Teaching from core values: Practical wisdom at the crossroads of philosophy, education, and teacher ed

Teaching from core values: Practical wisdom at the crossroads of philosophy, education, and teacher ed

Author: Ethical Schools February 1, 2025 Duration: 48:01
We speak with Cara E. Furman, Associate Professor of Early Childhood Education at Hunter College, about her book "Teaching from an Ethical Center: Practical Wisdom for Daily Instruction." Dr. Furman focuses on teachers ensuring that their practice corresponds with their ethical center. She emphasizes teachers’ knowledge of learning environments, local communities, and the children themselves. We discuss the ethical problems with "fidelity" as applied to teaching.   Overview00:00-00:43 Intros 00:43-03:15 Crossroads of philosophy, teaching, teacher ed 03:15-04:47 Practical wisdom 04:47-07:02 “The way that teachers know” 07:02-11:33 “Fidelity” as applied to teaching 11:33-13:04 Are fidelity and ethics compatible for teachers? 13:04-16:50 Do philosophers and teachers have difficulty understanding the connections between the fields? 16:50-18:44 Teaching from a “philosophical center” 18:44-20:58 Teaching from an “ethical center” 20:58-26:23 Variations in ethical centers 26:23-27:51 Can a school have an ethical center? 27:51-31:52 When teachers find themselves in schools with highly restrictive practices 31:52-35:24 Lawsuits against Lucy Calkins and Fountas and Pinnell 35:24-36:32 Effects on teachers of demands for fidelity 36:32-38:41 Scripts 38:41-41:35 Podcasts and books—similarities and differences 41:35- Outro TranscriptClick here to see the full transcription of this episode. ResourcesBook Teaching from an Ethical Center: Practical Wisdom for Daily Instruction by Cara FurmanSoundtrack by Poddington Bear

Conversations about education often focus on test scores and curriculum, but there’s a deeper layer that truly shapes a student’s experience. Ethical Schools digs into that layer, exploring what it means to build a learning community grounded in integrity and care. Each week, hosts Amy and Jon sit down with educators and innovators who are actively reimagining schools. You’ll hear specific, grounded discussions about the practical work of creating environments where every student feels safe and respected. The dialogue frequently addresses how to support young people dealing with trauma, moving beyond theory to share actionable strategies that teachers are using right now. More than just problem-solving, this podcast highlights how to empower students themselves to become advocates and changemakers in their own communities. It’s a series that connects philosophy with daily practice, looking at the social and cultural structures within schools through a lens of ethics. For anyone invested in the future of education-whether you’re a teacher, administrator, or simply a concerned community member-this podcast offers a thoughtful and necessary perspective on the foundational values that make education meaningful.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 50

Ethical Schools
Podcast Episodes
Equity by design: residency-focused teacher education [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:32
We speak with Dr. Diana Turk, Chair of the Department of Teaching and Learning and Director of Teacher Education at NYU. Students in NYU’s unique teacher residency program work full-time in classrooms, for which they are…
High stakes: Teaching to the tests in K-12 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:16
We continue our conversation with Harry Feder of FairTest. This time, we discuss high stakes tests in K-12 schools. Harry explains how tests and the prep for them came to dominate education and the consequences for stude…
SATs and the illusion of fairness [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:31
We speak with Harry Feder of FairTest, an organization that advocates for fair and open testing, about the reinstitution of standardized test requirements at some “Ivy Plus” colleges, and why it matters. We discuss how t…
Early intervention: Model assessment center reduces youth arrests [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 42:16
Steve Evangelista, longtime NYC educator, and Anthony Celestine, director of the Office of Juvenile Justice Services at Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana, talk about Calcasieu's Multi-Agency Resource Center. MARC, an assessmen…
What Would YOU do? Walling Out or Welcoming In? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:56
What boundaries should a school set on student speech, if any, in order to foster social-emotional learning, civil discourse, and friendship among students? How might they hold themselves and their students accountable f…
Elevating undervalued professionals: Support for substitute teachers [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:51
We speak with Megan M. Conklin, who designs and implements professional development for substitutes in Washington state. Substitutes often don’t receive the support and compensation they deserve. Ms. Conklin’s union-back…
Enriching student life: Art for all [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:26
We speak with Dr. Andrea Siegel and Michelle Vitale of Hudson County Community College about the ways they bring art into students’ everyday lives. They’ve assembled a multi-ethnic art collection which is displayed on ro…