, to add depth to my review I have included literature spanning the last 60 years. What is Empathy? Carl Rogers (1959, p.210) defines the state of empathy as “understanding the internal frame of reference of another with accuracy and with the emotional components and means which pertain there to as if one were the person, but without ever losing the ‘as if’ condition.” This definition of empathy distinguishes that empathy implies “feeling with someone rather than for someone” (Cooper, 2011, p.7). Rogers (1975), Heathcote (1984) and Newton (2000) maintain that humans are born with the capacity to empathise. However, this trait needs to be nurtured, modelled and developed by those around us and our surroundings. Woolfolk (2001) argues that empathy is not simply understanding another’s feelings, but more the manner in which one reacts to understanding how another feels. Haynes and Avery (1979, p.527) echo this sentiment when they define empathy as the “The ability to recognise and Natasha Bandali P a g e | 10 understand another person's perceptions and feelings, and to accurately convey that understanding through an accepting response.” The concept of empathy falls under the umbrella term of Emotional Intelligence (EI). Salovey and Mayer (1990, p.5) define EI as "a form of social intelligence that involves the ability to monitor one’s own and others’ feelings and emotions, to discriminate among them, and to use this information to guide one’s thinking and action". When EI is spoken about in the educational context it is referred to as ‘emotional literacy’ and used synonymously. Although the definitions overlap, there are two subtle distinctions, 1) Emotional literacy implies that one can be taught this skill as opposed to EI which refers to a person’s existing levels of intelligence and 2) Emotional literacy involves a humanistic integrative approach centered around the heart and compassion (Spendlove, 2008). Research suggests that empathy is a key contributing factor in harnessing one’s EI. Although, there is no evidence yet to suggest people who display high levels of EI are more successful in life or achieve higher academic success, evidence suggests people who have higher EI are better equipped to cope with the stresses of life (Pedersen, 2007). They are specifically good at forming positive social relationships with others and avoiding conflicts (Eisenberg & Mussen, 1989). Pedersen (2007) also views empathy to be an important ability when forming effective relationships and believes it to be an integral life skill. Developmental theorists such as Piaget (1932), Bowlby (1951) and Hoffman (2008), Natasha Bandali P a g e | 11 suggest empathy can have a positive life impact when nurtured from birth. Equally, children deprived of love, belonging, compassion and empathy can be vulnerable to a greater potential of committing crimes later in life. Rosenstein (1995) concurs with Wood (1988), believing there’s an essential link between empathy, or the lack of it and morality. Both Roe (1980) and Leal (2002) believe that empathy is most powerful when cultivated in childhood or infancy since moral values can then be better internalised. This has sparked controversy amongst educationalists and politicians, highlighting more action is required to aid prevention to gain long-term impact on civil society, resulting in acts such as, Every Child Matters (2004). Essentially, teaching children, means we will not have to teach adults. Cooper (2011, p.20) stipulates, “If violence is perceived by society as a ‘key moral’ problem…then identifying and understanding such young people and adults and providing them with appropriate primary emotional experience should be high on the political agenda.” Children spend a large portion of their time in the school environment, interacting with teachers and peers. This should not be a missed opportunity to teach the whole child, addressing both their educational and emotional needs. Natasha Bandali P a g e | 12 What is Empathy in Education? A report published in 2012 by the Department of Education states “According to the Teaching and Learning International Survey, up to 25% of teachers…report losing at least 30% of lesson time to disruptions (OECD, 2010).” The same report highlights “Studies have estimated that between 5-8% of younger children in Britain have serious behavior problems”. According to Foster-Johnson and Dunlap (1993), behavioral problems in the classroom can have a direct impact on both teachers and students. Evidence suggests a disruptive classroom environment creates barriers to learning, increasing the chances of hostility and bullying and affecting teacher stress levels, motivation and performance in the classroom (Smith and Misra, 1992). For this reason, both educationalists and the government have increasingly expressed the importance of emotional literacy, in particular the role empathy as part of moral development within the curricula and schooling system. Goleman (1995, p.286) states, “schools have a central role in cultivating character by inculcating self-discipline and empathy, which in turn enables true commitment to civil and moral values”. Best (1998) contends the British mainstream educational system is lacking in emotional literacy and affective education. Cooper (2011, p.102) suggests that in a classroom “an empathetic approach has immediate effects, but over time, as empathy becomes more profound, these effects multiply.” The benefits of empathy can be categorised into three major outcomes: Natasha Bandali P a g e | 13 1) Empathy enables positive classroom culture Given the current global climate teachers, now more than ever before, face students from multiple backgrounds, languages and religions in their classrooms. To embrace this diversity and model it for their students, teachers need to construct a positive classroom culture that is inclusive of all. Sornson (2014), places empathy at the heart of a great classroom culture. With the use of empathy, students learn to understand and appreciate each other, allowing them to build friendships based on principles of acceptance, respect and trust. This correlates with the aims under the citizenship portion of the National Curriculum in the UK, stating students should appreciate “the diversity of national, regional, religious and ethnic identities in the United Kingdom and the need for mutual respect and understanding.” (DFES, 2007b, p.81) Building on Gardner’s theory of multiple intelligences (1983) many educationalists believe empathy enables students to become aware of their feelings, as well as of those around them, creating safe spaces where learning can be explored amongst friends, free from judgments. Damasio (1999) deems this necessary for exploration and openness to occur between students. Embedding empathy into the classroom culture provides for better development of student-teacher relationships, enhancing chances of academic success (Zins, 2004). By instilling empathy into the classroom, teachers’ role model and “scaffold” (Wood et al., 1976) the desired behavior, enabling a balance of equality and respect between student and teacher. This is in line with both Bruner (1960) and Vygotsky’s ‘Zone of Proximal Development’, claiming that a child’s environment and engagement with the teacher plays an active role in their learning, especially through modelling (Berk & Winsler, 1995). Natasha Bandali P a g e | 14 2) Empathy fosters community spirit. The Department of Education (2015) for the United Kingdom report government funded primary schools house 30.4% of pupils from minority ethnic origin and up to 26.6% in secondary schools. This reflects the changing landscapes of our classrooms and communities. Empathy allows students to deepen relationships not only with their teachers and peers but enables them to extend this modelled behavior beyond the classroom (Best, 2000). This skill is vital to precipitate change and allow for progression towards a pluralistic society. Our classrooms and communities are becoming ever more diverse in their cultures, beliefs and their socioeconomic backgrounds. Empathy equips students with the ability to comprehend and accept other perspectives, whilst maintaining their own, building a sense of tolerance and widening community spirit (Lang et al., 1998). 