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This study explores the beliefs of ‘high expectation teachers’, and the practices through which teachers aim to build an inclusive learning environment in addition to the ways they develop strategies that do not rely on pre-determined ability labelling. The study is a case study design focused on one phenomenon, that of the beliefs and practices of high-expectation teachers, and one bounded case illustrates the phenomenon. The case is specific and bounded by time and location. It emphasises uniqueness through the in-depth exploration of the participants' experiences. Following the use of thematic analysis to analyse data collected through questionnaires, interviews and focus groups, the phenomena of high teacher expectation remained only partially scrutinised in terms of social justice. Therefore, the social concerns raised throughout this study are also explored through the theories of Bourdieu, to make sense of the wider issues of inequality inherent in this study. Habitus is helped by, and helps shape, pedagogical action. Findings include the requirement to recognise that in education, socially advantaged interests and voices dominate in terms of social mobility agendas. Furthermore, teachers are only granted space in the public domain through technical competency. Teachers must however be emotionally committed to different aspects of their jobs, as their sense of moral responsibility lies at the core of their professional identity.

Professional and corporate codes of ethics (Codes) are commonly used, but they are not consistently effective. Research has indicated the importance of values included in Codes, but there is little research exploring how to improve the effectiveness of Code values. There are proven pedagogies that can be used in ethics training, notably, the values-focused approach known as value self-confrontation (VSC). VSC comes from the field of psychology and has been researched for over 50 years. This theory-based methodology is effective at increasing the importance of targeted values and positively changing attitudes and behaviors. Based on our thematic review of extant VSC literature, we develop a simplified VSC implementation strategy and instrument called code value self-confrontation (CVSC). CVSC involves a self-confrontation between a participant’s personal values and the values of the organization. This confrontation can create value dissonance in the participant, which can increase the importance given to the values of the organization. VSC has been effective at positively impacting pro-organization behaviors as well as societal issues such as equality, race relations, and environmentalism. By increasing the importance of ethical values, organizations can be rewarded with behavioral changes that translate into more ethical work behaviors and decision-making.

The experiences and challenges encountered by Travellers especially in education is something that I am truly passionate about and want to give others a better insight into. Irish Travellers are defined by the Irish Traveller Movement as a historically recognised minority within Irish society. The group is distinct because of a strong history of sharing an identity, a language and a set of values (Irish Traveller Movement, 2019). In Ireland, there are approximately 31,000 Travellers (Central Statistics Office, 2023). Irish Travellers are a minority ethnic group that experiences discrimination and marginalisation in society (Boyle et al., 2020). According to a large body of evidence, Travellers stand out as a population that is disproportionately disadvantaged in terms of work, housing, health and education (Baker, 2021). One aspect of Irish Travellers' inequality is their educational disadvantage. The hope is for this chapter to make others more knowledgeable on these types of areas so that it can lead to more positive outcomes for Travellers.