Ethics in the teaching profession and pedagogy of families (2015/2016)

Learning outcomes

PROF.ALBERTO AGOSTI
Ethics of Teaching Profession
Teaching module Ethics of Teaching Profession and Pedagogy of Families
Prof. Alberto Agosti (4 cfu)


Presentation
Everyday action of teacher in classroom, but also the moments invested in the preparation of teaching, in dialogue and discussion with colleagues, parents and other players in the school field, is it is characterized by an expert knowledge, which deeply connoted by ethical implications. This operating ethic is functional to cope with a set of teaching issues, but also broader relational/social issues, especially in this age marked out by rapid transformations, which can often put a strain on certainties and styles in the exercise of the teaching profession.
Teacher is called to face numerous challenges, including the maintenance of an authority that once seemed indisputable. Furthermore, he/she is engaged in providing every child with equal opportunities, in a broader scheme of justice and protection of all children from all forms of ill treatment, as well as of promotion of their personal empowerment.


Teaching objectives

The teaching module aims at promoting students’ awareness in relation to the fact that none action is ethically neutral. In addition, some moments of teaching action, but also more broadly outside of the teaching practice, are particularly crucial in relation to the exercise of justice, fairness and the empowerment/protection of young learners. The lesson will consist of identifying these moments also with the cooperation of students.


Contents

The present age is characterized by a growing complexity that gradually becomes more and more problematic and demanding. During the lessons we will consider those aspects of teaching that seem to weigh more in terms of ethics, such as the choice of contents, teaching method and forms of assessment.
Moreover particular attention will be paid to the 'educational emergencies'. This expression is intended to refer to different forms of ill-treatment to which children can be object of, from the various forms of abuse, carelessness or psychological mistreatment to the potentially unfavourable conditions determined, for example, which may be the result of, for example, by separation between parents and the custody of children by legal guardians.
One particular topic will be the set of mistreatment and violence that sometime children can perform among themselves, fox example bullying, cyberbullying and other inappropriate use of digital technologies.
Some criteria that can be followed in the cases mentioned above in order to take responsible actions to contrast and deal with negative phenomena will be presented but also identified along with the students.





Methodology
The teaching methodology foresees some lectures, but also the use of audio-visual materials (clips of movies or full movies), meetings with privileged witnesses and online interaction with students through a dedicated e-learning platform.

Evaluation
Each student will be required to write a targeted review of a film chosen from those indicated in the online platform and those mentioned in one paper included in the bibliography (Images of abuse on young people in the cinema) and a review of a book, always of student choice, among those listed in the platform. The reviews of two pages lengths each at least, must be delivered before the exam sessions. The examination will consist of an oral examination or a written test with open questions about the references listed in the bibliography.

Bibliography

Jacqueline Russ, L’etica contemporanea, Il Mulino, Bologna 1997 (this booklet is available at the Library of the Department of Philosophy, Education, Psychology).

Damiano Elio, L’insegnante etico. Saggio sull’insegnamento come professione morale, Cittadella, Assisi 2007.

Recommended readings

Agosti A., Immagini del maltrattamento verso i giovani nel cinema, in Agosti A. - Di Nicola P. (a cura di), Leggere il maltrattamento del bambino: le radici della violenza, FrancoAngeli, Milano 2000, pp. 199-228 (This paper is available on the e-learning platform).


Foti Michela, Targher Camilla, Comunicare la separazione ai figli. Dall'affidamento condiviso alla bigenitorialità passando per la mediazione familiare, Giraldi Editore, San Lazzaro di Savena (BO), 2014.




PROF.SSA PAOLA DUSI
Just as the composition of families changes over time, so does the very notion of what family represents. As the course progresses, the participant will learn about the various family configurations present in contemporary society. Changes in the make-up of families, and roles and relationships within the family system – which have taken place against a backdrop of altered sociocultural and economic conditions – also have a bearing on the role and functions attributed to the school and those who work there. The course is designed to equip participants with competencies that can benefit the school-family relationship – a key area in contemporary teaching practice – in line with a model of co-responsibility and co-education.

