"Creating Justice in My Practice": Developing Teachers' Values Through a Professional Development in Educational Ethics

• In Event: Fairmont Roundtable Session Fifteen
  In Roundtable Session: Critical Reimagination of Teacher Education for Equity and Justice (Table 8)

Abstract

An educator’s “moral center”—their ideals and values about what it means to be a good teacher-- guides their professional decision-making from their choice to enter and remain in the profession to the daily decisions they make as part of their practice. Teachers’ moral centers are frequently challenged by ethical dilemmas in education: situations that will compromise an educators’ values no matter the outcome. Professional development that supports teachers in clarifying, articulating, and sharing their values with colleagues can lead to better ethical decision-making and dilemmas resolution. This paper analyzes how a 149-person PD using the innovative teaching tool of a multimedia normative case study in educational ethics supported teachers’ values development and ethical conversations with colleagues.

Author

• Tatiana Geron, Colby College
  Presenting Author