3) Empathy provides students with life skills Cultivating empathy and emotional literacy into our educational system as part of a “hidden curricula” (Hersch et al., 1980) equips students with a holistic skillset. It creates opportunity for teachers to teach the whole child, not just their head and allows for formation as opposed to information alone (Gibbs, 2006). Pring (1997) suggests links can be made between a persons’ level of empathy and morality. Bottery (1990) comments if students are to internalise core values with long term application, then they must be embedded into the fabric of the school culture, both in the classroom and out. Natasha Bandali P a g e | 15 What is the Teacher’s Role in creating Empathy in the classroom? Literature suggests multiple strategies teachers can engage in, to foster emotional understanding and empathy within students. Some pedagogies naturally lend themselves to empathy, such as role play, stories and narratives (Vandenplas-Holper, 1998). Moore (2009, p.209) states role-play allows students to “become another individual by assuming the role, to gain a better understanding of the person, as well as actions and motivations that prompt certain behaviours... (and) explore their feelings”. This is in tandem with Huang and Tettegah’s (2010, p.140) definition of empathy as “cognitive awareness of others internal states, emotions, thoughts, feelings and ways of perceiving and behaving in the world”. Knight (1989) argues it’s not possible to fully identify and empathise with other’s experiences, unless one literally experiences them. It’s for this reason that students must experience empathy to fully understand and adopt it into their behavior. McAllister (2010) found that when teachers used empathy actively in an affective, cognitive and behavioural way, it decreased bullying, creating a student-centric and inclusive environment. This resonates with my study; in order to foster empathy in students, teachers must model it through their own interactions and behaviour, thus allowing students to experience it. Cooper (2002) conducted a study to identify and observe the teachers use of empathy within the classroom. This data was collected via observations and teacher interviews. The study consisted of sixteen teachers, all based in the British educational system. Natasha Bandali P a g e | 16 Through this research, Cooper (2002) identifies four categories of empathy defined below: Feigned empathy - observed when teachers were unauthentic in their interactions and pretended to be empathetic, Cooper’s findings indicated that this form of empathy obstructed the students’ ability to form a mutual bond with the teacher as “a real sense of acceptance and understanding” (p.108) was lacking in the relationship. One could contest that, this interaction may have looked unauthentic to the observer it could have been experienced differently by the student as data was only collected through interviews and observations. No attempt was made to collect student feedback. Fundamental empathy- the ability to make authentic connections and bonds between individuals. Cooper attests fundamental empathy as the foundational building block required to nurture an empathetic student-teacher relationship. This is further divided into two categories, 1) initial characteristics such as, listening or showing enthusiasm and 2) modes of communication like facial expressions and gestures. Profound empathy- the teacher’s ability to demonstrate deeper levels of understanding and care through building positive emotions. This was found to feature in closer and longer lasting relationships. Fundamental empathy is seen to be integrated into profound empathy and has a compounding effect. Natasha Bandali P a g e | 17 Functional empathy- is seen to be a collaboration of both profound empathy and fundamental empathy but adapted to meet the needs of a larger group of students as opposed to individuals. Figure 1a. below illustrates the characteristics of empathy as defined by Cooper (2011). For the purpose of this action research study, I adopted this frame work and the above definitions of empathy and its features into my teaching classroom. Figure 1a. Characteristics of Empathy Natasha Bandali P a g e | 18 Role and use of Teacher Empathy in the Religious Education Classroom? According to the report ‘religious education, realising the potential’ published by the Office for Standards in Education Children’s services and skills (OFSTED) in 2003, “Religious education should… (be) intellectually challenging and personally enriching… develop beliefs and values, and promote the virtues of respect and empathy, which are important in our diverse society… and help pupils to understand the place of religion and belief in the modern world.” The IIS curriculum, although developed for the purpose of nurturing the Ismaili youth, can be seen to be in tandem with OFSTED’s objectives for religious education in the secular domain. The Teachers Guide (IIS, 2013, p.7) explicitly mentions that it endeavors to encourage students to “respect and understand the traditions and beliefs of other people…assist students to reflect on their…role in their family, community and society…to adopt positive relations with peer groups inside and out of school…(and) share experiences with students of other religious traditions”. For this study I feel there is no real conflict when speaking of the core objectives of religious education in the Ismaili context and that of the secular environment, as they resonate well. Having said this, there is a distinction regarding the environment they are both to be administered in, this may impede how efficiently and effectively they can be achieved. Smaller class sizes in the Religious Education Center (REC) context enables teachers to know their students better and provide individual time to students. Time can be perceived by students as demonstrating care, which according to Cooper (2011) is a Natasha Bandali P a g e | 19 building block to creating ‘profound empathy’, leading to a positive classroom environment. Fraser and Tobin (1998) illuminate the significant relationship between classroom climate, learning and achievement. According to Zabel and Zabel (1996) creating a positive classroom environment is a skill, that must be acquired and practiced to achieve. To do so, teachers must feel supported and equipped with the appropriate tools and knowledge that can contribute to successfully mastering this. Vygotsky’s (1986) idea of combining both affective and cognitive development allows for an enhanced learning experience that is in correlation with both the OFSTED and IIS aims for religious education. There is much evidence to support the notion that a caring and empathetic attitude towards students can aid in accomplishing both their academic and emotional development. A challenge Noddings (1996) recognises is, time. To form such bonds a significant amount of time is required, this challenge is faced in both secular and pastoral teaching. Watson and Ashton (1995) offer a suggestion; urging teachers to understand the importance of valuing people and highlighting this level of care and empathy can be demonstrated through simple gestures such as a smile or even a short ‘off topic’ conversation with students. To instill the virtues and ideologies that are expressed in the objectives of religious education mentioned by both the IIS and OFSTED, teachers’ must integrate these notions into their pedagogy and behaviour, as students are then more likely to embrace and replicate both these values inside the classroom and beyond (Kohn, 1991). Natasha Bandali P a g e | 20 Challenges of Empathy in the Classroom Aspy (1972) maintains there’s a distinction between empathy in a cognitive theoretical manner and in practice. He clarifies that there is a distinct difference between 'knowing' and 'behaving’. Teachers may know about the benefits of empathy but under the pressures of large classrooms and difficult behaviour, eliciting an authentic empathetic response can prove challenging. Furthermore, Eisenberg and Strayer (1990), highlight empathy is intangible and centered around one’s personality, hence it can be difficult to measure. Both personalities of the students and teachers must be considered to form conclusive evidence. Perhaps, the complex nature of empathy is a factor towards the lack of research and literature produced in this area. Much of the literature identifies the need for emotional modelling (Cooper, 2002), however, there’s little research that addresses how to achieve this or how it can be nurtured in teachers first and then to pass on to their students. Hay (1997) emphasises teachers want to like their pupils and have a strong need for this to be reciprocated. However, this can be problematic if the teacher is not conscious of their boundaries, this can have a detrimental impact on students, especially those who may be seen as vulnerable or easily influenced. This challenge is particularly apparent in the REC context as a faith educator. Often students view the teacher as part of their wider community which indirectly influences the nature of the relationship. Additionally, raising questions of partiality, are teachers able to remain unbiased and show equal amounts of empathy to all students? If teachers are modelling empathy in Natasha Bandali P a g e | 21 the classroom, are they really being