What is the Professionalism of a Nursery Teacher Who Lives with a Child with Sensitivity?

― Based on “The Visible and the Invisible” by Maurice Merleau-Ponty, M ―

Abstract

  This article aims examining the following two issues. (1) Why does a child's appearance change according to the regard of a nursery teacher? Based on (1), (2) What is the professionalism of a nursery teacher? I read “The Visible and the Invisible” by Maurice Merleau-Ponty, M. in order to examine the sensitivity of the foundation of human consciousness. In this work, he described the interrelation between a sensitive body and an object. Based on this interrelation, I examined the relation between the regard of a child and the regard of a nursery teacher. As a result, (1) Because a child has sensitivity, he/she grasps a nursery teacher's regard and “imports” it into him/her. Based on the result, (2) I think the professionalism of a nursery teacher can be seen as follows: a nursery teacher must be conscious that the child's appearance is “imported” from his/her regard. And a nursery teacher must reflect on a child's regard through waking his/her sensitivity, and on his/her regard which is “narcissistic”. Following the procedure, a nursery teacher must give a responsive regard at a child.