Abstract
Abstract In this paper, I argue that focusing on resilience education fails to appropriately reflect the socio-political nature of character. I define protective epistemic character traits (PECTs) as epistemic character traits which aid students in avoiding, limiting or mitigating harm in the classroom. I argue that the relationship between epistemic character and protection in hostile classrooms is importantly influenced by context in two main ways: (1) the exercise and development of some PECTs may carry significant cost for some students, and (2) social and developmental factors may promote or obstruct the development of virtuous PECTs for individual students. I employ two principles from Ian James Kidd's critical character epistemology—aetiological sensitivity and normative contextualism—and propose a revised approach to resilience education. I argue that this revision requires an increased focus on changing underlying structures of oppression and cautions against teaching a standardised list of epistemic virtues.
Highlights
According to a contemporary line of thought reflected in character education, the character development of students should be guided in ways which will enable them to cope with many of the challenges they may encounter beyond the classroom
These internal dimensions of resilience are emphasised within character education and within educational psychologies inspired by Dweck’s (2006) influential growth mindset model
Common to these approaches is a sense that students’ character traits significantly affect the way in which they are disposed to respond to and cope with potential harms and adversity. It is this character-focused resilience education with which I am concerned in this paper
Summary
According to a contemporary line of thought reflected in character education, the character development of students should be guided in ways which will enable them to cope with many of the challenges they may encounter beyond the classroom. These internal dimensions of resilience are emphasised within character education (see Earl and Arthur, n.d.; Walker, n.d.) and within educational psychologies inspired by Dweck’s (2006) influential growth mindset model Common to these approaches is a sense that students’ character traits significantly affect the way in which they are disposed to respond to and cope with potential harms and adversity. The movement had a marked impact on educational practices that included an increased focus on developing students’ sense of achievement and self-expression in relatively non-competitive and failure-free learning environments Students who are structurally disadvantaged most likely have already learned the need to endure adversity in education and other aspects of their lives (Stokas, 2015, p. 522)
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