The teacher’s integrity Professor Kirsi Tirri University of Helsinki Finland
Ethical dilemmas in teaching Teachers are not always aware of the moral impact of their actions (Jackson et al 1993) Teachers are ill-prepared for dealing with ethical dilemmas they have identified in their work (Lyons 1990, Tirri 1999) Ethical dilemmas are very content- and context specific (Tirri 1999)
Teachers’ professional morality The teacher’s role has changed views of teaching and learning international co-operation multiculturalism increased autonomy interaction skills
The values behind the teacher’s professional ethics Human worth Honesty Justice Freedom
Ethics in the school community Vision Power and hierarchy Individuality and collaboration Commitment
Virtue ethics Aristotle Emphasis on the personality Ethical sensitivity Moral exemplars Commitment to personal growth
Principles of justice Equality Equity Need
The data source Early education teachers Secondary school teachers 26 written responses Secondary school teachers 59 interviews 44 questionnaires Ninth-grade students 98 written responses 40 interviews 40 questionnaires
Early education data Kindergarten and elementary school teachers (N=26) Essays on real-life moral dilemmas in their work The data was analyzed by qualitative content analysis (Strauss & Corbin 1990) The themes and the relationships involved in the conflicts Successful and unsuccessful decisions to these conflicts
Conflicts between a teacher and parents (N=10) Do the actions of the parents serve the best interest of a child? The most suitable educational arrangement for the child Evident problems at home Teachers took the perspective of a child Evaluation of the situation and suggestions for the parents Parents’ responsibility was to make the choice for the child
Conflicts between a teacher and a colleague (N=8) A colleague had behaved in a cruel way towards a child hurtful use of language purposeful actions to humiliate the child Questions of power and hierarchy Conflicts involving colleagues are the most difficult ones to solve (Campbell 1996, Colnerud 1997, Tirri 1999) Norms of collegial loyalty keep teachers from defending the pupils
Conflicts between a teacher and the whole community (N=8) Educational philosophy of the community The ethos of the community A lack of discourse about the means and the ends of education Open discussion is needed to establish guidelines for organizational morality
Ethic of care Moral stance of care in teachers’ professional ethics (Gilligan 1982, Noddings 1984) Fundamental needs of children (Clark 1995) to be loved, to be led, to be vulnerable, to make sense, to please others, to have hope, to know truth, to be known, to be safe, to make one’s mark
The values and virtues of teachers Bravery teachers’ courage to confront parents or colleagues in the troubled circumstances Truthfulness teachers’ own ideals and ethics seek the truth in the difficult conflicts straightforwardness in identifying the vices Justice equality and fairness in the application of rules and norms
Schools Havukoski (urban secondary school) circa 400 students (15% foreigners) 33 teachers teachers active and willing to develop their school Maikkula (rural secondary school) same size school as Havukoski students more homogeneous than in Havukoski co-operative and active teachers
Matters related to teachers’ work Grading Punishing Confidentiality Sensitive issues Colleague Teaching criticism Impolite language Neglecting students Biased attitude
The morality of students’ behavior Harassment Negative attitude towards learning Cheating Impolite speech and behavior
The rights of minority groups Religious beliefs Ethnic identity Trustworthiness of minority students Students’ racial attitudes
Common rules in school Forbidden things smoking playing cards
Problem-solving strategies Avoiding Delegating Single-handed decision Discourse I (incomplete discourse) Discourse II (complete discourse)
Teachers: Harassment
Students: Harassment
Teachers: Fighting
Students: Fighting
Roundtable discussion in schools