The Relational Dimension of the Teaching Profession

The Relational Dimension of the Teaching profession observes how four teachers create pedagogical meeting spaces wherein they meet their students as people, and develops an understanding of pedagogical tact and stance that encourages trustful teacher-student relationships.

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In The Relational Dimension of the Teaching Profession, we follow four teachers who meet their students in a particularly evolving way. Deploying what is described as pedagogical tact and stance, the author has filmed teachers in order to observe how they create pedagogical meeting spaces wherein the teachers and students meet as people, thus developing an understanding of trustful, relational teaching in practice.


The relational dimension of the teaching profession is something that has hitherto played a hidden role in teacher education. Nevertheless, well-functioning teacher-student relationships are a fundamental part of successful teaching. Including a multi-relational perspective on teaching and education (Pedagogical Relational Teachership, or, PeRT) as well as a taxonomy with an observation scheme for student teachers and researchers, this book is aimed at student teachers at undergraduate and advanced levels and is also suitable for teachers in practice.


"Dr. Ljungblad’s new book is a significant contribution to the emerging field of relational pedagogy. Both her theorizing and her exquisite empirical work amply demonstrate what a possibility opens if we take relationships in education seriously. It is a must-read for all interested in the teaching profession and in education."


—Alexander M. Sidorkin, Dean and Professor, College of Education, California State University Sacramento