Teachers’ Moral Dilemmas

ETAI International Conference Jerusalem, July 2010

Dr. Orly SelaOranim Academic College of Education

orlysela@oranim.ac.il

Ethics - a set of values, attributes and principles guiding a person’s appropriate behaviour.

Ben Yehoshua, Dushnik & Bialik (2007, p.2)

Ethics - science of morals; moral principles or code.

Oxford English Dictionary

Professional Ethics - Codes of conduct established by professionals to govern ethical behavior within that profession.

http://courses.duq.edu/rentschler/ETHIC/Vocabulary.htm

Teaching and Ethics -

* The answer to the question “what must I do in X case?” should be based on ethical values as well as on professional knowledge.

* Teaching is by nature an ethical act (attempting to promote human development).

An Ethical dilemma is a complex situation that will often involve an apparent mental conflict between moral imperatives, in which to obey one would result in transgressing another.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethical_dilemma

A Way of Dealing with Moral Dilemmas

1. What is the situation? What makes it a moral dilemma?

2. What values are involved in the dilemma?

3. Who is involved and who will be affected by the decision? How will they react?

4. How does the context affect the ethics in this case?

5. What are the possible solutions ?

6. What will be the results of said possible solutions?

7. Final decision - What would you do in this case?