authentic and genuinely empathetic in their response to students? In light of this literature, I used the following as my main research question to apprise my study: How can teacher empathy inform the classroom experience? In order to explore my topic further, I examined the following subsidiary questions: What are the benefits of empathy in education? How can empathy create a positive classroom experience? The succeeding chapter will survey how this study was conducted and what research methods and tools were employed, this includes the research design, approach and data collection tools used. Natasha Bandali P a g e | 22 CHAPTER 3 AIMS AND METHODS This chapter will discuss the design framework of the data collection methods and data analysis employed through this research investigation. It will highlight the challenges faced when using these methods and conclude by reflecting on the ethical considerations of the research study. Methodology: For the purpose of this research, a small scale action research study was conducted, framed within a constructivist epistemology, using a qualitative method. This permits the researcher to investigate occurrences in an authentic environment, understanding the contextual meaning of the data gathered (Robson, 2011). Denizen and Lincoln (2005, p.3) describe this studying things “in their natural settings, attempting to make sense of or interpret, phenomena in terms of the meanings people bring to them”. Furthermore, an Interpretivist method was preferred as it includes the researcher and participant as instruments for research, it places the human element at the heart of the investigation (Myers, 2008). Somekh and Jones (2005, p.138) describe the researcher as “actively engaged in making sense of impressions and interpreting the meaning of observed behaviour and events”. The understanding of events is based upon the researchers own subjective interpretation, it will essentially include personal bias and opinion. Although, Robson (2011, p. 19) explains that qualitative research is “focused on meanings”, Hammerly (1992) and Silverman (1993) argue that this approach does not produce valid Natasha Bandali P a g e | 23 or reliable data as a quantitative approach would by including numerical analysis and deeming the researcher to be independent from the study, leaving no room for human interpretation but only factual evidence (Creswell, 2011). However, action research is an interactive investigation, the researcher is involved as a tool and informs their own practice through the cyclical nature of the research. Robson (2011) outlines the main stages in this continuous cycle as, the researcher identifies a phenomenon, reviews it, tests its nature through implementing change, and finally reflects on the findings through self-evaluation. This allows the researcher to adjust their pedagogy through tried and tested methods (Heilbronn, 2008). Denscombe (2010, p.6) writes that “action research strategy's purpose is to solve a particular problem.”. Since action research is constructed around solving a problem the teacher is facing in the classroom, motivation and commitment tends to be higher as there is an emotional investment ascribed. Action research provides a multi-dimensional perspective when viewing the enquiry, through the lens of a teacher and researcher (Robson, 2011). Similarly, this provided me an opportunity to deepen my understanding through engagement not only as a reflective practitioner, but also a reflexive practitioner (Haynes, 2012). Alvesson & Skoldberg (2000) describe being a reflexive practitioner as the awareness of the exchange and impact between the researcher and participant throughout the investigation, implying there maybe elements of subjectivity. Practitioners embark on research journeys with their own baggage and biases, building assumptions around the research topic, participants and outcomes, thus influencing and skewing the data (Robson, 2002, 2011). Natasha Bandali P a g e | 24 To minimize this risk and ensure reliable data, the method of ‘triangulation’ was applied (Silverman 2005). Triangulation tests are “for improving the validity and reliability of research or evaluation of findings” (Golafshani, 2003, p.603) by utilising multiple methods of data collection. In this study, the triangulation methods included classroom observations, a student focus group and a critical friend. A drawback of this method was, its meticulous nature, it proved to be time consuming as there was more data to analyse (Denscombe, 2014). Nonetheless, this added depth to my findings and presented an opportunity to cross-reference the same incidents through a variety of lenses. Sample: I conducted my research study over a 12-week period, during which I co-taught 7 Encounters classes that took place at the Institute of Ismaili Studies on Sunday mornings. I considered my sample to be cluster sampling as Deanscombe (2016, p.37) ascribes, a cluster sample to consist of ‘pre-existing, naturally occurring groups…and reflects the heterogeneity of the total population. In this instance, all students that attended the encounters classes were of a similar age (15-16) and from an Ismaili background. Average class attendance fluctuated between 10-15 students per week. I opted to conduct a student focus group consisting of eight students, four male and four female. This sample was dependent upon the attendance in class that day, as it was conducted on the last day of my practicum. I felt this sample was representative of the collective as it comprised of students with a high attendance record throughout the term. Natasha Bandali P a g e | 25 Student Observation : Erlandson et al. (1993) suggests that observations allow the researcher to describe the surrounding situation and its occurrences through their own experience and senses, offering a “written photograph”. Somekh & Jones (2005, p.138) express that “one of the most important methods of data collection …is the self… By various means of recordkeeping, traces of those impressions are stored for careful scrutiny and analysis after the event”. As empathy can be displayed in both verbal and non-verbal cues, I used the aid of audiovisual recordings to seize the full experience. According to Denscombe (2014, p.187), “Video recordings…capture nonverbal as well as verbal communications”. As a teacher-researcher, I found it impossible to recall and account every incident that happened in the classroom, video-recording allowed me to capture a “complete record of events” (Denscombe, 2007, p.195). Additionally, it permitted me to be present, I could focus all my attention on the students, instead of being consumed with taking field notes. Moreover, it permitted me to detect body language, voice inflictions and tones which are indicators of emotion and are imperative data for my study. A limitation of this method is students may feel imposed upon, eliciting cautious behaviour and responses (Denscombe, 2014). I can identify with this challenge, but by using empathy and dialogue I was able to connect with students about my research and convey that all they had to do was be themselves. Although, the benefits of video recording are vast and provides the researcher with a “powerful microscope” (Derry et al., p.6). I found it limiting as it could not capture the emotion or feeling that was present in the moment, only how it was conveyed (Wilson, 2009). This could only be understood by being part of the environment (Robson, 2011). Natasha Bandali P a g e | 26 Focus Groups: Focus Groups are a discussion based interviews in group settings, primarily to allow a shared sense of comfort amongst participants (Denzin and Lincoln, 2003). Anderson (1998, p.212) describes this as “a carefully planned and moderated informal discussion where one person’s ideas bounce off another’s creating a chain reaction of informative dialogue.” A focus group wasn’t part of my preliminary planning; I anticipated to conduct student questionnaires. In the field I realised this was not best suited to understand feelings and emotions of participants. Conducting a focus group, allowed the student voice to be heard through open guided discussions (Hinds, 2000). Often a challenge of focus groups can be student engagement (Daly, 2006), this did not appear to be the case as students were supportive, open and authentic with their feedback. Cohen (1994) highlights the potential risk that students may be intimidated by others in the group and there is a possibility of only hearing a few dominant voices. In this instance, the vocal members of the class expressed their opinions first, however, by the end of the focus group every member of the class felt comfortable enough to contribute. To aid this, I attach a template (appendix A) of open-ended questions allowing the participants to respond in their own words and permitting