Buber’s Pedagogy of Inclusion in Fostering Genuine Classroom Relationship

Abstract

The study is aimed at directing our collective consciousness towards the needs to develop the values of authentic relationship through the pedagogy of inclusion. The existential potency of positive, meaningful and reasonable learning that is directed toward sustainable and holistic development has been recognized to be hinged on the values of human relationship. This is what Buber’s existentialism projected to achieve by the philosophical consideration of the pedagogy of inclusion which is based on the existentiality of ‘I-Thou’ relationship. This promotes the “we-ness” of development that recognized the commonness of human existence, and for the recognition of the forces of isolation, segregation and alienation. The paper recognized that the hostilities that exist in contemporary human relationship that can be healed through the adoption of the pedagogy of inclusion of every individual, especially by fostering genuine classroom relationship by obedience to the values of ‘I-Thou’ philosophy of life and living, Employing expository method of analysis, the study concluded that genuine classroom relationship can be achieved through the proper understating the pedagogical values of the Buber’s existentialism, and which, in extension, will help to develop the commonness of societal development in love, equity, harmony and justice. Keywords: Classroom, Development Education, Inclusion, ‘I-Thou’ Relationship, Pedagogy, Philosophy of Dialogue