Ethics in the Elementary Classroom: Bridging Theory and Practice in Preservice Teacher
Education: EDEL 300 [Jessica Pandya] and EDEL 482 [Deborah Hamm]
Jessica Zacher Pandya, Teacher Education & Liberal Studies, College of Education
Deborah Hamm, Teacher Education, College of Education
Introduction
The following materials were created for use in Elementary Education 300, “Equity and
Justice in Diverse Schools” (EDEL 300), a required prerequisite for students entering the
Multiple Subject Credential Program in Teacher Education. It is linked to a separate proposal for
a module in the culminating, mandatory Student Teaching portion of the Multiple Subject
Credential Program (created by Deborah Hamm). Our rationale for this linkage is as follows: at
the beginning of their credential program, in EDEL 300, students first learn about, identify, and
observe the particular ethical issues we describe as they undertake observation hours in a local
school. By the time they have reached their student teaching placement (EDEL 482), they know
how to talk the talk of ethical treatment of children in classrooms, but they sometimes forget how
to walk the walk. We have designed the module in Student Teaching to address ethical treatment
on a more personal level (student teachers will videotape their own teaching and analyze their
treatment of individual students), bridging the theoretical work they did in EDEL 300 with the
practical applications of it in their own teaching. Because of these links, our individual modules
have the same section on “relevant ethical issues” (the following section), but are otherwise
distinct modules and sets of activities and outcomes.
Relevant Ethical Issues
There is a persistent achievement gap in the US education system, one that is shaped by
and shapes extensive racial, income, language, and ability disparities. In EDEL 300 and in
student teaching, the focus is on the teacher’s role in either perpetuating or diminishing these
disparities. Given the diverse nature of California classrooms, our students will most likely go
on to teach children who come from different backgrounds; because individual teachers do
matter to children’s success, it is imperative that we help them understand the structural
underpinnings of inequality, as well as give them opportunities to explore their own ethical
treatment of children in potentially unequal situations. The field of teacher education has many
examples of what successful teaching across racial and income lines looks like (i.e., Gloria
Ladson-Billings’ The Dreamkeepers: Successful teachers of African American children [2009]
and Geoffrey Canada’s work at the Harlem Children’s Zone [www.hcz.org]). Fundamental to the
kind of teaching we want to foster are anti-racist and anti-bias curricula, which offer individual
teachers and children tools to work through issues of bias as they arise in classrooms and
schools. These curricula help teachers identify unethical treatment of students, treatment that
often stems from unexamined biases they hold.
Future teachers must understand the fundamentals of second language acquisition (cf.
Crawford, Educating English Language Learners [2004]) so that they can help their English
learner students, but also so that they do not contribute to the continuing overrepresentation of
English learners in special education (Welner, 2004). Although they learn about teaching special
needs children in other classes, students in our classes examine the treatment of special needs
students at their field sites—whether they be mainstreamed in general education classrooms or in
standalone classrooms (cf. Applegate, Applegate & Turner, 2010). We use David Berliner’s
Ethics in the Elementary Classroom: Bridging Theory and Practice in Preservice Teacher Education (EDEL 300& 482)
Jessica Pandya & Deborah Hamm
1
(2006) work to emphasize the ways social class is imbricated in children’s educational success
and failure (2006). However, as we suggest in these linked proposals, learning the theories and
creating a shared vocabulary with which to discuss difference and inequality in schools is only
the beginning of this kind of work. Students—teacher candidates—need chances to talk through
these issues, and to spend time in real classrooms where they will see ethical issues arise around
each of these categories (and sometimes around more than one category at once). They need to
understand that microaggressions, small biased, unethical acts, are as impactful as larger ones;
they need to learn tools to address and counter them. And, once they get close to the classroom
(in student teaching), they need to be able to avoid falling back on old, ingrained habits, and to
continue to be aware of their own biases and the way those biases affect their present and future
students’ success. Indeed, student teachers are evaluated on their “dispositions”—their character
and tendencies—towards ethical, unbiased treatment of students in their classrooms.
Lesson Plan 1: Identifying and Discussing Ethical Issues in the Treatment of English Learners
and Special Needs Students in Elementary Classrooms (EDEL 300)
Prior to the module:
Students in this class will have read about discussed key social issues that lead to
injustices and unethical situations in the classroom, including differences in race, ethnicity,
social class, first language, immigration status, ability, and gender. Students will have spent
approximately 20 of 40 required hours observing in a classroom at their school field site. In a
prior assignment, they will have examined the race, class, language background, and test score
statistics of the school site. They will have watched 2 videos of experienced classroom teachers
during English language development and regular classes, as well as one of a teacher mistreating
students because of differences in arbitrary physical features (Jane Elliot, Brown Eyes-Blue
Eyes), and will have discussed the ethical treatment of English learners (ELs) and special needs
students in general and targeted lessons. They will have read brief by Morse & Ludovina about
undocumented students, and by the Council on Exceptional Children on Ethical Principles for
Special Education teachers (see bibliography).