me to acquire more details, in turn leading to a better understanding of the data gathered (Johnson and Christensen 2008). During the focus group, I was mindful my role was to facilitate and create opportunity for students to participate. As a teacher-researcher I was cognizant to award my students the freedom to express openly and lead the discussion when necessary (Kitzinger, 1995). By doing so I was able to elicit authentic responses, this was possible due to both the emotional and physical open and safe environment that had been created (Anderson, Natasha Bandali P a g e | 27 1998). The focus group participation was a testament to the strong sense of classroom community that had been built over the term (Gibbs, 2006). Critical Friend: Costa and Kallick (1993, p 45-51) describe a critical friend as “a trustworthy peer who asks provocative questions, examines data and experience ‘through another lens’, and offers a friendship-based critique of a person’s practice.” A critical friend can enhance the reliability and validity of data produced by providing a wider perspective and reflexive approach (Crowe & Berry, 2007; Russell & Schuck, 2004). Often my critical friend would take on the role of ‘the outsider’ and notice things that were considered by me ‘the insider’ as obvious or routine (Kember et al., 1997). I found discussing these incidents or pedagogical decisions with my critical friend, offered an alternative and critical perspective (McNiff, 2016). West (2002) describes the process of observation as internal and reflection as external. Participants in the critical friendship must, first have a deep understanding of themselves as an educator before they embark on this journey or this dynamic may evolve into simply sharing of best practice (Baron, 2007). The role of a critical friend is to push professional boundaries, provide critique and provoke deep reflection (Baskerville & Goldblatt, 2009). Achieving this level of comfort with your critical friend Swaffield (2005, p.44) asserts there must be “trust, shared values and purposes, personal qualities, communication and practical action involved.” A subtle balance of power dynamics is required to maintain a cohesive critical friendship. My critical friend, was also my teaching partner and the existing teacher in Natasha Bandali P a g e | 28 the classroom, I was a co-teacher and a teacher researcher. This proved to be a delicate and complex situation (MacBeath,1998); described as ‘insider research’, known as leading research within your own practice context (Gibbs & Costley 2006). Mercer (2007) acknowledges a probability of bias associated to insider research that is affected by the need to continue relationships after the research has concluded. My critical friend however, understood the objective of the study and our reflections were honest, focused and directed (Day, 2000). Despite the complexities, the research enquiry was based around a shared sense of purpose; this increased our motivation to build a strong critical friendship (Achinstein & Meyer, 1997). The aid of a critical friend enhanced the validity of the investigation by providing a wider lens (Baskerville & Goldblatt, 2009) Data Analysis: Data analysis refers to consolidating findings as Anderson (1998, p.140) explains, “take the mass of raw data and make sense of it”. By doing so it becomes easier to establish common themes and trends from the data collected. It was necessary to implement a systematic framework, as there were vast amounts of qualitative data captured (Miles & Huberman, 1994). After transcription, I began coding the data, looking for recurring patterns and themes. Robson (2011, p.475) outlines the five stages of systematically organising data: “familiarizing yourself with the data, generating initial codes, identifying the themes, constructing thematic networks, integration and interpretation”. The quantitative data was reviewed with a color coded scale that correlated to each subtheme, excerpts of data that were significant were recorded under correlating headings in a spreadsheet, this method saved time as the significant findings were gathered in one place, making it easier to find any overlapping sub-themes. The raw data was analysed Natasha Bandali P a g e | 29 and read through numerous times to ensure all substantial elements were recorded, then positioned under larger themes and finally examined further during the process of data interpretation with the literature in mind (Denscombe, 2014). Ethical Considerations: To ensure my research was conducted in an ethical manner and “to safeguard the interests of those who helped with the investigation.” (Denscombe, 2016 p.310). I was conscientious in obtaining consent, I met with my students prior to initiating my research, I introduced myself, the nature of my study and their role during the investigation. Both parents and students were presented with an opt-out consent form (Appendix B & C) in which they agreed they were comfortable to participate in the investigation, including the use of audio and video recordings (BERA, 2011). Both parents and students were informed this was a voluntary process and it was “the right of any participant to withdraw from the research for any or no reason, and at any time” (BERA, 2011, p.6) Initially, participants seemed uncomfortable with being recorded. In order to overcome this, I dimmed the screen to avoid students being conscious or distracted by seeing themselves on video. I assured them that they were able to opt out at any point and the recording could be stopped if they felt uncomfortable. BERA (2011, p. 5) highlights that “individuals should be treated fairly, sensitively with dignity”. In line with this, to maintain anonymity and confidentiality of all contributors throughout the investigation I have used pseudonyms in my report and assured participants their identity will remain confidential. Furthermore, data files have been guarded by using password protected folders on my laptop, where only I had access to them and will be destroyed upon successfully completing STEP (Robson, 2002). Natasha Bandali P a g e | 30 I was cognizant when interacting with students and tried to remain impartial and subjective when observing and teaching, to not skew any data gathered (Nolen and Putten, 2007). This proved to be important as I was conducting the investigation in my own home town and within my own community, with some students who had previously engaged with me (Naples, 2003). All of the above precautions were taken in order to maintain the integrity of the research and findings, to ensure the participants were treated in a fair and ethical manner, whilst maintaining the validity and legitimacy of the data collected. The following chapter will chapter will present my findings, analysis and discussion, exploring key themes that emerged and highlighting links with the literature. Natasha Bandali P a g e | 31 CHAPTER 4 FINDINGS, ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION This chapter will present my findings, analysis and discussion, it will highlight key themes that emerged through my study and discuss correlations to literature where relevant. The findings presented have been chosen from a wide array of data that has been collected. The following themes and sub-themes will be presented below: Table 1 Themes SubThemes: Pre & post levels of classroom empathy Pre-existing levels of classroom empathy a) Student Apathy Benefits of teacher empathy The challenges of teacher empathy. a) a) Congruence Classroom Community b) Modelling behavior Post levels of classroom empathy a) Authenticity b) Respect Any quotations used have been italicized, Table 2 beneath outlines essential participant information with the pseudonyms that have been used to protect participant identity in order to retain the ethical considerations mentioned in the previous chapter. Natasha Bandali P a g e | 32 Table 2 Student Sameer Kamran Rahim Akbar Tanya Aaria Sophie Zarah Sara Gender M M M M M M F F F 1) Pre & post levels of classroom empathy Pre-existing levels of classroom empathy: The majority of data collected that assessed pre-existing levels of classroom empathy was drawn from classroom observations and dialogue with my critical friend. The early data collected suggests that majority of students displayed low levels of empathy in the classroom, as defined by Cooper’s model (2011) mentioned in chapter 2. a) Student Apathy From the offset, I observed what appeared to be a disconnect between learners and the teacher. During my observation I noted, the teacher has begun teaching but students seem to continue talking amongst themselves, just in lowered tones. The teacher seems to not notice and carries on with the lesson, perhaps to not fall behind with the lesson plan. Students gave very few signs of congruent active listening. It felt