Nonviolent communication as reflective practice in education

Term

2012

Capstone

Thesis

Degree Name

MAT

Abstract

Nonviolent Communication, developed by Marshall Rosenberg, is a paradigm for relationship development and social change rooted in humanistic psychology. Utilizing a model of Observation, Feeling, Need, and Request, it promotes empathy and power sharing, and may appeal to educators interested in relationship building and student-centered education. This research examines the lived experience of educators immersed in the Nonviolent Communication paradigm, in a methodological context of reflective practice and autoethnography. Journal entries from the author and six participants were collected. Findings include: observations about the interconnection of work and life how environmental setting and internal states may affect the educator's work and experience descriptions of empathy and how childhood trauma may be reactivated in educational settings. The author examines the research process and his own subjectivity. Implications discussed include: factors influencing the growth of Nonviolent Communication skills, the nature of the practitioner's role, and consideration of issues of race and class.

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