ABSTRACT
Teachers frequently encounter various dilemmas in certain situations. One of those experiences is an ethical decision of whether to increase a student’s grade or to let them fail. Teachers may feel that they should not increase their student’s grade because it is not fair on the other students and teachers; they should be professional by telling the truth and respecting their professional code. However, they may also feel that helping their students is good conduct, since it reflects care, kindness and empathy. This study aims to explore teachers’ ethical decisions and behaviors regarding when they should or should not increase their students’ grade. This is a qualitative case study grounded on phenomenology. This study is developed by our own experiences as teachers (educators). The data shows that an ethical dilemma forces teachers to weigh up some of their values. Teachers are frequently encouraged to engage in humanistic conduct by prioritizing the values of respect, harmony, care, and not hurting other people. However, as teachers, they are also expected to follow the values of being fair, principled, respecting ethical codes, integrity, and commitment. Teachers’ decisions are affected by some social constraints, including culture, social environment, and organizational cultures and systems. The study also shows that character training also substantively involves situated learning.
