Reflective Teacher Education and Moral Deliberation

Abstract

Liston and Zeichner discuss the frailties of both the reflective approach and the moral craft orientation, and they elabo rate on the idea of "moral deliberation." They suggest that the reflective and moral craft approaches to teacher educa tion do not recognize the complexity of moral deliberation. Prospective teachers are encouraged, instead, to utilize dis tinct moral principles to examine teach ing issues and to strive to act in morally virtuous ways — to be caring and consid erate, for example — in their interactions with students. The authors describe how a principled approach to teaching and an ethic of caring may be evidenced in a preservice teachers' ability to critically reflect on a specific instructional issue — ability grouping.