The purpose of this dissertation was to determine if the foundational constructs (student engagement and ethical care) were experienced by the 8th grade students that participated in a morning tutoring program: Future Problem Solvers. A mixed methods design was adopted for the purpose of this study including raw data, survey data, informal observations, and face-to-face interviews. The goal was to determine if the 28 participants (male and female) demonstrated academic success on the Florida Comprehensive Achievement Test (Science). The study was also conducted in order to explore the level of student engagement and the development of reciprocating relationships based ethical care between the teacher and the students. The findings from the quantitative analysis using the Mann Whitney U indicated that the FSP participants did make academic gains on the FCAT (Science) test to a higher degree than non-participants: Non-Participants (Mean Rank = 182.37) and Participants (Mean Rank = 332.96). The significance was established where p = .00. The quantitative analysis using frequency data also revealed that the majority of the participants reported that they were engaged in learning and made strong efforts when doing and completing their schoolwork. They also participated in class, as well as school based activities. Furthermore, they reported that they felt a sense of belonging and were supported by the staff. The findings from the qualitative analysis indicated that the teacher did model care to the students. He engaged them in dialogue about caring relationships and confirmed and encouraged the best in them. The responses on the interviews completed by the teacher and the principal, as well as the students give evidence that strong relationships developed between the students and the teacher. Moreover, that these reciprocating relationships were built on trust and care. The discussion and interpretations emphasizes the need for professional development, and the need for policy that strives to support student engagement and ethical care above high stakes testing.

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The marginalisation of palliative and pastoral care practices by conventional approaches to care for terminally ill patients, motivated the research curiosity. The significance of terminal patient's spirituality, their language practices and communities of concern are endorsed as being the major contributing factor to meaningful 'living' with terminal illness. Listening to stories has been the qualitative research practice, revealing meaning-making, quest stories. Feminist theology and post-modern ideas and discourses have assisted me, and the participants, in the deconstruction of power, patriarchy and dualism as the primary contributing factors to marginalisation of people due to illness, race, gender, poverty, culture and education. Pastoral care practices and feminist theology have guided us to emphasise the necessity to recognise the God of Grace as an important part to ensuring holistic patient care. Recognising the 'God-Self, respectful narrative and pastoral care practices paved the way to honour sacred spaces and voice stories of terminal illness. / Practical Theology / M.Th (Specialisation Pastoral Therapy)

The marginalisation of palliative and pastoral care practices by conventional approaches to care for terminally ill patients, motivated the research curiosity. The significance of terminal patient's spirituality, their language practices and communities of concern are endorsed as being the major contributing factor to meaningful 'living' with terminal illness. Listening to stories has been the qualitative research practice, revealing meaning-making, quest stories. Feminist theology and post-modern ideas and discourses have assisted me, and the participants, in the deconstruction of power, patriarchy and dualism as the primary contributing factors to marginalisation of people due to illness, race, gender, poverty, culture and education. Pastoral care practices and feminist theology have guided us to emphasise the necessity to recognise the God of Grace as an important part to ensuring holistic patient care. Recognising the 'God-Self, respectful narrative and pastoral care practices paved the way to honour sacred spaces and voice stories of terminal illness. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / M.Th (Specialisation Pastoral Therapy)

A group of eight mothers of differently abled children undertook a research journey, reflecting on the sorrow and pain, as well as the hope and humour of our lives. Narrative pastoral practices guided our conversations, and prophetic and political challenges our actions to bring about change in our lived reality. Reflective and summarising letters after each group meeting played a central part In the research. The letters were structured to make visible the "taken-for-granted truths", which informed us about who and what we are. The alternative stories of preferred mothering practices that emerged during and between sessions were centralised in the letters. The group compiled letters of appeal to the faith community, doctors, nursing staff, therapists and teachers in order to make them more sensitive towards differently abled people and their families. / Practical Theology / M.Th. (Practical Theology)

A group of eight mothers of differently abled children undertook a research journey, reflecting on the sorrow and pain, as well as the hope and humour of our lives. Narrative pastoral practices guided our conversations, and prophetic and political challenges our actions to bring about change in our lived reality. Reflective and summarising letters after each group meeting played a central part In the research. The letters were structured to make visible the "taken-for-granted truths", which informed us about who and what we are. The alternative stories of preferred mothering practices that emerged during and between sessions were centralised in the letters. The group compiled letters of appeal to the faith community, doctors, nursing staff, therapists and teachers in order to make them more sensitive towards differently abled people and their families. / Philosophy, Practical and Systematic Theology / M.Th. (Practical Theology)