From Role to Person: The Moral Layeredness of Classroom Teaching

Abstract

In this article, I identify and analyze several layers of moral meaning embedded in classroom teaching. I work along two yardsticks: from actions whose moral import is fairly obvious to those in which it is expressed subtly; and from moral features of the role of teacher to qualities of the individual performing that role. I make use of two senses of the term moral. One has its roots in the notion of mores, or customary ways of regarding roles and their occupants. A second has to do with personal character, disposition, and virtue. I base the inquiry on extensive classroom observation, focusing particularly on everyday practices associated with turn-taking. The article seeks to call attention to the multiple yet often subtle ways in which teachers can have a moral impact on their students.

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