Date

5-2018

Document Type

Capstone Project (Open Access)

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.)

Department

Liberal Studies

Major

Liberal Studies

First Advisor

Miguel Lopez

Abstract

In this capstone project, I argue for the importance of incorporating the teaching of morals and ethics within the classroom. I ground this argument in a critical analysis of William Ayers’ Teaching Toward Freedom and a curriculum that links Ayers’ thesis with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birmingham Letter. The review of Teaching Toward Freedom is designed to elicit why this is a critical book for the field of teacher education. In particular, the analysis focuses on Ayers’ development of a philosophical argument about the need for public school educators to commit to “moral” and “ethical action” within the curriculum. In developing his argument, Ayers grounds his thesis in the beauty of the arts, especially literature as the tool for “seeing” and “enacting” moral and ethical education. Then, borrowing from Ayers, I present a curriculum based upon Dr. King’s seminal work. I detail how this curriculum should be implemented and argue, in turn, how it will facilitate students’ efforts to combat social injustices in their community.

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