as though the pupils were physically present but mentally and emotionally, absent. Some students’ behavior displayed as completely apathetic and showed no signs of concern for the teacher’s feelings. This was evident when, the kids are completing a word search on the back of their coffee cups or are texting on their phones, two girls have their feet on the table and are resting on each others shoulders, eating crisps. These students outwardly Natasha Bandali P a g e | 33 showed their lack of engagement or concern for the teacher, they made no attempt to hide their actions as some of their classmates had. Incidents such as these take a toll on the teacher’s levels of motivation and morale. As my critical friend had communicated concerns about student’s behavior and lateness to class in our discussions expressing, I don’t know what to do about it, how to address it or make it stop. My critical friend went on to articulate there was something lacking in the classroom. He was spending hours planning and knew the content well, yet students were not responding, a vital component was missing. We concluded that this was not a behavioural issue but an issue of connectivity. Students were not connecting to the teacher and therefore unable to connect to the content. One of the most profound effects of teacher empathy is associated with student/teacher relationships. Purkey (1970) and Damasio (1999) recognise that empathy is an essential trait required for the development of positive human interaction and is vital for educational progression. This is evident in the data above, as both students and the teacher feel disconnected from each other. Vygotsky (1978) emphasizes that cognitive development is rooted in social relations, Anning and Edwards (1999) add that these interactions and engagements are instrumental to student’s sense of self value and meaning making. This is reflected in my findings and leads us to believe that if a teacher wants to truly connect with the students and impact learning, it’s not enough to be prepared with a lesson plan and command attention. On the contrary, a teacher must find a fine balance between teaching the learner and teaching the plan. Like any other humanistic relationship, the teacher/student dynamic requires emotion and rapport to allow for cohesive relationships to flourish (Koseki and Berghammer, 1992). In the case Natasha Bandali P a g e | 34 of this study, the budding of these relationships can be seen in the data collected for post-existing levels of classroom empathy. Post-existing levels of empathy: In order to infuse a more human and relatable element, alterations were made to student-teacher interactions. My co-teacher and I applied the use of personal stories into our pedagogy, allowing students to get to know us as people. We created a collaborative learning agreement (appendix D) based on the Tribes methods (Gibbs, 2006) involving the students. Emphasising, this was a classroom agreement and included the teachers, if the students felt we as teachers were not upholding the agreement they had a right to inform us of this in a polite manner. For example, a ‘no phone zone’ was created, where everyone including teachers placed phones face down on the table during class time. Additionally, we made a conscious effort to be aware of how we used physical space. Before class and during lunch we would sit with the students outside the classroom in a common social space and interact with them about topics of their interest. When in the classroom we strategically sat amongst the students to create a sense of intimacy and build rapport, especially when sharing personal stories and anecdotes. In order to assess levels of empathy in the classroom and the impact it had after seven classes of strategic changes in teacher behaviour and pedagogy, data was collected from a student focus group and reflections with my critical friend. Both methods of data, showed two correlating components of empathy, these will be explored further below. Natasha Bandali P a g e | 35 a) Authenticity In order to combat student apathy and increase levels of empathy amongst the class, students were exposed to a narrative written by their existing teacher, titled ‘In my shoes’. In this narrative, the teacher articulated an emotive account of their teaching weekend, allowing students to gain a sense of what it feels like to be a day in their shoes. Initially, students were told this was an anonymous narrative and after giving time to reflect and process what they’d heard, it was revealed that this was actually how their own teacher felt. After this exercise, students were asked to reflect on how they felt now; some voiced regret. For example, Karim said I didn’t realise so much work goes into these lessons, I just thought you made stuff up as you go. Sophie, transformed this regret into empathy by acknowledging the teacher’s frustration and then validating his work, I want you to know that I always learn something in your classes, so thank you. Almost all of the students engaged in this activity and showed enhanced signs of improvement in behaviour and connectivity. This exercise served as a critical incident and pivotal point in shifting the classroom dynamic (Tripp, 2012). Displaying vulnerability and conveying authentic emotion had humanised the teacher in the eyes of the students and gained their respect. This emerged in the focus group when Kamran shared: If we are not behaving properly at school then they are like oh “I put so much effort into this, this that etc”, but you guys don’t complain, you tell us how you Natasha Bandali P a g e | 36 feel and like deal with just that, and tell us we need to fix up, which makes a big difference, when you are just honest we can understand you. Being authentic and open about their feelings the teacher exposed students to real emotion and feelings, neither the teacher nor the student could hide behind any smoke screens. For students, the realisation was their teacher was a real person who had feelings and their actions impacted them. A sense of self-awareness was developed within the students as Karim said the way you are not scared to tell us what you are feeling, about our actions, it makes us more self-aware. The data suggests when the teachers were open, honest and authentic in their interactions it prompted the students to respond in the same manner. b) Respect When analysing data from the focus group and critical discussions, respect emerged as a common theme. Over this period, there was a dramatic shift in behaviour; students began to respect the teachers, as a direct result of the teachers respecting the students. This is evident when Sophie says there’s also like a form of respect between both students and teachers, it’s like you give respect and get respect. This led me to question, was there no respect between the students and teacher previously? I deem there was, however this respect was formed at a surface level, perhaps built upon a power dynamic. Previously, neither students nor teachers had been emotionally vested in the process of teaching and learning. Students were physically present, the teacher delivered the content and lesson plan but there was an air of formality. My critical friend seemed to agree with this as he reflected that the: Natasha Bandali P a g e | 37 Informal setting puts the students at ease, the conversations we had outside we could have quite easily had inside the class as part of the official lesson but I think taking outside of the box standard setting helps and we started by talking about our experiences, our schools, our exams and I guess when you do that it shows you care about them… immersing ourselves in that conversation set the tone for the rest of class…for me as a teacher this was a learning. Students also recognised the difference in dynamic when the teacher was emotionally present and showed care (Clark, 1996). As Karim suggests by telling us things about you we can imagine you as actual people instead of just the teacher. Sophie echoed his thoughts and said: we all come together like one whole class, not just us students but teachers also, and we talk and discuss, like even at lunch time we discuss what’s going on outside of class, I think it’s a good platform to come and talk, feels like you guys care and want to help. Students voiced that they felt respected by the teachers but when questioned how this was manifested as it has never been formally verbalised by the teachers, Kamran said it’s like we banter with you, we can have fun with you guys but there is actually a limit as well and we all stay within it. Have fun but stay in the limit as well. Sameer added you don’t need to say you respect us because its shown through your actions. At this point I was intrigued and probed further as to what actions showed them this. Kamran Natasha Bandali