Power & Responsibility – Reflecting on Authority in Educational Relationships

Power is unavoidable in educational relationships – but its effect depends decisively on how we shape it. This unit makes clear that pedagogical authority does not mean control or obedience, but responsibility, relationship, and clarity. You will learn to distinguish between supportive authority and harmful abuse of power, develop a reflective attitude, and gain tools for more presence, dialogue, and relational security – in the spirit of a pedagogy of mindfulness and equal dignity.

Warm up

Think of a situation in which you were clearly “in a position of power.”

  • Write down: What did you decide – how was it received?

Exchange with your buddy:

  • When does power feel appropriate – when not?

  • Add together: What types of power exist? (e.g., structural, personal, symbolic)

Learn

Power requires reflection, attitude, and responsibility.

  • Power is the possibility of exerting influence – consciously or unconsciously.

  • Educational relationships are always shaped by a power imbalance. What matters is how we deal with it.

Forms of abuse of power:

  • Humiliation (also nonverbal)

  • Shaming in front of the group

  • Unequal treatment

  • Threats without relationship

  • Unannounced sanctions

Important distinction:

  • Positional power: through role or function

  • Personal power: through relationship, language, charisma

  • Systemic power: through institutional structures

Read more: 

Power & Responsibility in Educational Relationships

Exchange in buddy team:

  • Which situations do you know from your own practice?

  • Which of them are hurtful – which are strengthening?

  • Where do I exercise power without noticing?

 

Dive in 1

“New Authority” according to Haim Omer and colleagues describes a paradigm shift:
→ away from control, towards presence, self-control, and systemic inclusion.

Core features of new authority:

  • Presence: being visible & approachable, without dominating

  • Transparency: clear rules + well-founded decisions

  • Relationship instead of sanction: closeness & stance take precedence over means of power

  • Perseverance + dialogue: not giving in, but always remaining open to conversation

Read: New Authority: Mindfulness and Leadership in Educational Relationships

 

After reading the information, answer for yourself:

  • How do I act as a figure of authority? Reactive or present?

  • When do I manage to remain calm and effective in a crisis?

  • Which rituals strengthen my presence?

 

Exchange with your buddy:

  • Which elements of “New Authority” would you like to strengthen – where do you see limits?

 

Transfer 1

Choose two examples from your everyday practice in which you consciously exercised authority.

  1. Analyze in an individual setting or with your buddy:

    • Which type of power did I use (positional, personal, symbolic)?

    • What impact did my behavior have on relationship & learning climate?

  2. Based on these insights, formulate concrete guidelines for your personal pedagogical stance, e.g.:

    • “I set clear boundaries, but with explanations.”

    • “I consciously refrain from using irony in conflict situations.”

  3. Document your stance in writing as a self-commitment (e.g., for your portfolio or for supervision).

 

Transfer 2

Choose an everyday situation with a power asymmetry (e.g., rule violation, missed submission, refusal of a conversation offer).

  1. Work out two possible courses of action with your buddy:

    • Variant A: traditionally authoritarian (e.g., threat, consequence, monologue)

    • Variant B: relationship-oriented, new authority (e.g., presence, invitation to dialogue, reflection offer)

  2. Reflect afterwards:

    • How does the behavior of the adolescents change?

    • Where are the limits – where are the opportunities of this approach?

    • Which form strengthens trust and personal responsibility in the long run?

Optional: Develop a set of “emergency phrases” for escalations (e.g.,

  • “I am here and I stay calm.”

  • “Let’s talk later in peace.”)

 

Reflect

Reflect

Observe deliberately for one day:

  • When do you use authority?
  • How is it received?

Document two situations in writing: How would you have solved them in the past – and how now with your new stance?

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