Social Pedagogy in a learning perspectiveBodil WeirsøeUniversity College ZealandDenmark

What relevant learning possibilitiesin social pedagogical work

does a non- violent-communication (NVC) approach hold?

Learning theorems

Cognitive: Skinner, Piaget

Social: Vygotsky, Lave &Wenger

Emotional: Bowlby, Stern

The Danish professor of education Knud Illeris states that

all learning involves three dimensions, which must always be considered

if an understanding or analysis of a learning situation

is to be adequate:

Content: the knowledge, skill, understanding that is learned

Incentive: the mental energy it takes to spark and maintain the learning process

Interaction: with social and/or material environment

Peter Jarvis’ aspects of learning processes:

ExperiencingPerceiving

ThinkingKnowing

BelievingFeeling – emotions

DoingInteracting

ValuingPositioning

Non Violent Communication (NVC)

A communications approach developed by Marshall Rosenberg.

Strongly inspired by the thoughts and works ofhumanistic psychologist Carl Rogers

Overarching aim of the approach: To promote empathy between human beings

NVC is a state of mind: You can communicate non-violently without

uttering a word

 

In NVC empathy means to:  Direct your attention towards the other persons feelings and needs by asking a question trying to guess the persons feelings and needsat this particular moment 

Empathy Not empathy

Direct your attention at what goes on behind the other person’s wordsby making guesses in the form of questions about the person’s feelings and needs at this particular moment

Advising: I think you should… One-upping: that’s nothing,

wait till you hear my story… Educating: You could turn this

into a very positive experience if you….

Consoling: It wasn’t your fault Storytelling: That reminds me

of the time when I….. Shutting down: Cheer up, put it

behind you, get on with your life Sympathising: Oh you poor

thing, I feel so sorry for you Interrogating: When did this

begin?

Explaining: That’s just

because….

Correcting: That’s not how it

happened

The basic components of NVC

Non Violent Communication

Observation Feelings Needs (if relevant: interpretation)

Request

Statements • By giving emotional support through

NVC the social pedagogue can strengthen the child’s courage to leave her comfort zone and enter the learning zone

• By applying NVC the social pedagogue can facilitate significant learning processes in the child as well as in the social pedagogue

Residential institution for youngsters at risk

Sunday evening….

A girl - Molly - has just returned from spending the weekend with her mother, gone directly to her room and locked the door.

Tom, a social pedagogue, passes by her room and can smell cigaret smoke. The youngsters are not allowed to smoke inside of the institution. Tom decides to knock on Mollys door and….

Expressing oneself empathetically

Tom: Molly, I would really like to talk to you for a minute

(expressing his request)

Molly: does not answer (expressing???)

Tom: I can smell something that seems like cigarette smoke from your room. (expressing his observation)

This concerns me a bit (expressing his feelings)

you know we like to keep fresh air in the house (expressing his need)

I also am worried about how you are doing (expressing his feelings)

will you let me talk with you inside your room (expressing a

request)

Expressing empathy with the other

Tom: Molly, I can smell something that seems like cigarette smoke from your room

(expressing his observation)

I am guessing you are feeling upset (expressing empathy with the other

persons feeling)

and wants a smoke before so you can relax before going to bed

(expressing empathy with the other persons need)

Will you tell me if that’s the case? (expressing his request)

In the two examples:

What relevant learning possibilities arisefrom Tom’s choice of expression?