Browsing by Subject "pedagoginen kohtaaminen"

Objectives. The purpose of this thesis was to find out how Christianity manifests itself in the operating culture of a Christian school. In addition to this, it was investigated how the pedagogy of encounters, which was particularly highlighted in the operational culture, was implemented at the school according to the teachers and what meanings the teachers gave to it. The topic is topical because Christian schools are growing all the time and very little research has been done on them. With this research, I aim to increase awareness of the operation of Christian schools. Spring 2021 was a particularly challenging time for teachers due to the special arrangements due to the corona pandemic. This challenged the teachers, and previous studies show how busyness and stress weaken the teacher's opportunities to meet the students. This makes the study of encounter pedagogy interesting in this specific time. Encountering students is a significant part of a teacher's work, and previous studies have shown how important the experience of being encountered is both in terms of learning and the student's well-being. Methods. The study was carried out as a qualitative study, for which six teachers from a Christian school were interviewed using thematic interviews in the spring of 2021. The material was analyzed using dataoriented content analysis and the subject of interest is specifically the experiences of the interviewees. Results and conclusions. The manifestation of Christianity in the school's operating culture was seen in four different main categories, which were Christianity in education and teaching, the effects of the teacher's personal faith, Christianity in cooperation with guardians, the school's values and atmosphere. The teachers felt that Christianity was a natural part of the school's everyday life. The Christian school had a strong culture of meeting, where the teachers actively tried to increase meeting opportunities. Three main categories clearly stood out from the results: the role of the school environment as an enabler of encounters, the dynamic between teacher and student, and the meanings and consequences of encounters. The teachers strive to create a positive and equal atmosphere, which promoted the emergence of encounters. The students' need to be heard and confronted, as well as the effects of the encounters on the students' behavior and well-being, came out clearly. The meeting culture and teachers' active investment in meeting opportunities promote positive interaction with students. Teaching by example, for example, increases the positive atmosphere at school, treating others well and respecting them increases with the activity.