Unit 7: Professional Boundaries and Teacher–Student Relationships
Conditions d’achèvement
Unit 7 explores the ethical dimensions of teacher–student relationships, emphasizing the importance of maintaining appropriate professional boundaries in both face-to-face and digital contexts. It examines the role of care in education, while addressing the risks of overstepping ethical lines through social media, informal communication, or dual relationships. The unit also considers how cultural norms influence expectations and interactions between teachers and students. Through reflective discussion and practical examples, students will learn to build respectful, ethically sound relationships that support learning while protecting professional integrity.
3. Ethics of Care in Education
Nel
Noddings (2005) proposed the "ethics of care" as a relational
approach to ethics that emphasizes empathy, responsiveness, and attentiveness
in educational relationships. However, while care is essential, it must not blur
professional lines. Educators must: ·
Show care while remaining impartial. ·
Balance personal concern with professional
responsibility. ·
Recognize the potential for ethical conflicts
when emotional boundaries are crossed.
