Dr Caron Carter presents 'A Pedagogy of Friendship' as part of the Norland research webinar series

Dr Caron Carter, Senior Lecturer at Sheffield Hallam University, shares a presentation titled ‘A Pedagogy of Friendship’ with Norland staff and students.

Staff and students were delighted to welcome Dr Carter, Senior Lecturer in Childhood and Early Childhood Education and Postgraduate Research Tutor in Education, for a presentation as part of Norland’s research webinar series, which brings early years experts to Norland to share and discuss their research with staff and students.

Dr Carter has been a researcher and lecturer at Sheffield Hallam University since 2007. Prior to this, she was a Primary School Teacher, Deputy Headteacher and Acting Headteacher. Her research interests focus on children’s friendships and wellbeing. Much of Dr Carter’s work has involved looking at ways to develop a listening culture for the voice of the child to be heard. A critical element of her activity is ensuring that her research impacts on school practice.

In this session, Dr Carter explored the data and findings from her phenomenological study on young children’s perceptions of their everyday experiences of friendship in school. The paper discussed the importance of socio-cultural aspects for the five- and six-year-old children who took part in the study, including imaginary friends, losing friends, protecting time and space to develop friendships, and children’s routines and practices as they form and maintain friendships. The findings have led to an original conceptual framework: a ‘Pedagogy of Friendship’, helping to make meaning from friendship experiences.

Learn more about Dr Caron Carter’s research