Educative Encounters: The Classroom CARE Model in Higher Education

What if learning didn't just inform - but transformed? What if classrooms became spaces where students and educators connect more fully with themselves, each other, and the world?

In Educative Encounters, educator and leader Dr. Carrie Nolan presents a bold reimagining of the value proposition of postsecondary teaching grounded in the philosophies of Dewey, Buber and Noddings. She presents her novel concept of educative encounters: learning to meet - and learning from meeting - ourselves, others and the world. Drawing from diverse educational contexts, from outdoor adventures to trades programs to design schools, this book weaves practical insight with philosophical depth to help educators reclaim the heart of higher education.

At its core is the Classroom CARE model, a powerful framework built on four pillars:

• Community: Creating spaces where students feel seen, heard, and valued
• Action: Designing learning that is participatory, creative, and engaging
• Reflection: Making space for meaning-making and growth
• Environment: Shaping physical and emotional spaces that sustain learning

Perfect for college and university educators at any stage, whether you're just beginning, seeking renewal mid-career, or looking to name what has always felt true in your teaching. With stories, strategies, reflection prompts, and "Try Today" tips, Educative Encounters offers practical tools for the real, messy, hopeful work of teaching.

More than a framework, this book is a call to movement, towards classrooms that matter, and education that moves us: head, heart, hands, and gut.