"I Would Not Have Considered the Parents": Teacher Preparation for a Care Ethic in Parent-Teacher Relationships

• In Event: 16.049 - Moral Development and Education: Knowledge to Action

Abstract

Care ethics acknowledges the centrality of caring relationships in moral education. Research shows that parent-teacher relationships in particular support student success and yet teacher education rarely prepares teachers to create these necessary alliances. This project explored the use of ethical dilemma cases that we designed to prepare elementary teacher candidates to practice care ethics in parent - teacher relationships. We found the use of dilemma cases helped candidates transcend limiting preconceptions and learn to take action guided by an ethic of care. We propose dilemma case stories as a core teacher education practice for moral education for care ethics.

Authors

• Colette Rabin, San José State University

• Grinell Smith, San José State University