Well-Being and Well-Becoming in Schools

“An exceptional book This well-edited collection is comprehensive in terms of attention to theories, concepts, contextual sensibilities, and curricular considerations.  The authors give highly articulate and school-relevant expressions to what it means to choose to place well-being and well-becoming at the core of educational moral purposes in the activities of schools and learning We are reminded  of the profound importance of discourse on fundamental human longings for children and the critical role of educators and communities to foster learning, thriving, relationality, and becoming.  Finally, there is vision casting, framing, and inspiration found from the first to the last chapter.  I highly commend this book to scholars and practitioners.” Keith Walker, Professor of Educational Administration, University of Saskatchewan

“This  is a comprehensive resource drawing attention to the significance of deliberate attention to well-being and developing conceptual, contextual, and curricular foci on how schools can grow well-being in those involved in the education process. It is a timely and pivotal resource for scholars and practitioners in education who want to make a difference in those they serve and work with.” Benjamin Kutsyuruba, Professor of Educational Leadership, Policy, and School Law, Queen’s University

“This thoughtful, timely collection speaks compellingly to the critical importance of attending to well-becoming in Canadian school contexts. It vitally troubles narrow normative conceptions of well-being, and explores wholistic possibilities for human and nonhuman flourishing. Referencing Indigenous wisdom as well as various philosophies of education, and exploring such contexts as place-based education, counselling, language arts, mathematics, and science curricula, the authors insightfully illustrate that education at its heart entails enabling conditions for ethical, equitable, and ecological living. A generative read!” Claudia Eppert, Associate Professor in the Faculty of Education, University of Alberta

“This tour de force publication marks a pivotal moment in the schooling movement that calls into question the longstanding exclusionary logic of teaching subject matter versus teaching people, along with the many prevailing binary-based conceptualizations (e.g., individual vs. collective). Integration across multiple dimensions of being human is a key concept that propels this immense and crucially important book project towards a ‘well-becoming,’ sustainable, and culturally diverse/inclusive future. This timely publication appears as we face a critical societal issue today: the optimal well-being of all who are involved in the zones of education.” Heesoon Bai, Professor in Philosophy of Education, Faculty of Education, Simon Fraser University