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Teachersâ Professional Ethics
Theoretical Frameworks and Empirical Research from Finland
Series: - Moral Development and Citizenship Education, Volume: 20
Winner of the 2025 Moral Development and Education AERA SIG 67 Outstanding Book Award! Now available in Open Access thanks to the support of the University of Helsinki.
Teachersâ Professional Ethics: Theoretical Frameworks and Empirical Research from Finland is intended for international readers in education who want to learn the theoretical frameworks that guide teachersâ ethics and that help them address concrete challenges in their everyday work. Scholars and teachers from different countries can use this book to widen their understanding of the Finnish educational system and teacher ethics. The authors provide examples of concrete moral dilemmas in teaching that can be more effectively navigated with the rational principles and guidelines that philosophies of different ethical frameworks can provide. They argue that teachers require ethical skills, especially ethical sensitivity, in order to select the most beneficial course of action concerning diverse students in inclusive education. They should be purposeful in their profession to develop the motivation and resilience to continue their demanding but fulfilling work with long-term goals. Moreover, they should acknowledge their implicit beliefs and possible stereotypes to be able to provide equal learning opportunities to their students and to build democratic moral communities in their schools.
In this book, ethical sensitivity, purposeful teaching, and incremental beliefs concerning learning are seen as important prerequisites for teachersâ professional ethics. We discuss these aspects with examples from our empirical studies in Finnish schools.
Teachersâ Professional Ethics: Theoretical Frameworks and Empirical Research from Finland is intended for international readers in education who want to learn the theoretical frameworks that guide teachersâ ethics and that help them address concrete challenges in their everyday work. Scholars and teachers from different countries can use this book to widen their understanding of the Finnish educational system and teacher ethics. The authors provide examples of concrete moral dilemmas in teaching that can be more effectively navigated with the rational principles and guidelines that philosophies of different ethical frameworks can provide. They argue that teachers require ethical skills, especially ethical sensitivity, in order to select the most beneficial course of action concerning diverse students in inclusive education. They should be purposeful in their profession to develop the motivation and resilience to continue their demanding but fulfilling work with long-term goals. Moreover, they should acknowledge their implicit beliefs and possible stereotypes to be able to provide equal learning opportunities to their students and to build democratic moral communities in their schools.
In this book, ethical sensitivity, purposeful teaching, and incremental beliefs concerning learning are seen as important prerequisites for teachersâ professional ethics. We discuss these aspects with examples from our empirical studies in Finnish schools.
Kirsi Tirri, PhD (1994), University of Helsinki, is a Professor of Education at the University of Helsinki, Finland. She has published widely on teacher education, moral education and gifted education in international journals and book chapters. She has also authored 14 monographs including Measuring Multiple Intelligences and Moral Sensitivities in Education (Sense, 2011).
Elina Kuusisto, DTh (2011), University of Helsinki, works as a University Lecturer (diversity and inclusive education) at the Tampere University, Finland. She has published on teacher ethics, school pedagogy and talent development, particularly on civic purpose, ethical sensitivity and growth mindset. She has co-edited Good Teachers for Tomorrowâs Schools: Purpose, Values and Talents in Education (Brill, 2021).
Elina Kuusisto, DTh (2011), University of Helsinki, works as a University Lecturer (diversity and inclusive education) at the Tampere University, Finland. She has published on teacher ethics, school pedagogy and talent development, particularly on civic purpose, ethical sensitivity and growth mindset. She has co-edited Good Teachers for Tomorrowâs Schools: Purpose, Values and Talents in Education (Brill, 2021).
Preface
List of Figures and Tables
1 Introduction
2 Teaching as an Ethical Profession
â1 Development of Professional Ethics in Recent Decades
â2 Ethical Frameworks in Professional Ethics
â3 Teachersâ Role in Supporting Student Development
â4 Teachersâ Commitment to the Profession
â5 Questions to Reflect on by Yourself or with Your Peers
3 Ethical Expertise in Teaching
â1 The Development of Ethical Expertise
â2 The Teacher as a Distributor of Justice
â3 The Teacher as an Ethical Decision-Maker
â4 The Teacher as an Ethical Discussant
â5 Questions to Reflect on by Yourself or with Your Peers
4 Ethical Sensitivity in Teaching
â1 Caring in Teachersâ Professional Ethics
â2 What Is Ethical Sensitivity?
â3 Ethical Sensitivity in Identifying and Solving Moral Dilemmas in Schools
â4 Questions to Reflect on by Yourself or with Your Peers
5 The Purposeful Teacher
â1 Purpose in Teacherâs Professional Ethics
â2 Teachersâ Purposes
â3 Purposeful Teaching
â4 Studentsâ Purposes
â5 Questions to Reflect on by Yourself or with Your Peers
6 From Teachersâ Implicit Beliefs to Ethical Actions
â1 Teachersâ Reflection on Their Beliefs and Actions
â2 Implications of Teachersâ Implicit Beliefs in Moral Education
â3 Manifestations of Teacherâs Implicit Beliefs in Teaching â The Case of Anne
â4 Promoting Equal Opportunities with a Growth Mindset Pedagogy
â5 Questions to Reflect on by Yourself or with Your Peers
7 Building Moral Communities in Schools
Appendix: Ethical code of Finnish Teachers
References
Index
List of Figures and Tables
1 Introduction
2 Teaching as an Ethical Profession
â1 Development of Professional Ethics in Recent Decades
â2 Ethical Frameworks in Professional Ethics
â3 Teachersâ Role in Supporting Student Development
â4 Teachersâ Commitment to the Profession
â5 Questions to Reflect on by Yourself or with Your Peers
3 Ethical Expertise in Teaching
â1 The Development of Ethical Expertise
â2 The Teacher as a Distributor of Justice
â3 The Teacher as an Ethical Decision-Maker
â4 The Teacher as an Ethical Discussant
â5 Questions to Reflect on by Yourself or with Your Peers
4 Ethical Sensitivity in Teaching
â1 Caring in Teachersâ Professional Ethics
â2 What Is Ethical Sensitivity?
â3 Ethical Sensitivity in Identifying and Solving Moral Dilemmas in Schools
â4 Questions to Reflect on by Yourself or with Your Peers
5 The Purposeful Teacher
â1 Purpose in Teacherâs Professional Ethics
â2 Teachersâ Purposes
â3 Purposeful Teaching
â4 Studentsâ Purposes
â5 Questions to Reflect on by Yourself or with Your Peers
6 From Teachersâ Implicit Beliefs to Ethical Actions
â1 Teachersâ Reflection on Their Beliefs and Actions
â2 Implications of Teachersâ Implicit Beliefs in Moral Education
â3 Manifestations of Teacherâs Implicit Beliefs in Teaching â The Case of Anne
â4 Promoting Equal Opportunities with a Growth Mindset Pedagogy
â5 Questions to Reflect on by Yourself or with Your Peers
7 Building Moral Communities in Schools
Appendix: Ethical code of Finnish Teachers
References
Index
All interested in Finnish teacher education and teachersâ professional ethics including researchers, teachers, university students, administrators, and parents. The book can also be used as material for self-study.