Alongside curricula, schools provide spaces for moral learning despite focusing on academic subjects. This thesis examines (1) preservice teachers’ definitions of morality, (2) their beliefs about children’s moral development, (3) their perceived role in children’s moral development, and (4) elements that influence these beliefs. Twenty-seven first-year students in a university licensure program participated in this study. Participants completed two reflections on their beliefs about their role as educators. The first reflection focused on identifying important personal values and the second focused on how children learn right from wrong. Both reflections
asked participants to envision their role as educators in sharing values and children’s learning of right from wrong. Reflections were coded qualitatively, with values, concept, and five Rs coding. Subsequently, axial coding was used with a grounded theory framework to produce a working theory about these beliefs. In the first reflection, preservice teachers explicitly explored their understandings of morality vis-à-vis values, such as respect and empathy. Participants discussed their beliefs about children’s development and learning, taking account of environmental and cognitive factors rather than providing straightforward modeling or direct instruction accounts. Finally, they discussed their perceived roles as moral educators, which were influenced by beliefs about morality, child development, and religion, which often intersected with one another, demonstrating the interconnections between these elements. Ultimately, the findings have implications on preservice teachers’ active reflection on their role as moral educators and their impact in the classroom, suggesting that preservice teacher training programs should provide opportunities for students to explore such beliefs.