Task 5c

While consulting the reader, I started to question where our ethics are derived from and at what stage we decide to take a view on what we believed to be the ‘right’ way.

The introduction of the reader states that personal ethics can be informed from many sources – family values, religion and conscience.

It is my view that family values and society are largely influenced by the widely practiced spiritual believes and religions, and then in turn our family values guide our conscience.

(p3, http://lgdata.s3-website-us-east-1.amazonaws.com/docs/566/501690/BAPP_Reader_5_2012-13.pdf)

I have placed my personal ethics in the order in which I think they were formed and how they were installed into me.

I have put spiritual belief and religion at the top of the list and I am of the view that without the top three sources in place, it would be difficult for an individual to have a good conscience.

1   1) Spiritual belief and religion

2   2) Society

3   3) Family values

4   4) Conscience

The African believe that, “It takes a village to raise a child” encompasses my thoughts that a whole community/society is needed to give a person a well rounded code of morals.

I was raised by my parents, my extended family, but also by my community. There was trust in my community/village that came with the sharing of the same spiritual beliefs.

It was quite acceptable that I was guided and disciplined by older members of my neighbourhood. If a parent was struggling with certain aspects of a child’s development, they could seek support from their neighbour or family friends to offer guidance to the child.

I had a large group of people whom I could communicate with and of which to learn from.

By being exposed to as many different members of society as possible a child has more tools to model their own ethical framework.

They will experience people that are inherently good, bad and everywhere in between.

They will be able to see the cause and effect of these type of people and with the right spiritual guidance and support learn to make sound moral decisions for the greater good.

For the children that grow up in care, the institution becomes their village.

They do not necessarily have access to personal guidance like that of an African child – or children in the same society as them who are brought up by a caring biological family.

Being raised in care often means losing out on learning family values and instead relying on mentors, educators, friends, gangs, police, social workers, youth workers and foster families to install moral values.

Therefore, I consider reinforcing and providing family values an essential part of duty within my professional practice.

One might argue in that the African child’s upbringing is not dissimilar to the child in care, as it is quite normal for children to spend half of their childhood with different family members or family friends as their parents may need to leave to find work.

However, the difference between the two systems is that the African child’s virtues are moulded by a system that resembles something closer to a family structure.

“Most ancient thinkers, including Aristotle were concerned with the character of an individual. In considering this they would look at what makes a person good, or what virtues an individual could have.

For Aristotle, virtue is a character trait manifested in habitual action. One such example is honesty. It is not enough to be honest on say, Fridays only, but rather honesty is habitually attached to the individual and becomes a virtue. He considered virtues to be mid-points between two extremes. Therefore courage is a mean between cowardice and foolhardiness”.

(p6-7, http://lgdata.s3-website-us-east-1.amazonaws.com/docs/566/501690/BAPP_Reader_5_2012-13.pdf)

Considering Aristotle’s views, it is of utmost importance that, as a professional, I strive to be honest, trustworthy and caring towards the students I work with.

This is of particular importance in my profession as most of the students I work with have been neglected emotionally by the people who are meant to be caring for them.

As I have stated previously, my work place is emotionally challenging. I don’t think I would be able to do my job effectively without my existing virtues.

I have made a list of virtues that are relevant to me personally and my profession, following one of the thinking point on Reader 5:

List of virtues that are relevant to me personally:

Honest

Caring

Thoughtful

Patient

Understanding

Driven

Knowledgeable

Creative

Passionate

Vocal

Non-judgemental

List virtues that are relevant to my profession:

Organised

Caring

Honest

Creative

Persistent

Passionate

Experienced

Un-judgemental

Daring

Whilst making these lists, I struggled not to use the same virtues in both the personal and profession.

This has led me to think that we chose to work in professions and organisations that fit with our characteristic virtues.

If we don’t possess the virtues required by our workplace then we are surly in the wrong profession. For example, by listing my virtues I can see that I am a caring, empathic, sensitive person who would probably not be successful in a cut throat business environment, where I may have to suppress my inherent moral code.

Consequentialism, Deontology and Virtue ethics are three theoretical approaches that will affect how I evaluate issues that arise from my inquiry.

My inquiry will be based on the importance of art in schools that work with students with behavioural, learning and emotional difficulties.

Past experience of using art with young people in community projects, schools and colleges, has focused on encouraging participants’ to experiment with art both as a learning and expressional tool.

This approach is less about teaching young people how to paint or draw, but focuses more on the therapeutic and expressional aspect of art.

I am interested in teaching art to young people as part of their educational syllabus in EBD schools.

My inquiry will inform me as to whether there is a demand for learning art to gain a qualification and to pursue as a possible career path or if the demand is as only a therapeutic tool.

From my experience of working in EBD schools, students are strongly encouraged to learn a trade.

Consequentialism focuses on the greatest happiness for the greatest number.

If my inquiry reveals that the demand for art in EBD schools is for therapeutic purposes only, I must put aside my desires as a researcher as to not override the natural outcome.

As Immanuel Kant states, “the only absolutely good thing is a good will.

Hence, the motive behind an action determines whether or not it is morally right.

Deontology is rule based and is ethical action based on duty”.

(p8, http://lgdata.s3-website-us-east-1.amazonaws.com/docs/566/501690/BAPP_Reader_5_2012-13.pdf)

It is very important that I seek permission from both the school and the parents of the young people to take part in my research.

I must also ensure that the information I gain can be used in my written evidence.

To ensure I have a more rounded inquiry, I will make contact with other schools and organisations to talk with students that do not know me.

This will diversify my research and mean that I am not given answers that students may provide to appease me. It will, therefore, give more credibility to my inquiry.

Oliver (2003) suggests that a teacher researching students or a nurse working with patients affords their professional status more authority and could influence attitude to an inquiry. (p19, http://lgdata.s3-website-us-east-1.amazonaws.com/docs/566/501690/BAPP_Reader_5_2012-13.pdf)

In the Reader it also state that, “how you behave in the inquiry process sends out signals.”

This statement emphases the importance of being aware of how we act during the inquiry.

We must be mindful that we conduct ourselves in such a way that does not influence the responds of the participants.

In this task I have learnt about the authority that the researcher holds over the participant and that we should not misuse the power we hold for our own gain, as set by the British Education Research Association (BERA).

One of the responsibilities of a researcher set by BERA supporting this notion is:

“To ensure the honest and respectful treatment of research participants, by informing them of the purpose of the study and by adhering to the guidance requirements (e.g. on consent and confidentiality), and at all times ensuring their safety and well-being vis-a-vis the research procedure, equipment and premises”.

(p18, http://lgdata.s3-website-us-east-1.amazonaws.com/docs/566/501690/BAPP_Reader_5_2012-13.pdf)

As professionals I think that honesty is the key to successfully working with our clients.

The inquiry requires the same principles, which are embedded in the Deontology theoretical ethical framework.