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The Importance of the Person in the Role of Teacher

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Abstract

This article illuminates the importance of the person who occupies the role of teacher by focusing on three experienced, well-regarded teachers who work in urban schools. Ms. Smith teaches sixth grade social studies in an independent school, Mr. Peters teaches religious studies in a Catholic high school for boys, and Ms. Walsh teaches English and Public Speaking in a public high school. Despite noteworthy differences in setting, in subject matter, and more, all three teachers reveal that good teaching is at once both an intellectual and a moral endeavor. They show how important it is for teachers to develop a sense of community and of trust in the classroom. Finally, their work sheds light on why a teacher's intellectual and moral sensibility plays a significant role in his or her influence on students.

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Hansen, D.T. The Importance of the Person in the Role of Teacher . Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal 15, 391–405 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1022884227377

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