Empathy, Intuition and the Development of Expertise in Teaching

Abstract

Introduction:  What makes for expertise in teaching? Most people would probably answer in terms that included reference to knowledge of the curriculum, mastery of pedagogic techniques and strategies, and to an understanding of at least some of the theories of learning proposed by psychologists. I do not agree. Each of these underpinning aspects of teaching may contribute to the development of competence as a teacher. However, none - whether singly or together - and in however great a quantity, can allow a teacher to develop expertise, in the absence of other attributes which in my view, are essential. In this paper I propose to say something about these attributes and the ways in which they contribute to expertise not only in teaching, but in other areas.