In Conversation with the Self and Others: The Ethical Dilemmas, Ethical Challenges, and Values of Elementary Language Arts Teachers in Ontario

K–12 teachers are required to make numerous, challenging decisions in their daily work. Many of these decisions leave teachers with ethical dilemmas where they must make reasonable decisions between competing sets of principles in complex, value-laden, and uncertain environments (Ehrich et al., 2011; Levinson & Fay, 2016). Education reforms can significantly change teachers’ working conditions and exacerbate ethical dilemmas (Fransson & Grannäs, 2013). Given this context, this study explores the ethical implications of education policy in practice, focusing on the experiences of five Ontario grades 1–8 teachers working during a period of Language Arts (LA) education reform. Grounded in theoretical perspectives that position teaching as a moral activity (Hansen, 1998; Jackson et al., 1993), this study addresses three questions: what values do these teachers prioritize in their LA teaching? What ethical dilemmas and challenges do they experience in teaching grades 1–8 Language Arts and why do they experience them as such? How are these teachers impacted by their ethical dilemmas and challenges? Using a qualitative methodology, I conducted a semi-structured interview with each participant and five focus group discussions. Thematic analysis was performed using data from surveys, interviews, and five normative case study focus group discussions held over 10 weeks. Using the Brighouse et al. (2018) Educational Goods Framework as a conceptual lens to interpret the study’s findings, I unpack teachers’ ethical dilemmas and challenges related to institutional policies surrounding grading, assessment, and resource distribution in LA. While both teachers and the system seemed to share core values of achievement and accountability, a deeper examination revealed that their conflicts arose not from a disagreement over these values themselves, but from divergent meta-values—differences in how values were and should be interpreted and enacted in practice. Participants’ ethical dilemmas and challenges contributed to feelings of demoralization; yet, they also expressed a strong sense of moral responsibility. This study holds implications for research, policy, and practice, shedding light on the ethical implications of policy in practice. Ultimately, I call upon various education stakeholders to support teachers with the ethical dimensions of their practice and offer recommendations on how to do so.

Department dc:contributor.department

Curriculum, Teaching and Learning

Year dc:date.issued

2025

Author dc:creator

• Ta, Tina

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Stagg Peterson, Shelley

• Education Policy
• Elementary Teachers
• Ethical Challenges
• Ethical Dilemmas
• Ontario Education Reform
• Teachers' Values

Statement dc:rights

• Attribution 4.0 International

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/1807/149991

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:utoronto.scholaris.ca:1807/149991