Nurturing Empathy and Collective Responsibility: An Ummah-Inspired Early Years Pedagogy
This is the fourth chapter in a forthcoming e-book, entitled 'Decolonial Education and Youth Aspirations'. Maryam Bham argues that by centring community and empathy in her classroom, the dominance of Western individualism is tempered collective principles found within her faith.
In a world increasingly affected by global issues such as genocide, social injustice, and inequality, the values instilled in early childhood education are more important than ever. As Stephen and Gadda (2017, 13) suggest, young children may not yet be full citizens in their communities, but the emotional and social skills they develop in the early years serve as "training" for their future roles as active, responsible members of society. Nurturing empathy and social responsibility in young learners is therefore crucial within Early Childhood Education as it helps develop a sense of interconnection and shared responsibility in young children that extends beyond the classroom and contributes to a generation that is more aware, compassionate, and dedicated to building a better and more equitable society.
In light of these societal imperatives, teaching not only becomes an educational practice but also a personal and reflective journey, inevitably shaped by the teacher’s values, identity, and worldview. As a teacher from an Islamic faith background, my teaching is informed by principles within my faith that emphasize community care, empathy, and collective wellbeing and my beliefs and perspectives play a significant role in how I enact my pedagogical practices.
However, most schools in the UK operate within liberal Western traditions (See Balls, 2008), which emphasise individual autonomy and personal responsibility, as reflected in frameworks like social contract theory (Rawls, 1971, 252). This individualistic framework often contrasts with my own teaching practice which shifts the focus from isolated personal feelings to a relational understanding of ethics. Hence, by centring community and empathy in my classroom, the dominance of Western individualism is altered to adopt collective principles found within my faith and broader global knowledge systems instead.
Decentring, in this sense, is a form of decolonisation as it disrupts the individualism of Western thought and demonstrates a more inclusive approach to teaching (see Fanon, 1963). In reflecting on how I implemented a community-centred approach in my early years classroom, this chapter explores my experiences, focusing on the importance of emotional literacy, community engagement, and the collective responsibility drawn from the Islamic principles of ‘Ummah’. The aim is not to see the Ummah principle as an ideal agenda to the exclusion of Western knowledge systems, but rather to integrate ideas from both worlds in the process of seeking ways to construct a just and sustainable world in the early years. In doing so, I seek to create a classroom environment that values interconnectedness, shared responsibility, and community care, where both individual rights and collective wellbeing are integral to the educational experience.
Early Childhood and Community-Oriented Pedagogy
The early childhood period is the most critical stage of development in an individual's life, which can shape a child’s future life trajectory (Irwin et al., 2007, 6). Burton (2008, 6) emphasises that the behaviours, attitudes, and values children learn through imitation and role modelling during these formative years have a lasting impact on their future interactions. Additionally, early education provides a foundation for democratic participation and social cohesion (Moss, 2011, 1). Hence, focusing on social responsibility and community values during this developmental stage significantly influences children's understanding of social interactions and their role in society.
This understanding aligns with Vygotsky’s sociocultural theory, which emphasises that cultural tools in a child’s social environment shape their social, cognitive, and linguistic skills through active engagement with experienced individuals, such as parents, teachers and peers (Mishra, 2013, 23). Through these interactions, children come to understand culture, gradually internalising the cultural ways of thinking and behaving that are important within their society (Vélez-Agosto et al., 2017, 904).
Building on Vygotsky’s philosophy, incorporating community-oriented values like Ubuntu and Ummah offers a culturally inclusive approach to early childhood education, emphasising collective responsibility and social connection as key to children’s development. However, many traditional early childhood policies and practices are influenced by liberal Western frameworks, often overlooking the sociocultural contexts of non-Western communities (Nsamenang, 2008, 74). To address this gap, I take a decolonial approach that decentres dominant liberal Western perspectives, not by rejecting them, but by creating space for diverse cultural and religious identities in pedagogy. This approach challenges exclusionary narratives and broadens the scope of early childhood education to reflect multiple ways of knowing, learning, and relating to others. In doing so, it creates an environment where children engage with a plurality of perspectives, ensuring inclusivity without positioning one epistemology as inherently superior.