In the module:
Students will bring in their written notes about observations they have done during two
different teaching sessions at their elementary school site. The lessons they observe can be about
any subject, but must include direct teaching (teacher-student interaction) as well as some
student-student interaction. Students will know in advance that they will use their notes to
describe ethical issues during lessons.
First, we will brainstorm what kinds of inequalities students have seen in the elementary
classrooms in which they have spent time. After brainstorming inequalities, we will then move
to small group discussions to discuss and name ethical issues related to these inequalities that
they have seen in real classrooms. We will then review the ethical treatment guidelines for
special needs children, and undocumented children, from our course readings.
Image 1. Brainstorm of inequality issues from EDEL 300 class, March 25, 2014
Ethics in the Elementary Classroom: Bridging Theory and Practice in Preservice Teacher Education (EDEL 300& 482)
Jessica Pandya & Deborah Hamm
2
Next, students will share their observations about ethical issues/unequal treatment in
small groups. They will each be asked to label and describe the ethical issue they saw in the
classroom (at least one). They will then problem-solve about ethical issues that they observed.
The following issues (among others) came up in our March 25 discussions: teachers physically
marginalized/segregated certain students during lessons; teachers taught lessons in English with
no scaffolding (instructional supports) for English learners; students ignored their English
Learner and special needs peers; teachers have been observed yelling at children; and children
have been observed goofing off with no attention from the teacher to help involve them in the
learning going on in the classroom.
Then, after students share the ethical issues that arise in their observations, we as a whole
class will generate a list of the situations, and discuss what students legally must do, and
ethically ought to do, in the same circumstances.
The module will conclude with students creating their own ethical treatment guidelines
for teaching in today’s classrooms, where English learners, special needs, and “mainstream”
students can learn and grow together. [See scans attached/in binder of student lists.]
Applied Learning Outcomes and Assessment Methods:
Two applied learning outcomes from EDEL 300 are particularly relevant to this ethics
module: Students will identify theory and application of multicultural education, social justice,
anti-bias and anti-racist education, and an awareness of educator-activist models; and, students
will identify and reflect upon their attitudes, beliefs, & approaches to diversity issues.
Assessment methods for this module include two informal measures and two formal
measures. Informally, students will be able to identify ethical issues as they arise in their
literature and readings, and in their observations. I will assess these abilities as they are visible in
students’ reading logs/notes and in classroom conversations and interactions [e.g., the image
above of the group brainstorm]. More formally, students will show their abilities to identify
ethical issues in their observational notes that they bring to the module class [sample attached
with these materials]. They will also demonstrate their abilities in the culminating part of the
module when they create their own guidelines for the ethical treatment of English learners and
special needs students [sample students’ guidelines attached with these materials].
Ethics in the Elementary Classroom: Bridging Theory and Practice in Preservice Teacher Education (EDEL 300& 482)
Jessica Pandya & Deborah Hamm
3
Bibliography
Applegate, A., Applegate, M., & Turner, J. (2010). Learning Disability or Teaching Disabilities?
Rethinking Literacy Failure. International Reading Association 64(3) 211-213.
Beilock, S, Gunderson, E., Ramirez, G, & Levine, S. (2010). Female teachers’ math
anxiety affects girls’ math achievement. PNAS Central/0910967107.
Berliner, D.C. (2006). Our impoverished view of educational research. Teachers College Record,
108(6), 949-995.
Council on Exceptional Children Special Education Professional Ethical Principles. (2010).
Elliot, Jane. (1998) Brown Eyes-Blue Eyes. Available on Frontline:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/divided/etc/view.html
Ladson-Billings, G. (2009). The Dreamkeepers: Successful teachers of African American
children. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.
Morse, S. & F. Ludovina. (1999). Responding to undocumented children in the schools.
ED433172 1999-09-00 Responding to Undocumented Children in the Schools. ERIC
Digest.
Weinstein, R. (2002). Reaching Higher: The power of expectation of schooling. Harvard
University Press.
Welner, Kevin. (2004). Legal Rights: The overrepresentation of culturally and linguistically
diverse students in Special education. NCCREST online publication:
http://www.nccrest.org/publications/briefs.html.
