Digital books purchased from our website can be read online or downloaded with Adobe Digital Editions. Other eBook formats are available from our retail partners.
A methodology for using philosophy to guide teaching preparation and practice.
In Teaching from an Ethical Center, Cara E. Furman proposes a process for bringing philosophical inquiry into teacher education and adopting it as a centering tool to enrich teaching practice and help teachers act justly. Under Furman's thoughtful guidance, both experienced and preservice teachers will find that engagement with philosophy can be a useful means of clarifying for themselves the educational ethics, values, and pedagogy that guide their work. Using firsthand accounts, recommended resources, and thought exercises, Furman prompts readers to explore the many benefits for both educators and their students of the act of reading and making sense of philosophical texts and thinking philosophically through daily dilemmas.
Furman encourages teachers to engage in philosophical reflection as part of their professional preparation as well as their in-classroom practice. She illustrates how the focus on core values that emerges from this practice can be applied to everyday teaching dilemmas such as student behavior concerns and conflict management. Offering tips for adapting activities to different audiences, she shows how student participation in such inquiry supports hermeneutics, cultivates student voice, and helps build a culture of trust and interdependence through classroom collaboration.
Filled with practical wisdom, this insightful work advances philosophical inquiry as a foundation for an inclusive education. Furman's tools and methods offer continuous opportunities for reflection and affirmation, enhancing educators’ ability to adapt to new challenges and, when necessary, to resist.
Cara E. Furman is an associate professor of early childhood education at Hunter College and a former teacher. Integrating philosophy and education, she publishes widely and is the coauthor of Descriptive Inquiry in Teacher Practice: Cultivating Practical Wisdom to Create Democratic Schools.
“Educators are often asked about their philosophy of teaching, but Furman asks readers to consider teaching as a philosophical endeavor. Through stories from classrooms and beautifully crafted prose, this book captures the deep ethical and moral questions embedded in the mundanely profound and profoundly mundane moments of teaching life."
~Elizabeth Dutro, professor of literacy studies and associate dean of faculty, School of Education, University of Colorado Boulder
“What a remarkable and desperately needed reminder that no teaching decisions are neutral, and that we can intentionally choose human dignity through the everyday choices we make.”
~Carla Shalaby, author of Troublemakers: Lessons in Freedom from Young Children at School
“Furman reminds us of the philosophical work that teachers are already doing. She provides clear guidance for teacher educators to support those entering classrooms. Readers will find liberatory practices to develop responsive approaches for navigating the complex ethical terrain of teachers’ daily work.”
~Doris A. Santoro, professor and chair, Education Department, Bowdoin College
“Furman’s book is a fresh perspective, inviting us to imagine teaching beyond standardized learning guides. Centering children’s lived experiences, Furman inspires us to do right by children. Compelling classroom examples illustrate how teachers ensure care, grow learners, foster experiential learning, and interrupt and disrupt, urging us to (re)claim our ‘why’ for teaching.”
~Mariana Souto-Manning, president, Erikson Institute