Sue Simpson states in the chapter 6 titled “Interdisciplinary and Interthematic Curriculum Designs” states that “If teaching is a dynamic and moral profession, we must strive to change in response to the evolving nature of our students and the demands of our society.” (p.90)
Do we as teachers have a moral agenda, an obligation to uphold the morals and ethics of our society when teaching our students?
Yes and the moral that sticks out to me the most and must be supported in school is freedom of speech. As a teacher though we can help make sure that speech is informed to the best of the students’ ability without being preached to. Also as a teacher we can help our students gain perspective and insights of those perspectives with respect.
If a student says during a unit on the holocaust from European history that the holocaust didn’t happen how should I respond? If a student says anyone who has an abortion is committing a sin how do I respond?
If this is the student’s belief than fine; we as people are entitled to our own beliefs and vocalizing them. I may say something like “you make an interesting statement that some disagree with and might even find offensive. What research do you have for or even against your statement?” The point we as teachers must make is that though we each have different beliefs and values as this is the enrichment of culture, we as a society still must be respectful of others. When our beliefs endanger or hurt others then something must be done to convey our beliefs differently or possibly open up our own perspective. This endangerment and harm is morally wrong as well and as teacher we are responsible for helping and informing our students to know the difference. I am unsure and nervous about how to open up a child’s perspective as a teacher in a positive healthy way. This development is the tricky part in my mind, especially if I as the teacher do not agree with their views. I still need to model respect and an openness of ideas so that the student may grow in their critical thinking and decision making.
The statement made at the end of the chapter by Simpson sums up part of what it means to be a moral teacher in my mind. As I need to support an openness as well as informative environment for ideas my responsibility as the teacher is to make sure that my teaching and the content makes sense with what is currently thought and discussed in society. For example it may not be relevant to have my students know when each president was president instead due to technology it may be more effective for students to have an idea of how the role of president has changed over time so they too can get an idea for what kind of president they want.
How do we ensure that “Disciplines do not lose their integrity” and that “each discipline’s unique contribution to problem solving is demonstrated”? (Wiles & Bondi, The New American Middle School Education Preadolescents in an Era of Change, Chapter 3. p. 64)
Wiles and Bondi make an interesting statement in that each discipline has useful tools in problem solving. Sir Robinson at a conference in Monterey California in 2005 stated that creativity is not taught in education any longer. It seems that instead “we get educated out of creativity.” Sir Robinson also makes a statement that without creativity being a process of having original ideas that have value we will not grow. He specifically says that when we teach our students to be unprepared to make mistakes or be wrong we are possibly taking away the creativity in the classroom. I think Wiles and Bondi are saying the same thing in a different way. There are many different perspectives to take when solving problems. What matters in my mind is that we give are student an array of perspectives and not limit them to just one such as math or art, but science and music as well. We must not only educate from the waist to the head then to specific side of the brain of the student but the whole body; kinesthetically, visually, abstractly, sound, critically…
How does this idea of teaching the whole student then influence the moral and ethical aspects in teaching? Is it morally right that we teach the whole child literally? Is it morally wrong not to? I don’t know the answer… yet!
Huge questions! Teaching is a moral act, because as you so clearly show here, it requires us to constantly weigh what is and isn't the right thing to do. What did you think of what Buchmann added about the moral obligations of teachers?
ReplyDeleteYou can't require kids to articulate only some beliefs, but it is your job to teach them to weigh the credibility of their sources of information, to weigh competing claims of truth, to listen respectfully to positions different from their own. That's easier with the holocaust issue (there is historical evidence to be considered) than than the abortion issues (that's strictly a matter of judgment), but teaching kids to think deeply and to be able to hear what others believe is part of our jobs.
And interdisciplinarity can be such an excellent way to get us to that deeper sort of thinking....!