Building from the notion that learning occasions an `ontological’ violence, this paper examines the ethical relations implicated in pedagogy and curriculum. In particular, it explores ways in which pedagogy is rooted in a demand for students to alter their egos, and, thereby, draws attention to the delicate nature of the teaching±learning relationship. Appealing to the ethical philosophy of Emmanuel Levinas, it discusses how ethical, non-violent relations are made possible in the day-to-day encounters between teachers and students. A reading of one of Melanie Klein’s case studies highlights the speci®c ways teachers participate in ego-alteration at the same time as they participate in conditions for establishing ethical relations. The paper concludes with a discussion of these conditions and the role that curriculum plays in responsible teaching.