THE TEACHER AS MORAL AGENT

The article addresses the question of the teacher's role. Should teachers perceive themselves as being role-models for their students? In this study reported responses from 65 prospective teachers in six colleges of education in Norway were analyzed. The respondents were randomly drawn from a sample of 286 college students who took part in a longitudinal study investigating the development of professional perspectives and behaviour in prospective teachers. The data discussed here were collected by the use of semi-structured interviews which lasted anywhere from 45 to 90 minutes. The average age of the respondents was 23.5 years. The results reveal great differences in the respondents understanding of what it implies for teachers to be role-models students can look up to and identify with. Half of the respondents agreed with the idea that teachers should consciously act as role-models toward their students. The rest of the group was divided: some oppose the idea while some are uncertain. © 1990, Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. All rights reserved.