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Figure 3
Groups of Value Conceptions

1. Respect (94 expressions) 3. Getting along (58 expressions)

• Respect for others • Fairness, justice
• Honesty • Candor
• Trust • Tolerance
• Self-esteem • Resilience
• Empathy • Courage
• Optimism • Responsibility
• Mental development • Humor
• Emotional intelligence • Creativeness

2. An ordinary person’s good life (64 4. As such (10 expressions)
expressions)
• Goodness
• Work • Truth
• Home, religion, fatherland • Beauty
• Nature, environment
• Rules
• Safety
• Leisure, culture

Note. Figures in brackets indicate the number of expressions connected with the conceptions.

Respect
The largest group, Respect, included mostly teachers’ voices, noting such qualities
as “regarding diversity as richness,” and “going forward together, not behind or in
front, but side by side.” Respondents also hoped for mutual respect: “I behave towards
others as I hope they will behave towards me.” One principal admitted that honesty,
respect for others, and justice are important, but it is not possible to learn these
values—you either have them or you do not! Another principal confessed to having
been sometimes compelled to tell white lies and regarded those who say that they
never lie as liars. The following expressions by two teachers suggested empathy as
part of respect: being present and caring for or being present for children, listening to
and understanding them. Similarly, one school secretary’s words emphasized sense
of belonging. One teacher expressed her desire for development as a person and as a
teacher. This mental development aspect also appeared in one principal’s comment
on learning about empathy when working as a special education teacher. Emotional
intelligence was mentioned only by the mayor of the city. He considered it important
in decision making—not in a dominating position but present in the background.

An Ordinary Person’s Good Life
This was the next largest category of responses; I derived its title from the
response of one teacher. It might be that principals think of fairness and justice
in relation to their staff, while teachers refer to their students and/or colleagues.
One principal noted, ’We should try to work—utilizing our resources and our own
abilities as best we can—our work is not just a mere job that we are paid for…we

Promoting Professional and Personal Growth of Educators and Excellence in Education 19