P a g e | 38 shared you don’t talk down to us and in school teachers say ‘no phones allowed’ but Natasha says ‘no phone zone’ and then she puts her phone down herself, which shows she has respect for us. At this point Sara added: you listen to what we have to say and you answer it to the best of your ability, you make us feel like what we say has added and is not stupid. We feel that you are comfortable and you can trust us, you see us as we see you. It’s like an exchange. Kamran nodded in agreement with Sara and interjected You guys are quite chilled, it’s not like in normal schools where they just sit at their desks, you guys like sit with us, you’re at the same level with us. Sara let him finish and continues, like in school, teachers act like they are obliged but you guys don’t really have to, shows that you have time for us, so we should respect that. The above reactions show that both students and teachers recognised that when they connected as people and found common ground, a mutual respect and bond was formed (Levy, 2000). This enhanced the learning experience for all, as Kamran summarises it’s a friendlier environment for everyone and that’s why it’s easier to communicate. The data collected mirrored what I had found in my review of literature. For example, Cooper (2011) suggested when students experience authentic levels of empathy that are continuously reinforced, such as in the model adopted in this study (illustrated in figure.1a, p.17), they begin to respond differently as a result of feeling nurtured, valued Natasha Bandali P a g e | 39 and understood. Simple changes in teacher empathy as suggested by Watson and Ashton (1995) such as a smile or taking interest in what students freely choose to share, created lasting impacts on the relationship between the teachers and students, increasing their levels of classroom engagement. I found this to be true, students mentioned that previously they felt an open environment had not been created and as a result felt hesitant to vocalize their thoughts and opinions (Gibbs and Simpson, 2004). They went on to express this was no longer the case and now felt confident to speak up amongst their peers and teachers. This data suggests that previously, students were engaging with the teacher and content on a superficial level, lacking an emotional investment in their own learning. However, by introducing profound and fundamental empathy into the classroom (Cooper, 2011), students responded positively within a short time frame becoming vested and engaged in the classroom. As highlighted by Clark (1996) pupils can often reduce others to objects within the classroom environment, forgetting to view them as a whole person beyond the classroom. In this study, students indicated this to be somewhat true, the learners commented they found it difficult to imagine teachers outside of the classroom conducting their own lives. Thus, emphasizing the importance and need of infusing a human and person-centered approach into the classroom, by doing so allows for further opportunities for both the students and teachers to connect (Gibbs, 2006). This seems especially relevant in the context of the REC setting. Students commented on how they appreciated the teachers not presenting like ‘normal teachers’ and just sitting behind their desks, they acknowledged that genuine efforts were made to bridge the divide Natasha Bandali P a g e | 40 between students and teachers, creating a mutual respect and active understanding demonstrated through actions (Feilding, 2004; 2007). 2) Benefits of Teacher Empathy The second theme that emerged from my data was the benefits of teacher empathy in the classroom. A teacher’s conscious change to a more empathetic approach changed the dynamic of the classroom experience in a positive manner. Below are two leading benefits that emerged from the data gathered. a) Classroom community Although students belonged to the encounters class, no real bond had formed between them, over the seven classes this had shifted. Sara demonstrates this when she stated that when I joined class I didn’t speak at all, I only talked to my friends, I didn’t really talk to anyone else, but in this class now, I’ve made more friends, so I’m not really afraid to ask questions. Sara touches on an important notion, she highlights that by forming stronger bonds of friendships, she feels she’s in a safe place and this enables her to fully engage in learning, free from fear. Karim echoes this sentiment I think as we build stronger relationships with each other it’s a safer place to talk. When students were questioned what prompted them to speak openly and not feel judged, they attributed it to the feeling of belonging. Sophie had previously mentioned we all come together like one whole class. Aaria added, teachers are like teachers but you guys are like with us…it’s hard to explain. Also, it’s not like normal school, you guys sit with us, you’re at the same level with us. Interestingly, Aaria mentioned ‘you are with us’ this statement emphasizes that in order to build a classroom community that is authentic in Natasha Bandali P a g e | 41 nature, students need to feel that the teachers are participants on the journey with them, not spectators on the sidelines. Karim summarises, since you don’t make that barrier between the students and the teachers, its more equal, so we can be more open with you guys. Sara elaborates on this further, you always join in with our discussions and you don’t act like as if you are higher than us. You don’t act as if you’re going to tell us what to do. You engage with us; you make us feel comfortable. It is clear that students appreciate this stronger bond that had been built on mutual respect and as Kamran put it common friendliness between students and teachers. It’s evident that connecting with students on a more personal level, allowing them the space to be themselves, feel heard, showing them both profound and functional empathy has contributed towards building a congruent and effective classroom community that makes students feel safe and cared for (Noddings, 1996). My findings are in direct correlation with the literature mentioned in my review. Fostering a classroom community is important for both emotional and academic development. Students working towards a common objective through sharing their ideas and opinions enables the collective to contribute to the learning taking place, both of self and others (Watkins et al., 2002). A majority of students commented on the bond they felt within the classroom community and the freedom it afforded them to express themselves openly without reprimand or judgment. They commented on the importance of this in their learning. Furthermore, during this process they realised the importance of being open towards others and refraining from judging those around them. Thus, it is fair to say that empathy acts as a catalyst for cohesion and aids in building a classroom community. Natasha Bandali P a g e | 42 b) Modelling of behaviour During this study I found most students watched and modelled the behaviour that the teachers displayed amongst each other. Although a conscious effort was made to engage in empathetic behavior with the students, it had never been verbalised that this would extend to the co-teachers. This emerged as an unintended finding during the focus group, when the conversation started with Sara saying you both work really well together, Kamran nods in agreement and Karim adds, you’re both great teachers but just better together. My critical friend and I looked at each other, flattered and surprised but curious as to why the students had chosen to include this in our focus group. Perhaps, Sara noticed and went on to clarify: So, you two are similar but you both have different views on different things, sometimes they are similar, sometimes contrast each other which brings out ideas in us. But also you recognise each others views and that helps you work better together. Sara had identified that it was simply not enough to show empathy towards students but it was important to practice it in all our interactions. Only as it embedded itself in all our interactions did students accept it to be genuine. By extending it to ourselves as coteachers, we automatically enabled the students to follow our example. Karim summaries this: So you are two different people and you have two different ideas but the combination of your teaching brings out the best of our capabilities because this Natasha Bandali P a g e | 43 shows we can discuss our own opinions. Like, before this term, I didn’t even know you but it feels like an open space that I can put anything out there and we can discuss as equals. This suggests students benefit from witnessing teacher empathy being extended within the co-teaching dynamic. Sara consolidates this when saying if we