Part I: - the epistemology of family pedagogy
- family configurations

Part II - School-family relationship

Expected educational results

1. To understand the epistemological foundations of family pedagogy
2. To understand the plurality of family configurations present in contemporary society
3. To recognise and identify the characteristics that define a family as a system in relation to its members.
4. To become familiar with regulations surrounding the school-family relationship in the Italian school system.
5. To develop an awareness of the complexity of the relationship between schools and families, and its central role in the child’s education.
6. To develop certain communicative and relational competencies in the interests of promoting positive school-family relationships.
7. To learn how to move beyond interventions that operate at the level of the individual, to those concerning relationships, starting with developing an awareness of the dynamic interdependency that connects the individual members of various systems (family, teaching team, school-family, family-society)
8. To use the approach and methodology of pedagogical research to learn how to observe and perform critical analysis of work and family contexts using one or more research questions.


Contents

- the epistemology of family pedagogy
- contemporary family configurations
- the school-family relationship
- the regulatory framework surrounding the school-family relationship
- critical issues in the school-family relationship
- teacher competencies that benefit the school-family relationship






Bibliography

1. Pati L. (a cura di) , Pedagogia della famiglia, La Scuola Editrice, Brescia, 2014. I will assign chapters during the cours
2. Dusi P., La comunicazione docenti-genitori. Franco Angeli, Milano, 2012.


Related books to broaden your knowledge. Secondary resources.

Ariès, Duby (a cura di) (1988). La vita privata. Il Novecento, Laterza, Bari, (fino a p. 215).
Byng-Hall, J., Le trame della famiglia. Attaccamento sicuro e cambiamento sistemico, Raffaello Cortina, Milano.
Cirillo, S. (2005), Cattivi genitori, Raffaello Cortina.
Contini, M.G. (a cura di) (2010). Molte infanzie, molte famiglie. Interpretare i contesti in pedagogia. Carocci, Roma, 2010.
Dusi, P., Pati, L. (a cura di) (2011). Corresponsabilità educativa, La Scuola Editrice, Brescia.
Fivaz Depeursinge, Corboz Warnery, (2000). Il triangolo primario. Le prime interazioni triadiche tra padre, madre e bambino, Raffaello Cortina, Milano.
Formenti L., (2004). Pedagogia della Famiglia, Guerini, Milano.
Formenti, L. (a cura di) (2014). Sguardi di famiglie, Guerini, Milano.
Fruggeri L. (2009), Osservare le famiglie. Metodi e tecniche, Carocci, Roma.
Gaudio, M. (2008). Bricolage educativi. Verso una teoria e una pratica pedagogica con la genitorialità, Unicopli, Milano.
Gigli, A. (2011). Maestra, ma Sara ha due mamme? Le famiglie omogenitoriali nella scuola e nei servizi educativi, Guerini, Milano.
Musi, E. (2007). Concepire la nascita. L'esperienza generativa in prospettiva pedagogica. Franco Angeli, Milano.
Portera, A. (2004). Educazione interculturale in famiglia, La Scuola Editrice, Brescia.

Individual micro-research or group research on the themes presented during the lesson (on school families relationship - to be agreed upon with the professor based on the educational program).
The written research consists of an argumentative essay through which the student examines and analyzes school-families relationship presented in the bibliography texts and explored them through an empirical micro-research with parents or teachers (ethnographic observation, shadowing, interviews, questionnaires, etc. ). The topic has to be agreed with the professor.
It will be composed of a cover page (containing: student’s first and last name, student ID number, major, employment position, e-mail and telephone number); the central part of the essay in a brief summary; introduction, hypothesis and conclusion. The essay must be subdivided into sections, footnotes and a final bibliography. The essay must be printed on paper and send also electronically.

The micro-study must provide clear evidence of learning by citing the texts indicated in the bibliography and other texts identified during the research process, and by providing a personal interpretation of, and reflection on, the lessons attended, bibliographical sources, and the research conducted.

STUDENT MODULE EVALUATION - 2015/2016