The missing language of the classroom

Abstract

In this paper, we explore teachers’ use of moral language in their descriptions and interpretations of their K-12 classroom and graduate school experiences. We analyze student products that were developed by practicing K-12 teachers who graduated from a nontraditional master's program. We focused on their end of program exit portfolios and reflective essays. We also examined student admission essays and data from an on-line conference space. In our conclusions, we argue that teacher education needs to encourage teachers to envision classrooms as moral rather than technical arenas, and we urge teachers to use a moral vocabulary to describe their work.