Three Conceptions of Ethics for Teacher Educators

Applied ethics courses in education emphasize an analytical or rules/principles ap proach to resolving ethical dilemmas. Two other fruitful approaches, character/struc ture and background beliefs/ideals, tend to be ignored or minimized in these courses. Every applied ethics course should include rigorous preparation in all three approaches if teachers are to appreciate fully the complexity of ethical decision making. This essay attempts to restore a balance among the three approaches.