Teaching with the ethical dimension in mind – passing on values

Abstract

This theme emerges from my PhD research about secondary school economics teaching and learning in Malta. It reports the teachers’ voice: fourteen teachers teaching economics in Maltese secondary schools were interviewed about their perceived reality of economics education. This article provides us with the opportunity to reflect upon our approach relating to educating our students in this dimension. The participating teachers believed that as teachers it was their duty to teach their students for life: “I am an educator. I am not only teaching the subject. I am teaching students for life” (Sharon). They argued, for instance, about the relevance of helping their students reflect about ethical aspects: “It's important that students learn not to be egoistic in their choices and learn to care for others. There should be a level of ethics” (Josette).