The Learning Relationship

This book offers a psychoanalytic perspective on learning and teaching and on many of the issues which preoccupy those who work in educational the origins of learning in children’s early relationships and at factors which help and hinder the educational process in later childhood and adolescence. Amongst the topics addressed in the book are the significance of play and playfulness, the impact of change, separation, times of transition, bereavement, bullying and racism. The author has aimed to set well-established psychoanalytic ideas about lear of current educational practice and to look at the teacher’s experience alongside that of the students.

It is now widely recognized that learners are more successful when they are active participants in the learning relationship. This book offers a general introduction to primary education and child development, using the learning relationship between teachers and children as its focus. Divided into two parts, the first looks at the child's contribution to the learning relationship, and the second examines that of the teacher.

Ultimately, the book is an invitation—and a challenge—for faculty, administrators, and student life staff to move relationships from the periphery to the center of undergraduate education.

This book offers a psychoanalytic perspective on learning and teaching and on many of the issues which preoccupy those who work in educational institutions. It looks at the origins of learning in childrens early relationships and at factors which help and hinder the educational process in later childhood and adolescence. Amongst the topics addressed in the book are the significance of play and playfulness, the impact of change, separation, times of transition, bereavement, bullying and racism. The author has aimed to set well-established psychoanalytic ideas about learning within the context of current educational practice and to look at the teachers experience alongside that of the students. This volume is a collection of papers, each of which is a version of a lecture previously given as part of the Tavistock course, "Emotional Factors in Learning and Teaching; counselling aspects in education". The course, which is for teachers and others working in educational settings, has been running for more than thirty years.

This insightful book shows how prioritising loving relationships in the primary school between practitioners and children helps secure children’s emotional well-being, improves behaviour and leads to more successful learning. It identifies the fundamental values that underpin effective learning encounters and provides the practical tools and language to realise deep connections with children. Combining theory with personal experience the authors present relationship-based practice as a robust and credible pedagogic approach to teaching and learning. The book offers unique features such as ‘Shared language’ to support and promote a rich, meaningful dialogue and ‘The lens of the authors’ offers practical and realistic contexts to help teachers apply theory and ideas from personal experience. Giving educators the confidence to teach with the relational qualities of love, trust, respect, and empathy, this is essential reading for all teachers wanting to develop authentic relationships with the children they care for.

At a time when many aspects of the faculty role are in question, Harriet Schwartz, the author of Connected Teaching, argues that the role of teachers is as important as ever and is evolving profoundly. She believes the relationships faculty have with individual students and with classes and cohorts are the essential driver of teaching and learning.This book explores teaching as a relational practice – a practice wherein connection and disconnection with students, power, identity, and emotion shape the teaching and learning endeavor. The author describes moments of energetic deep learning and what makes these powerful moments happen. She calls on readers to be open to and seek relationship, understand their own socio-cultural identity (and how this shapes internal experience and the ways in which they are met in the world), and vigilantly explore and recognize emotion in the teaching endeavor. Connected Teaching is informed and inspired by Relational Cultural Theory (RCT). The premise of RCT is that the experience of engaging in growth-fostering interactions and relationships is essential to human development. RCT’s founding scholars believed the theory would be relevant in many different settings, but this is the first book to apply them to teaching and learning in higher education. In this book, the author shows that RCT has much to offer those devoted to student learning and development, providing a foundation from which to understand the transformative potential of teaching as a relational practice.

This book offers a psychoanalytic perspective on learning and teaching and on many of the issues which preoccupy those who work in educational institutions. It looks at the origins of learning in childrens early relationships and at factors which help and hinder the educational process in later childhood and adolescence. Amongst the topics addresse