have two teachers with different opinions, who aren’t thinking the same, then surely we are allowed to have different views and perspectives too. Whilst discussing how we modelled empathy, Karim went on to comment on our behavior, he said like even if one of you say like let’s wrap it up or change the subject, the other doesn’t really mind or feel bad. Sara added, I always see you two communicating to each other. Sameer interjects, and you guys are so supportive to each other. Sara continues, if one teacher asks a question and no one answers, the other teacher will chip in and help out or give ideas and examples, so the other won’t feel bad! Karim hits the heart of the matter saying: when you see someone put the action into practice and take it into consideration, it stays with us. Like now, if I’m about to get a drink or something I will offer my friends too and I’ve seen it with you two also, and when I had a headache and I asked if you had paracetamol you went and got me water too. Although modelling empathy was touched upon in my review of literature, I had not foreseen the extent to which it contributed in shaping the classroom and student’s behaviours. When reading the scholarship, majority of it discussed the benefits of Natasha Bandali P a g e | 44 teacher to student empathy and modelling the preferred behaviour for the student when interacting with them (Hammond 2006). Cooper (2011) found witnessing an empathetic dynamic, not only amongst class members and teachers, but specifically among coteachers themselves allowed students to experience functional empathy. Although this was an unintentional finding, it is highly significant when discussing the impact of teacher empathy. This data indicates that when teachers fully embrace an empathetic approach and embed it into their psyche and model this behaviour, students are more likely to adopt it, than when experiencing it as a personal one-off engagement. To help create the classroom experience empathy must be experienced and modeled for students in natural, subtle and authentic forms (Page and Page 2000). More so, the data implies this can be used as an opportunity to mentor our students to extend empathy beyond the classroom, into their personal and professional lives. As evident by Karim’s actions, he now consciously offers his friends a drink as a result of witnessing the interactions with the teachers in the classroom. This finding speaks to the ‘hidden curriculum’ (Hersch et al., 1980) mentioned in the literature review and places additional responsibility on the teacher to be a role model at all times, teaching our children beyond content and information but developing their moral formation. 3) Challenges of Teacher Empathy a) Congruence Although, the benefits of teacher empathy were widely apparent when conducting this research, another theme that emerged from the data was the challenges of teacher Natasha Bandali P a g e | 45 empathy. In my second class, there was a critical incident with Tanya that shook me, I’ve never felt so annoyed in the classroom. When correlating my field notes with my observation footage it is apparent I am angry. I had engaged with Tanya in a polite manner despite her having broken the rules. She was rude to me in front of the other students in her group. I felt embarrassed and demoralised, I should assert my authority. I decided, at the end of class I would confront her and demand an apology. However, after reflection I realised that this was an excellent opportunity to model teacher empathy. Instead I said: I’m sorry if you felt I was rude and dismissive of your feelings, that was not my intention. I was trying to find out why you were on the phone and showing pictures of your Grandma. I wasn’t aware that she passed away…I’m sorry. I was surprised, Tanya responded, I’m sorry too, sometimes I just get angry. This situation highlighted two things 1) teacher empathy can influence student response and 2) teacher empathy is not always the initial natural response but must be a conscious choice. My first reaction was anger but I chose to embrace empathy and allowed myself time before responding to ensure I was being sincere. This highlights the challenges of teacher empathy and raises some questions. Is it possible to be authentic and genuine if you are actively choosing to behave in a certain manner? Can teacher empathy be nonbiased? Can all teachers be empathetic and congruent, all of the time? Through conducting this research, I found the concept of empathy to be a relatively new topic in educational literature and complex in nature. I felt there is a gap in literature as Natasha Bandali P a g e | 46 the majority of academia focuses on how to foster empathy in the classroom, the moral development and implications of empathy both in the classroom and beyond. However, further research needs to be done to explore the conceptual understanding of empathy for teachers and the way in which this manifests through, taking into account their emotional capacity and bias in the classroom. In summary, I was able to ascertain some clear themes during my data collection and the findings with analysis have been presented above. Teacher empathy evidently enhanced student engagement and the classroom experience. The forming of a classroom community provided a safe space for students to share their growing appreciation and awareness of empathy. It aided in developing a greater connection to the teacher and the content being taught. Natasha Bandali P a g e | 47 CHAPTER 5 CONCLUSION In this concluding chapter I will reflect on my research experience, the findings and learnings that occurred as a result of this study. I will discuss some limitations I encountered and lastly, suggest possible avenues for future research by STEP teachers in order to further develop the use and knowledge of empathy in the STEP classroom. My main research question and subsidiary questions were as follows: How can teacher empathy inform the classroom experience? Subsidiary Questions: What are the benefits empathy in education? How can empathy create a positive classroom experience? I have found by undertaking this research, that teacher empathy can shape and influence the classroom experience on several levels. Teacher empathy contributes to creating a stable and open environment that is conducive to learning, allowing students to engage in a safe space where they feel understood and valued. When teacher empathy is experienced by the student and modeled by the teacher in wider classroom engagement, it becomes embedded in their behaviour both in classroom and beyond. Equally, I found that teacher empathy is a process of subtle and intricate behaviors that create an impact, not one simple act in isolation. Natasha Bandali P a g e | 48 To sum up, the use of teacher empathy changed the classroom experience in a positive manner. Teacher empathy produced benefits that directly impacted the student learning experience, creating an engaging and open learning environment, where students wanted to participate, ‘hang out’ and explore. An additional benefit of introducing a human element in the classroom was allowing pupils to become more aware of themselves as well as those they interact and engage with, living the ethos of their curriculum. Limitations: Limitations are unavoidable and occur in a study of this nature and size. Some of the limitations I faced are addressed below: Validity – This refers to the accuracy of one’s findings during the research process (Denscombe, 2016). Accuracy can often be problematic in such a study, especially if only one method of data collection is used by the researcher. In order to uphold the integrity of my data, I triangulated my methods to enhance the validity of my research (Robson, 2016). This allowed me to cross-reference my findings throughout my study by making sure that there were consistent responses across the range of data collection tools I used and analysing any anomalies that may occur. However, had I conducted a focus group at the beginning of my research study to gauge students’ thoughts on levels of teacher empathy and their classroom experience, perhaps the evidence would have presented differently. I recognise this as a draw back and in retrospect would plan to conduct a focus group pre-practicum and post-practicum in order to be able to gauge the variation in data, I feel this would have added more depth and validity to my findings. Natasha Bandali P a g e | 49 Reliability – This discusses how replicable a research project is if it were to be replicated or reconstructed for dependability (Golafshani, 2003). This study was action research, therefore as a researcher I was involved as an instrument of the research. Consequently, this will be difficult to replicate as my findings and analysis were filtered through my own subjective understanding (Denscombe, 2016). Although, a similar approach could be taken, it is more than likely that some slight variations in findings may appear. Generalisability – This applies to generalising the findings of the research study and its aptitude to correlate these findings to a “similar phenomena at a general or universal level” (Denscombe, 2007, p. 296). This particular study was orientated to the STEP context and a community faith based classroom. Nevertheless, the findings may produce what Bassey (1990) calls a ‘fuzzy generalisation’, meaning that under the given the circumstances, if these findings were to be applied in a different context with similar conditions, they may produce similar outcomes. Time – I found this to be one of the most challenging limitations, the time-frame that the research was conducted in was very brief (7 teaching weeks). I feel any deductions made from this research can only be seen as scratching the surface on teacher empathy in the STEP classroom. Consequently, my outcomes and conclusions can only be accepted conditionally. Time permitting, I would have liked to have gone into greater depth and explored further. Word limit – An additional challenge I found was the word limit imposed when documenting this journey. There was much rich data to choose from and I feel the short Natasha Bandali P a g e | 50 word limit did not provide justice to the findings. Given a larger capacity I would have engaged in more depth by extracting several themes that would have contributed to the depth and breadth of the study. Recommendations: Teacher empathy has not previously been researched within the STEP arena, for this I was only able to touch on a small fragment of the topic. I chose to look at how teacher empathy informs the classroom experience; as next steps I would recommend looking at how teacher empathy specifically impacts student behaviour. Dissemination: I believe that as a teacher-researcher it is my responsibility to share my results and findings with my students, parents, fellow teachers and ITREB for educational advancement (BERA, 2011). Therefore, to disseminate my results, I will make this research available to my local ITREB in written form. Additionally, a session has tentatively been organized in December 2016, with my peers and seniors to present my findings on “teacher empathy informing the classroom experience”. This research will also be shared with the Primary Co-coordinators at my ITREB as the findings can be transferable and beneficial to both primary and secondary corridors. Conclusion: The purpose of my research was to explore the role of teacher empathy in the classroom, I wanted to better understand how the teacher informs the classroom Natasha Bandali P a g e | 51 environment. This process has highlighted that the role of the teacher, is instrumental in setting the tone and mood of the class and can be influential to a student’s behaviour and engagement levels. A teacher can be a catalyst for change in the classroom and is the glue that connects the learners to the content. The biggest finding, I have learnt on this journey as a teacher and researcher is encapsulated by Theodore Roosevelt, who said “No one cares how much you know, until they know how much you care.”. This journey has allowed me to experience and realise the truth of these words, as Sara said “you see us as we see you. It’s like an exchange.” I have learnt and better understood the role, responsibility and power of being a teacher. Natasha Bandali P a g e | 52 BIBLIOGRAPHY Achinstein, B., & Meyer, T. (1997). The uneasy marriage between friendship and critique: Dilemmas for fostering critical friendship in a novice teacher learning community. 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If you could pick one lesson which you enjoyed the most this term, which one would it be and why? o o o Animal testing, Relationship between animals and man (LP6) Social inequality, Literature as a space for social commentary, Expression of identity, having a voice against challenges of the time (personal & social responsibility) (LP7) Happiness – Physical, emotional, spiritual (LP8) Guidance from our faith – Imams & Pirs (LP8) Travel Journey & Search – Multiple Journeys- Physical, emotional, intellectual & spiritual (LP9) What in particular did you enjoy about these ideas and activities? o o o o Discussion Football- Animals vs Man (LP6) Rewrote the story of the case of the animals Rappers & Kings (LP7) Qadi and the fly (LP7) Open letter to Donald Trump (LP7) Class room Adab – Learning agreements & In my shoes (LP7) Engaging with the writings of MSMS (LP8) Treasure Hunt – Pandiyat (LP8) Multiple choice ginan quiz (LP8) Swap Class Journey (LP9) Moments of awakening (LP9) Why – Variety of activities, which were fun. Why – Heard multiple perspectives. Why – Random learning, able to express our views, openness of teachers. Do you think that anything else contributed to your (positive/negative) classroom experience of this term? Natasha Bandali P a g e | 61 Do you think the way in which the teachers engaged with you in the classroom and beyond contributed to your overall experience? If so, In what ways? (Include prompt or invite students to comment further) o o o o o o o Natasha Bandali Tone Language Behaviour Use of space Use of personal stories Openness to student perspectives Interest in students’ lives P a g e | 62 APPENDIX B STEP Field Research and Teaching Practice PARENTAL CONSENT FORM: Master of Teaching (MTeach) I have read the parent information email concerning the research exploration that will be conducted in my child’s Encounters classroom. I am aware that the research to be conducted in my child’s class will be on the following topic: How can Teacher Empathy inform the classroom experience? This research will be conducted by Natasha Bandali and by the Department of Graduate Studies at the Institute of Ismaili Studies and of the University College of London. I acknowledge and understand that all information gathered for this project including photographs, video materials, and/or interview recordings will be used solely for the purposes of this research. I understand that the information will be confidential and pseudonyms will be used in the written report of the study in order to anonymise and thus protect my child’s identity. I understand that participation is voluntary and that I may withdraw permission for my child to participate in the research at any time and without giving any reason, by advising the STEP trainee teacher. I understand that this project has been reviewed by, and has received ethical clearance through, the Department of Graduate Studies (STEP Programme) at the Institute of Ismaili Studies and the University College of London. Information about my child: Name: _____________________________________ Permission Decision: Yes - I would like my child to participate in the STEP MTeach research project Yes – I will allow for Photos or video and audio recordings of my child to be used as part of the Data Collection and Analysis process Name of Parent or Guardian: ___________________________________ Signature of Parent or Guardian: ___________________________________ Date: ___________________________________ Contact Telephone Number: ___________________________________ Natasha Bandali P a g e | 63 APPENDIX C STUDENT PARTICIPATION CONSENT FORM I consent to take part in the research. I consent to take part in focus groups, questionnaires and writing reflections for this study. I consent to the focus groups and classes being audio and video recorded. I consent to my photos being taken during classes and focus groups and understand that my identity will be protected by concealing the facial images. I consent to notes being taken during the focus groups and classes. I consent to the contents of the focus groups and classes being transcribed. I understand that the contents of the focus group and classes will be confidential to the researcher. I consent to my words being quoted anonymously in any presentation, reports or publication arising from the research unless I specifically agree otherwise. I understand that I have the right to withdraw from the research at anytime and that all information collected about and from me will be destroyed at that point. I understand that data will not be kept longer then it is necessary to complete a full analysis. It will then be reviewed and securely archived. I understand that I will receive a brief summary of the data analysis when it has been completed. NAME: __________________________________________________ DATE: __________________________________________________ Natasha Bandali SIGNATURE:__________________________________________________ P a g e | 64 APPENDIX D Natasha Bandali P a g e | 65 Natasha Bandali P a g e | 66 Natasha Bandali P a g e | 67 Natasha Bandali P a g e | 68 Natasha Bandali