Morals and manners - Assignment Example

Module Module ID: Morals and Manners in Teaching The present study aims to evaluate the article created by Fallona (2000 681-93) under the title “Manner in teaching: a study in observing and interpreting teachers’ moral virtues”, in which the author has attempted to elucidate the ethical and moral values associated with the teaching phenomenon. Published in Teaching and Teacher Education, Pergamon, the author has sought support from the Aristotelian ethical code while elaborating the teachers’ conduct in the light of conceptual nature of morality to be observed in teaching on the one side, and the empirical inquiry with regards to examining their moral conduct on the other (682).

The study under-investigation cites the ethical principles introduced and determined by the ancient era philosophers including Socrates, Plato, Aristotle and Stoics (684-5), for the training of the educators and learning of the students. Thus, the philosophers have articulated their theories for the promotion of learning process as well as for establishing a strong association between teachers and students. Hence, the study looks determined to explore the aspects of teacher education, where the author has drawn the conclusion that motivating the teachers to review their moral conduct while rendering professional services could be imperatively beneficial in respect of introducing improvements in their conduct.

While discussing the methodology adopted by the author, it becomes evident that virtue and moral education have been emphasized upon in this study, where relevant literature, including Fenstermacher’s research (1999) has been applied to explain and illuminate the topic. Fallona (682-3) has applied cognitive development perspective due to its direct relationship with the research topic, where character building education and care to be observed during teaching have been stressed. Teacher’s witnessing mannerism and moral values has strongly been advocated in the study because of the very fact that the teacher’s conduct leaves long-lasting impact on the thoughts and minds of the students.

The study has been created to explore the three questions, which include: (1) what is manner in teaching? (2) how may one engage in the examination of manner in teaching? and (3) how may one observe and describe manner in terms of moral virtue? (683). Despite the fact that the author discusses the technical skills to be adopted by the teachers, she ascertains such proficiencies to be of far lesser significance than the observing and teaching of morality in personal conduct of the teachers. All the kind and compassionate conducts and positive qualities attributed to morality and virtue have been analyzed in the light of the scale or model articulated and determined by Aristotle.

Consequently, the entire research work has been evaluated within Aristotelian theoretical framework at large (687-8). Furthermore, in order to estimate the teachers’ understanding of moral virtue, Fallona (687) has recommended the conducting of an empirical study. Qualitative research methodology has been adopted for the empirical study conducted in a middle school of Arizona in 1997-8, during which multiple data collection techniques were employed; similarly, different data interpretation methods were applied.

The findings declared friendliness, wit, bravery, honor, mildness, generosity, and magnificence to be the most dominant and visible virtuous deeds, essential for the teachers to be witnessed in their conduct (689); while magnanimity, temperance, truthfulness, and justice were viewed to be the invisible virtues (690). It was concluded that in order to establish their better relationship with students, the teachers must be trained all the visible and invisible virtues (691) that could become the essential part of their professional and moral conduct.

To conclude, it looks clear that the author has chosen an appropriate topic that mirrors the entire research process within its scope. Although Fallona has attempted to clarify the topic in Abstract; somehow, the research procedure and methodology has not been demonstrated in the introduction. Even then, the initial paragraphs certainly exhibit the subject-matter going to be elaborated in the preceding paragraphs. Cognitive theory has rightly been selected as the perspective for this study, because it successfully elucidates the mental growth among the individuals.

Applying of the longitudinal study serves as one of the most noteworthy strengths of the study, while confining the research to just a small area could be declared to be the imperative weakness of this research. Work CitedFallona, Catherine. “Manner in teaching: a study in observing and interpreting teachers’ moral virtues.” Teaching and Teacher Education 16 Pergamon Elsevier Science Ltd 2000 681-95. Web. http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.58.4388&rep=rep1&type=pdf