As a Muslim teacher in a diverse educational setting, I see this not just as a theoretical shift but as a necessary practice which ensures that all students see their identities and ways of knowing reflected in their learning environment. Building on these principles, the concept of community responsibility is closely linked to moral development, empathy, altruism, and prosocial behaviours (Wray-Lake & Syvertsen, 2011, 3). When children view themselves as important members of a broader community, it nurtures a sense of responsibility toward others. Thus, social responsibility is fundamentally rooted in relationships, as individuals must feel connected to others and see themselves as part of a larger community (Wray-Lake & Syvertsen, 2011, 5).
In the context of early childhood education, this understanding aligns with the role of citizenship, positioning children as equal members with both rights and responsibilities. My classroom practices reflect this through the Islamic principle of Ummah, which emphasises interconnectedness and collective responsibility. By embedding these values into daily interactions, this community-oriented pedagogical framework offers a unique approach to promoting an ethically grounded, inclusive, and socially responsible learning environment, which will be further explored in this chapter.
The Ummah Principle
Ummah, meaning "community" in Arabic, is a foundational concept in Islamic teachings. While the term is commonly associated with the collective Muslim community, traditionally Ummah referred to a community bounded by shared responsibility, justice, and moral commitment. Jomaa (2021, in Heck 2022, 432) elaborates that the Ummah is not just a ‘collective of individuals’ but a community with a strong emphasis on shared moral responsibility and the pursuit of the common good. Similar to Aristotle’s concept of polis, the concept aim for the civic and moral wellbeing of their members, contrasting with modern liberal state models, which tend to prioritise individualism over communal obligations (Jomaa, 2021, in Heck, 2022, 439). Hence within the Ummah, moral duties are intrinsically linked to communal harmony and justice, rather than individual fulfilment or societal participation. This extension beyond immediate members to the broader society is reflected in a saying of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ:
"The believers are like one body: if one part of the body suffers, the whole body suffers."
(The Hadith, n.d)
Building on this, (Jomaa, 2021, in Heck, 2022, 439) also challenges narrow interpretations of Ummah, particularly those focused solely on homogenous religious identity. She asserts that it is a dynamic process involving active engagement with justice and moral and spiritual responsibility, which can be applied in diverse cultural and social contexts. Hence, this broader conceptualisation can be adapted within education, where interconnectedness and collective responsibility support both educational and moral goals. By viewing responsibility as a shared commitment, educators can support cognitive and emotional development and also a sense of collective purpose and ethics. In my own practice, this meant creating a classroom ethos where students could thrive as individuals while also helping them recognise their role in supporting one another, contributing to the collective good and encouraging a stronger sense of accountability.
Ummah Pedagogy in Classroom Practice
As a Muslim, the principles of Ummah are intrinsic to my personal values and worldview. While I did not set out to explicitly design my pedagogy around the concept of Ummah, following the loss and grief experienced by many students during the Covid 19 pandemic, and the behaviour resulting from it, made these values more explicitly evident in my practice. Rather than relying on formal strategies or frameworks which often centre around liberal Western understandings, the emphasis on empathy, shared experiences, and mutual support became the foundation of our classroom environment, shaping the way I approached teaching and learning in ways that were authentic and aligned with these ideals. The following sections demonstrate how these values were applied in practice, honouring the Ummah principle through everyday interactions.
Grief and Loss in the Classroom
During the Covid-19 pandemic, three students in my reception class lost a family member. In each case, their parents asked me to pay greater attention to their child due to their bereavement. As an early career teacher, I leaned on the guidance of my school mentors to help navigate the sensitive conversations around loss. We introduced books to facilitate these conversations and my teaching assistant and I closely monitored the students, offering one-to-one support as necessary.
A few weeks later, while discussing the Easter story, I showed my students a video. Initially, I had not paid much attention to the sombre background music, but when I invited feedback on the video, one student remarked that the music sounded "sad". When asked why she thought this, she explained that the music reminded her of a song played at her grandfather’s funeral. This comment initiated a meaningful conversation about grief, with several students opening up about their own experiences of loss - some of which we had not been aware of previously.
