Caring and Empowerment: A teacher educator's reflection on an ethical dilemma

Abstract

Despite a growing interest in the lives and work of teacher educators, there has been little explicit examination of the ethical dimensions of their professional practice - or of the ethical dimensions of teaching in higher education in general. This article contributes to efforts to address these oversights. More specifically, it documents aspects of my reflection on an enduring ethical dilemma I encounter as a university-based teacher educator; How to enact my commitment to professional practice grounded in an ethos of caring (Noddings, 1984) for my students, without being drawn into the abyss of endless and ultimately disempowering emotional labour that caring can entail (Bateson, 1989)? In attempting to resolve this dilemma I identify an alternative conceptualisation of caring as mutual empowerment and draw on Tom's (1997) notions of deliberative relationships, transparency of practice and presence. Although the context of this article is teacher education, I believe that these notions have relevance for university teachers in most disciplines, and especially for those preparing students for entry into the 'caring professions'.