Psychology for Teaching and Caring

P.J. Hammel is a professor of Education at the University of
Saskatchewan.

The educational process, teaching and learning, is primarily a process of human interaction; hence the pervasive influence of psychology, the study of human behaviour and interaction. This survey-type work examines the total teaching-learning process and demonstrates the need for psychological knowledge and skills on the part of the classroom teacher in reference to himself, his role, and the students for whom he must facilitate learning and development. Unique to this work is the emphasis placed on caring as the prerequisite to effective teaching — “dedication” may have disappeared from educational terminology, but Kong replaces it with his insistence on a commitment to “caring” for students.

This book is written for people who are concerned with teaching and caring for children. My primary objective is to illustrate the application of psychological concepts and principles in a wide range of teaching-learning situations, and to help the reader become keenly aware of the multitude of forces which affect learning and development.

Kong achieves this objective for the lay reader who wishes to gain insight into the scope and complexity of the teaching-learning process. Although the professional teacher may profitably use this work to identify areas for further study or self-improvement, and although the author does indeed include practical applications and illustrations, the extensive coverage does not permit sufficient detail to provide for complete comprehension and implementation of the many elements of the teaching-learning process. A serious, comprehensive, and interesting treatment, but an overview only!