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In Conversation with the Self and Others: The Ethical Dilemmas, Discussions, and Decision-Making of Elementary Language Arts Teachers in Ontario
K–12 teachers are required to make numerous, challenging decisions in their daily work. Many of these decisions leave teachers with ethical dilemmas where they must make a reasonable decision between competing sets of principles in complex, value-laden, and uncertain environments (Börü, 2020; Ehrich et al., 2011; Levinson & Fay, 2016). Education reforms can cause major changes in teachers’ working conditions and can exacerbate ethical dilemmas (Fransson & Grannäs, 2013; Pinto, 2015; Shelton & Altwerger, 2015). Some of these ethical dilemmas, for example, include questions of how to navigate standardized testing policies that do not accommodate individual students’ needs and how to adapt new pedagogical practices that are contrary to holistic teaching strategies or culturally responsive teaching (Avalos et al., 2020).
Given this research context, my study explores the ethical implications of education policy in practice with a particular focus on the experiences of a group of Ontario K–8 teachers working during a time when Language Arts education is undergoing reform. Grounded in theoretical perspectives that position teaching as a moral activity (Fenstermacher, 1990; Hansen, 1998; Jackson et al., 1993; Osguthorpe, 2008), this study draws upon the educational goods framework developed by Brighouse et al., (2016) to unpack how teachers enact their values in their work and how this process is complicated by institutional demands. I argue that teachers’ moral concerns should be recognized as moral in nature and should be taken seriously, especially as teacher absenteeism and shortages continue to rise in Ontario. Following the methodological traditions of empirically engaged philosophy, I collected both qualitative and quantitative data from five teacher participants to explore philosophically driven research questions. Thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006) was conducted using data from surveys, interviews, and five normative case study focus group discussions held over 10 weeks.
► This event is in-person. Join in person at the Centre for Ethics (Larkin Building room 200).
Tina Ta
Curriculum, Teaching and Learning OISE
University of Toronto
Wed, Mar 26, 2025
12:00 PM - 02:00 PM
Centre for Ethics, University of Toronto
200 Larkin