As someone who had recently lost a family member, this discussion was an emotional experience for me as well. Rather than continuing with the lesson, I decided to pause and have a circle time to address the emotions that had surfaced. As Zinsser et al. (2018) notes, teaching happens when children are given time and space to explore coping strategies within the emotional experience itself. I emphasised that it was normal to feel sad and shared that I, too, was grieving. Together, we explored ways to cope with the “big emotions” we were experiencing. One student suggested that we can pray for our loved ones. Instead of our planned lesson, we wrote out prayers for our loved ones, then reconvened and shared our prayers with each other.
These conversations not only allowed the children to express their feelings but also encouraged a sense of connection and support within our classroom. During the prayer writing activity, we observed students discussing their memories of their loved ones with their peers. One student shared how she often heard her mother cry on the passing of her grandparent, prompting further discussions on emotional expression.
While coping with emotions is an ongoing process, rather than avoidance, validating these emotions early in life provides the foundation for developing socio-emotional skills and creates the space for emotional management (Lambie & Lindberg, 2016). Similarly, research shows that children who receive support during emotional challenges exhibit lower anxiety levels (Hurrell et al., 2015, 81), enhanced emotional regulation in later life (Perry et al., 2020), and greater opportunities to develop coping strategies (Gottman et al., 1997). By creating this space for validation, I aimed to nurture essential coping skills integral to resilience and mental health, while encouraging a sense of collective responsibility and empathy within the classroom. This approach not only supported emotional regulation but also encouraged students to understand each other through compassion and mutual care. Aligning with the principle of Ummah, this practice reinforced the idea that our individual wellbeing is inherently connected to the wellbeing of others, creating a community where shared emotional support is central to everyone’s growth and resilience.
The Feelings Jar
To support emotional expression and empathy, we introduced the Feelings Jar, where children placed their name tags in jars representing different emotions throughout the day. While Feeling Jars are commonly used in Early Years for self-check in or self-regulation, this practice was adapted in our classroom to reflect our class’s collective emotional climate. Positioned centrally in the classroom, it reinforced the idea of shared emotions, mutual care and empathy. For instance, when a child placed their name in the “sad face” jar, peers responded with empathy asking how they could help. This visual representation of the group's shared emotions and inviting communal responses embodied the principle of Ummah, encouraging children to view emotions not as isolated experiences, but as part of a shared narrative.
The Feelings Jar also provided a consistent routine for emotional check-ins, normalising emotional expression and creating regular opportunities for empathy. Research by Eisenberg et al. (1998) suggests that such practices help children develop emotional literacy while strengthening their sense of collective responsibility. Through this approach, children learned to articulate their own feelings and also support their peers, enhancing their interpersonal relationships and emotional intelligence.
Transitioning to the Kindness and Gratitude Board
To move away from traditional punitive behaviour management, I replaced the class behaviour board with a ‘Kindness and Gratitude Board’. While some senior leaders were concerned about how behaviour would be managed, research supports the efficacy of such positive reinforcement strategies in promoting emotional resilience and mutual respect among children (See Gordon & Turner, 2001). Traditional behaviour boards often highlight negative actions, which can inadvertently shame children, particularly those who struggle with behavioural challenges. In contrast, the Kindness and Gratitude Board shifted the focus to recognising acts of compassion, reinforcing prosocial behaviours, and nurturing a culture of empathy.
Children were encouraged to observe and acknowledge acts of kindness they observed among their peers, shifting the focus from addressing misbehaviour to celebrating positive contributions. At the end of each week, the child with the most recognitions took home our class teddy, encouraging reflection on their efforts over time and delayed gratification over immediate rewards like stickers, which were previously used within the setting. This approach embodied the Ummah principle, as we were able to demonstrate the value of patience and collective responsibility, and prioritising the long-term wellbeing of the class over individual, immediate satisfaction.
The board also served as a reminder that individual wellbeing is interconnected with the collective. During the COVID-19 pandemic, when many families faced unprecedented challenges, the Kindness and Gratitude Board became a tangible reminder of the classroom’s role as a sanctuary of care and compassion, highlighting that each child’s happiness contributed to the collective strength of our community and each child was an active participant of it.
Expanding Emotional Vocabulary
As part of our emotional literacy initiative, we aimed to help children articulate more complex emotions beyond basic emotions like "happy" or "sad”. Through sustained shared thinking, we guided them to explore nuanced feelings such as pride, frustration, and joy, encouraging deeper emotional awareness.
