Ethics and Fairness at School and Home

Since our last class meeting I am having the hardest time coming to terms with the lack of importance of fairness in our discussion and the consensus decisions that were made.

Having given the matter significant consideration, I decided to view the matter of Henry's plagiarism wearing my Mother hat. At home, fairness is always an issue for my children, as neither wants to perceive that the other has had an advantage or some nicety that the first did not get. This extends to chores, practice times, dish washing, taking care of our dog, and the fun stuff like candy or popcorn, and just having time together. There are 3-1/2 years between my children, so what is appropriate for the older is not always acceptable for the younger. Many times in any given month, I give the same speech, fair does not mean identical, but perhaps comparable.

This did _not_ help support my strong 'enforce the rules' attitude expressed in class, and I was distressed to discover that not only in giving rewards to my children do I act to maximize good, but also when having to decide consequences for any given breach of our family rules, I was doing the same. Arrrgh!

I can't balance the scales in my head to allow one behavior in school and another at home. I will have to consider Henry's case further. I know that as a teacher I will want all of my students to learn and succeed, I just don't know if I could arbitrarily enforce the established rules of my future school. There are differences - I love my children, and my future students, not so much; at home the rules are not written for all to see, but just understood after years of reviewing them with children, while the school rules are written publicly along with the consequences.

There is much to consider yet.