Professionalism & Ethics in Teaching
Teachers are not only masters of the content they teach, but they are also relay to their students common societal values such as responsibility, respectfulness and conscientiousness. Teachers are always teaching, even when not delivering formal instruction, by virtue being a primary adult influence in a student's life. For this reason, professionalism and ethics are important topics in teacher preparation courses just as they are important considerations to parents of students and employers of teachers.
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Teachers as Professionals: Students
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Professionalism in teaching refers to teacher interaction with students as well as teacher interaction with other teachers and supervisors. The former involves impartial teaching and appropriate teaching of all students, regardless of ethnicity, academic performance or personality. The professional teacher works hard to establish an equitable and safe classroom in which all students feel cared for and fairly treated.
Teachers as Professionals: Colleagues and Supervisors
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Professional teacher behavior with regard to colleagues refers to the way in which teachers interact with each other. A professional teacher is collaborative and individualistic; he or she will share materials when appropriate but does not become a burden to his or her colleagues. A professional teacher does not create personal alliances or feuds with his or her colleagues. With regard to supervisors and employers, the professional teacher is respectful and approachable; however, he or she maintains his or her sense of individual integrity. Clear communication with colleagues and supervisors is a mark of professionalism in a teacher.
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Ethics
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Historically, ethics is the study of philosophical ideas of morality. The study of ethics is built around the question: What defines good and bad? Philosophers have considered this question to be of chief importance as a conceptual pursuit because it has application beyond the theoretical; good and bad and what defines something as such has a direct influence on society. Since educational practices do not take place outside of society and are directly related the culture in which they are based, ethics are an important part of any school or teacher.
Ethics of Teaching
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Because society still largely depends on the idea that there is good or bad, or acceptable and unacceptable, teachers must consider the ethical ramifications of their teaching styles and personal actions. This includes equitable treatment of all students as well as maintaining the proper student and teacher relationship. Ethics in education dictate that a high degree of responsibility comes with the privilege of teaching and mentoring a society's children, and teachers are to act accordingly.
Professionalism and Ethics
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The relationship between professionalism and ethics is significant. Professionalism in any discipline is defined by the responsibility to society of that discipline as determined by the society in which it is practiced. The responsibility of teachers is profound, and the professionalism expected great. Similarly, the ethics of teaching are derived from societal values and the importance placed on education. Teachers, as professionals who serve society, should abide with integrity by the expectations of professionalism and ethics set by that society.
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References
Resources
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