Ethical Judgment in Teaching

This book is about helping teachers think carefully and knowledgeably about ethics in teaching, and to encourage them to talk to other people about it. Each chapter in the body of this text is organized around a pair of basic ethical concepts: freedom and discipline, self and others, communities near and far, excellence and equality, unity and diversity, and faith and truth. Each of these chapters begins with a realistic case, which provide a vehicle for readers to see how the concepts come up in concrete situations. Following each chapter case are two essays by two different contributing writers who put themselves in the position of deciding how to approach the case. The idea is for them to model ethical judgment and to give readers a glimpse into how thoughtful people may agree or disagree on the same case. The writers continue to respond to each other's reactions throughout the chapter, in order to show how constructive criticism of other people's viewpoints and the ability to provide feedback can help people learn from each other in a civil manner. This book presents a wider range of theoretical perspectives than its competitors, while offering actual exchanges of viewpoints between informed educators. The discussion is more philosophically sophisticated, and encourages readers to think critically and to incorporate theory into actual judgment. It aims to show the importance, as well as the limitations, of making judgment a cooperative activity among people. For professionals working in the field of education.