The Teacher as Phronimos : Cultivating Phronesis in Teacher Education

Abstract

Neo‑Aristotelian concepts concerning education and phronesis has been developing in two directions: first, towards educating phronesis and the revival of phronesis­‑inspired moral education theories, and the second, towards cultivating professional wisdom in the framework of professional education. Amidst the extensive and complex discussions on phronesis development theories and approaches and searching for suitable educational methods for phronesis development, both in students and in educational practice in general, there is a strong underlying affirmative assumption that the teacher holds an essential role of classrooms’ phronesis development. Although there is an extensive discussion on what phronesis means for the teacher, a less discussed topic is that of the ethical education at the teachers’ university. Contrasted to the strong conceptual support for enhancing teachers’ training curricula with ethical education, is its practical negligence; wherever this aspect is not neglected, it is not contributing adequately in enchasing students’ moral growth. This article attempts to examine the theoretical possibility for virtue attainment in the context of university experience. It will comment on the current curriculum contribution to the phronesis development in the education of future teacher. To that end, the article argues for a need for a humanities courses focus in teachers’ university education on the basis of thesis that education is a moral act and that phronesis is the virtue of the humanities.