Chapter 16: Changing the World: Go Forth and Teach!

In the final chapter of the book, an exploration will be provided of the nature of different kinds of field experiences in which students in world language education programs may find themselves placed. Also discussed will be the nature, purpose and challenges of the student teaching experience, especially as it impacts the future world language teacher. The chapter will include information about the development of the skills and knowledge base necessary for a future world language teacher to write a cogent, coherent and powerful personal philosophy of education statement. In addition, Chapter 16 will consider the ethics of the world language education. It will examine the nature of professional ethics in the education profession, explore consequentialist and non-consequentialist approaches to ethics, consider the role of the “ethic of care” in the teaching profession; and finally, distinguish between issues and actions that are ethical in nature and those that are legal in nature—and recognize that these may sometimes conflict.