Similarly, using a broader vocabulary and sharing my own experiences of vulnerability and challenges enabled the children to see me as a person, not just their teacher. On one occasion, while drawing a picture on the board, I admitted that I was not very skilled at illustrating a particular character. The children respond, “Miss, you are doing so well!”. Another child asked, “Do you want us to help you?”. By modelling this transparency and emotional openness, it cultivated trust creating an environment where children felt safe to share their feelings and experiences openly while also supporting one another.
Extending Emotional Literacy Beyond the Classroom
Family engagement is a cornerstone of community-oriented pedagogy as it extends emotional and social development beyond the classroom. While traditional parent-teacher interactions often focus on academic performance, we also used these opportunities to emphasise the importance of emotional literacy. Recognising their critical role, we held parent sessions at the beginning of the term to introduce the emotional framework we were using in the classroom. Additionally, each week, the child most frequently recognised on the Kindness and Gratitude Board took home a teddy bear and good news certificate, encouraging children to share their positive experiences and attributes with their families. This initiative not only bridged the gap between home and school but also provided support to parents during the COVID-19 pandemic, a time when many were facing heightened stress and uncertainty.
Research supports the importance of parental involvement in emotional learning as it strengthens both children’s emotional competencies and families’ ability to manage difficult situations (Pomerantz et al., 2012). Furthermore, strong school-family partnerships, especially during times of crisis, are essential for promoting children’s wellbeing (Epstein, 2001). Hence, this initiative not only supported emotional growth for students but also became a practical resource for parents navigating unprecedented uncertainty. Through these family engagement efforts, we strengthened the community surrounding our students, embodying the principle of Ummah, where nurturing emotional literacy is recognised as a shared responsibility.
Challenges and Reflections
Implementing these practices presented several challenges, particularly in shifting from traditional, punitive behaviour management practices. Moving away from these established norms required ongoing communication with school leadership as there were initial concerns about behaviour management. However, my approach remained aligned with the school’s behaviour policy, ensuring that positive reinforcement complemented existing guidelines rather than replacing them. Additionally, addressing the diverse emotional needs of children, especially during the pandemic, required flexibility and creativity. The increased empathy and emotional awareness we cultivated allowed for a calmer and more understanding classroom environment.
Another challenge was integrating the principle of collective responsibility, rooted in Ummah, with the emphasis on individuality that is common in the curriculum. Ummah represents interconnectedness and mutual care, yet this perspective conflicted with the broader educational focus on personal achievement and independence. While I did not explicitly introduce the concept of Ummah to my students, its values influenced how I nurtured community in the classroom. The challenge, therefore, was ensuring that all students and staff – regardless of their differing worldview - felt included and valued in an environment that sought to balance both individual growth and collective responsibility.
Conclusion
Reflecting on my experience as a teacher who is from a Muslim background, I recognise the great impact of empathy, emotional literacy, and communal responsibility in early childhood education. Through ongoing reflection and prioritising emotional validation and community-oriented practices, we embraced the principles of Ummah in my teaching, creating a classroom environment that valued emotional expression, shared growth, and mutual care. This approach not only enhanced my students' empathy, resilience, and sense of belonging, but also contributed to nurturing a more compassionate and socially responsible society.
Decolonising my teaching practice has been a key part of this process. Decentring dominant Western models of education does not necessarily mean dismissing them outright, but rather creating space for multiple epistemologies, challenging the prioritisation of individualism and autonomy over community and relational ethics. By embracing diverse cultural and religious perspectives, I have worked to ensure that all students see themselves reflected in the curriculum. This approach enriches the educational experience and also nurtures a broader, more inclusive worldview, where collective wellbeing and empathy take precedence in shaping future citizens. In doing so, my teaching practice becomes a small yet meaningful act of decolonisation – one that supports a more equitable and compassionate future for both individuals and communities.
Maryam is a PhD student at University of Cambridge. Her research complements the continuing discourse on religion within education and explores how early career Muslim school teachers experience and negotiate their personal and professional identities in non-majority Muslim schools in Britain.
Image: Maryam Bham, The Prophet’s Mosque, taken on 4th October 2023
