According to Cambridge dictionary noun Faith stands for:
- a high degree of trust or confidence in something or someone
- a particular religion, or belief in God.
I firmly believe that in order for any form of inclusion in education to be possible, the first meaning of the term “faith” must be fulfilled. Therefore, in my lectures I try to build an honest relationship with students in which we gradually build mutual trust. I don’t think there is a perfect “recipe” how this is done, as each student is a person for themselves, but one of the very useful theories I came across at the beginning of my teaching career is certainly Marshall Rosenberg’s Nonviolent Communication. This theory primarily focuses on three principles: fostering empathy, active listening and non-judgement. In my teaching sessions students are encouraged to listen deeply to other’s perspectives, needs and values without imposing their own beliefs and judgements. In his lecture on Creed, philosopher and cultural theorist Kwame Anthony Appiah, with great excitement talks about mistaken identities. He says: “We live in a world where the language of identity pervades both our public and our private lives. We are Muslim and Christian, so we have religious identities. We are English and Scottish, so we have national identities. We are men and women, and so we have gender identities. And we are black and white, so we have racial identities. There is much contention about the boundaries of all of these identities. Not everyone accepts that you have to be a man or a woman; or that you can’t be both an Englishman and a Scot. You can claim to be of no religion or gender or race or nation. Perhaps, in each case, someone will believe you. And that is one reason why the way we often talk about these identities can be misleading.” (2016) In order to avoid misunderstandings, I apply Rosenberg’s three principles in my work with students to support the development and nurturing of compassion and connection. Without these two skills, there is no good dramatic performance either! Therefore, I work on nurturing these virtues in my students, and by acquiring them, the right conditions for inclusion and understanding are created.
2016 BBC Reith Lectures, philosopher and cultural theorist Kwame Anthony Appiah