Lesson Plan 2: Heroes, Civil Rights and Ethical Responses of an Educator (EDEL 482)
Prior to the Module:
Students will have been student teaching for several months. All of the discussions,
assignments and lectures are hands-on and related specifically to the student teaching
experiences (master teachers, students and parents) they engage with daily. The students will
have observed K-5 students, Master teachers, parent groups, school administration and each
other. They will have identified struggling students and planned instructional adaptations to
include these students in their lessons. They will have shared the struggles with their peers and
instructor and generated some response patterns and instructional strategies to support each
student. The student teachers are teaching in some very different school contexts: some with
ELs, some bilingual, some with PTAs, some with no PTAs etc. They have identified inequities
and unethical behaviors of adults in the schools. They will have collected evidence of student
learning and students struggling to plan more effective instruction. We will consistently link
back to the theories and ethical practices they learned in EDEL 300 and apply those to their
current contexts. They will have reviewed RSA Animate: Changing the Educational Paradigm,
Jane Elliot’s Brown Eyes-Blue Eyes, 60 Minutes Harlem Children’s Zone from EDEL 300 and
viewed the DVD Frustration: Anxiety and Tension in the Classroom (FAT City). They also
discussed and viewed/reviewed the “Pyramid of Hate” chart from the Anti-Defamation League.
Ethics in the Elementary Classroom: Bridging Theory and Practice in Preservice Teacher Education (EDEL 300& 482)
Jessica Pandya & Deborah Hamm
4
In the Module:
We begin with a “picture walk” of photographs of faces and scenes and have the students
analyze their reactions to the pictures prior to explaining the contexts of the photos. We also
modeled the history of the NBA in photos. The race issues are clear (it just so happened that the
evening of this presentation was the evening of the Sterling fiasco- so this was brought into the
photo array). Next we showed the Ethics/Civil Rights powerpoint and discussed their reactions
to these photos. (See Ethics in the Classroom PP in the binder). Following the powerpoint
discussion, the students were asked to think of an important historical figure, write the name and
why that person is important on the white board. (See Image 2 and 3). The numbers circled to
the right of the names indicates the number of students unfamiliar with that historical person.
The person who wrote that person then discussed why that person is important. Interesting (but
not surprising) is that each of these unknowns was important because of a specific cultural
connection to the writer.
Image 2
Ethics in the Elementary Classroom: Bridging Theory and Practice in Preservice Teacher Education (EDEL 300& 482)
Jessica Pandya & Deborah Hamm
5
Image 3
We then viewed a video of Jesse Hagopian who led a successful protest by a group of
teachers against a specific standardized test. We read an article about a parent activist and an
article against the common core. We discussed the characteristics of heroes and the varying
obstacles/challenges they faced. An obvious question is “Can one person make a difference?”
We reviewed the Pyramid of Hate chart. We linked these back to their ethical and professional
obligations as teachers by having them identify a specific challenge they have faced as a student
or student teacher and make a pledge to be the hero for that student/issue in the future. What
difference do they want to commit to make for students? (See Pledges in the binder.)
Applied Learning Outcomes and Assessment Methods:
Two applied learning outcomes from EDEL 482 are particularly relevant to this ethics
module: Students will identify specific incidences and educational actions/practices that are
contrary to the theory and application of multicultural education, social justice, anti-bias and
Ethics in the Elementary Classroom: Bridging Theory and Practice in Preservice Teacher Education (EDEL 300& 482)
Jessica Pandya & Deborah Hamm
6
anti-racist education; and identify and reflect upon their attitudes, beliefs, & approaches to
diversity issues with a pledge to insure their actions are ethical for all students.
Assessment methods for this module include two informal measures and two formal
measures. Informally the students will prepare and adapt lesson plans and instructional strategies
that include all students. They will collaborate with others to support their learning in this area.
They will learn to observe each other and challenge each other through peer observations and
collaborative lesson study activities. Their lesson plans will also be formally assessed for
adaptations and inclusive strategies, as will their teaching. They will also demonstrate their
abilities in the culminating part of the module when they write their pledges (student pledges are
included in the binder).
Bibliography:
Bullied: A Student, a School and a Case that Made History. (2010). DVD from the Southern
Poverty Law Center: Teaching Tolerance.
Elliot, Jane. (1998). Brown Eyes-Blue Eyes. Available on Frontline:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/divided/etc/view.html
Kohn, A. (2013) Encouraging Educator Courage. Available on
http://edweek.org/ew/article/2013/09/18/04kohn.h.33.html?tk
Lavoie, R. (1989). How Difficult Can This Be? The FAT City Workshop. Available through PBS
Video.
Pyramid of Hate. Available on the Anti-Defamation League website (or Google Images).
RSAAnimate:Changing the Educational Paradigms.
Available on www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDZFcDGpL4U
Suina, Joe. (1985). And then I went to school: Memories of a Pueblo childhood. New Mexico
Journal of Reading, 5(2).
Ujifusa, A. (2014) Resistance to the Common Core Mount -Education Week
http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2014/04/23/29ccbacklash.h33.html?tkn=OWUF2vbrzW4nu%2FRHCp7tcDPIBXTG9prkx6h2&intc=es
Ethics in the Elementary Classroom: Bridging Theory and Practice in Preservice Teacher Education (EDEL 300& 482)
Jessica Pandya & Deborah Hamm
7