The Moral Dimension of Personal and Social Education

Abstract

Throughout the 1990s there was considerable discussion of the moral dimension of teaching instigated largely by the Office for Standards in Education (1994) and School Curriculum and Assessment Authority (1995, 1996a, b) discussion papers. Although there was widespread acceptance among educationists, the inspectorate and the teaching profession that there was a moral dimension to teaching, differences were apparent in the perceptions of the significance of this dimension and the implications of it for schools. On the one hand, many teachers acknowledge the moral dimension of teaching, they recognize that teachers from time to time have to deal with controversial issues and have an obligation to respect the rights of children. However, they tend to see this dimension as peripheral to the main business of teaching and learning and not something which will influence how they are judged as professionals. Some recent perspectives on Personal and Social Education, such as the emphasis on personal competence or the self‐esteem movement, have contributed to the marginalization of moral concerns in favour of a skills or therapeutic approach. This paper supports the view that teaching is inevitably a moral enterprise and that teachers need to be encouraged to see themselves as autonomous moral agents whose decisions have a fundamental impact on pupils' personal development.

What English language in‐service teachers think, know, and do about writing instruction: Iranian teachers' stated attitudes vs. actual practice

“…Echoing the findings of Johnston (2003), Wylie (2005), and Yang and Gao (2013), teaching involves morality, commitment, and responsibility, and teachers should devote themselves to their job even outside of classroom time and setting. Assessing writing tasks and providing constructive feedback on them are extra loads on teachers' shoulders, and not all of them agree to take additional responsibility without receiving extra compensation.…”

“…They needed more relevant instruction, the quality of their own writing had to be elevated, and new promising technology in the writing instruction area should be included in their training program. In addition, according to Johnston (2003), Wylie (2005), and Yang and Gao (2013), teachers should be responsible for their learners' writing as far as a moral commitment is concerned in the teaching profession.…”

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“…As a matter of fact, in an environment where standards, competencies and skills are excessively benchmarked in education in the development of goals and professional development programs for teachers and where educational values are largely ignored (Wylie, 2005), it is vital for leaders to develop a "moral compass" (Lennick & Kiel, 2011, p.19). What is more, adopting moral values, and acting in accordance with these values has become a fundamental requirement.…”