essay code of ethics for professional teachers

Using Codes of Professional Ethics and Conduct in Teacher Education: Pitfalls and Best Practice

• First Online: 02 January 2023

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• Daniella Forster 11 &
• Bruce Maxwell 12  

Part of the book series: Ethics and Integrity in Educational Contexts ((EIEC,volume 3))

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This chapter explains the urgent need for educational ethics as a component of teacher development and highlights the crucial role that codes of ethics and conduct can play in the profession of teaching. We argue that if we are to consider teachers as professionals, initial and continuing professional training must provide teachers with the means to develop sophisticated professionality. In relation to this goal, we recommend that codes of conduct and ethics are necessary but not sufficient and hence that they must be made part of a more comprehensive approach. The chapter begins by using the idea of teachers’ role morality to identify teaching as a morally distinct profession in order to appreciate how codes of ethics can contribute to teacher education and professional development. We then offer a case study from Australia to demonstrate trends in the management of teacher misconduct allegations. The criticisms of formal investigation procedures conducted by New South Wales’ Employee Performance and Conduct Directorate are summarised. After presenting evidence on the general absence of codes and ethics education in initial teacher education programs around the globe, to rectify this absence, we offer research-based cautions about the efficacy of ethics education, and a suite of pedagogies for incorporating codes of ethics in teacher education. Managing the multi-directional moral obligations associated with teaching requires specialised professional skills, beliefs and knowledge. Pedagogy should highlight the localised parameters, obligations and expectations of the role, and demonstrate different but strongly justified ways of approaching key professional issues in teaching.

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Forster, D., Maxwell, B. (2022). Using Codes of Professional Ethics and Conduct in Teacher Education: Pitfalls and Best Practice. In: Eaton, S.E., Khan, Z.R. (eds) Ethics and Integrity in Teacher Education. Ethics and Integrity in Educational Contexts, vol 3. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-16922-9_3

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12.4: What does it mean to be an ethical teacher?

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• Jennfer Kidd, Jamie Kaufman, Peter Baker, Patrick O'Shea, Dwight Allen, & Old Dominion U students
• Old Dominion University

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By: T. Burrell

Introduction

“In teaching, as in life more generally, core principles relating to virtues such as honesty, justice, fairness, care, empathy, integrity, courage, respect and responsibility should guide conduct and interpersonal relations” (Campbell, 2006, p. 32). These virtues are a good description of what an ethical teacher should be, but the use of these virtues can be a difficult task when a teacher is faced with so many unpredictable situations in the classroom and in the school system. The teacher’s knowledge of what ethics is and the practice of it, will aid the teacher in making the best decision when ethical predicaments arise in their daily teaching lives.

Ethical knowledge is an intrinsic feature of awareness between moral and ethical principles. A teacher’s possession of these principles will allow teachers to display moral and ethical values, which includes a sense of right and wrong, treating others with respect, being objective, patient and compassionate. Embodying ethical knowledge gives the teacher the ability to practice their teaching skills with morals and ethics and not just viewing their job as being teaching only. It goes beyond the curriculum, assessment and technical conditions of the profession. The practicing of ethical knowledge by the teacher can be modeled by returning graded papers to the student in a timely manner, by being sensitive to the use of classroom materials that may offend some students, using precaution when displaying a student’s work or by selecting student achievement without bias. The use of ethical knowledge by a teacher can be expressed by the way a teacher projects the tone of his/her voice towards the student, by avoiding student embarrassment and by reminding students of how their behavior can affect other classmates. There are many ways to show how a teacher can demonstrate their ethical knowledge, but a teacher can only do but so much to implement moral and ethical behavior on a daily basis. As we may know, teaching can be a very demanding profession, with moments of chaos, frustration and unexpected events of the day. This tells us that a teacher’s reaction to these situations cannot be choreographed and why the practice of ethical knowledge can help teachers become aware of their “ethical” behavior when such events occur (Campbell).

The personal ethics for each individual teacher varies according to the teacher’s belief of what is ethical. Each teacher may believe that their interpretation of ethics is being practiced in their behavior and in their personal lives and if this is true, then he/she is demonstrating “ethical principles” and “virtues” of a “moral person” and a “moral professional (Covaleskie,2005,p. 134).” By demonstrating the characteristics of ethics and virtue in the classroom with the use of actions, attitudes and words will make a positive impact on the many students that the teacher will come into contact with throughout their teaching career. This demonstration of ethics will also let the student know, “that if I respect you, then you can respect me” (Campbell).

Classroom ethics involve issues the teacher comes into contact with on daily basis concerning their students within the classroom. A teacher is placed in the position of deciding what is the ethical thing to do when issues such as student consideration, content coverage and assessment arises. The assessment issue or better “known as grading” should have “fair standards” that shows the student’s knowledge of the curricula. The teacher has to decide what impact the grade given, will have on the student’s future career choices, the school’s reputation and the parents of the student. The teacher also has to decide the best way to explain to a student why they received an unsatisfactory grade on a specific assignment. The explanation may not be an easy one, but it is only to help improve the student’s academic performance. The content the teacher brings into the classroom questions the teacher’s ethics of what “subject matter” they want to include in their instructions. The teacher has to decide whether there will be enough time to cover each skill of the content area and if there is, “Should some critical thinking skills be included even though my school does not require its coverage? Or, should I just leave out the difficult parts of the course content, even though the students will need it (Kienzler)?” The teacher also has to decide which actions to take, especially when considering the emotional needs of the student. Content of a subject matter that is being discussed in the classroom may reflect upon the home-life of a student whose mother and father maybe going through a divorce or the loss of a parent. How does a teacher deal with these issues in the classroom? And how certain subject matter is taught? Each of these questions requires “that one is not only doing the right thing, but doing it in the right way, at the right time and for the right reasons” (Covaleskie, 2005, p. 134).

The ethics of the school may not agree with the ethics of a teacher. A teacher may be faced with numerous moral problems when it concerns the school’s leadership practice of disciplining students. The teacher may question the reason behind the discipline and whether or not it will deter or increase future student behavior (Colnerud,2006,p. 378). Ethical tensions do exist within schools among individual teachers (Allison,2003,p. 124). A teacher may see a colleague mistreating a student and try to make a decision of whether or not to intervene in the situation. “The teacher cannot bring himself/herself to intervene; the teacher says that fear is the reason for their silence and that intervening is considered to be a breach of loyalty (Colnerud, 2006, p.378).” This is a clear example of what teachers deal with on a daily basis in relation to the ethics of their colleagues.

"The Educator, believing in the worth and dignity of each human being, recognizes the supreme importance of the pursuit of truth, devotion to excellence and nurture of the democratic principles. Essential to these goals is the protection of freedom to learn and to teach and the guarantee of equal educational opportunity for all. The educatior accepts the responsibility to adhere to the highest ethical standards." - The National Education Association's preamble for its code of ethics.

Teachers encounter ethical dilemmas throughout their teaching careers. This brings up the question, “How do teachers deal with deciding what is the right or wrong thing to do when such dilemmas arise?” When a teacher is faced with ethical and moral dilemmas concerning their students and profession, they use specific codes of ethics written by many educational organizations to help them make ethical decisions. Teachers do need a guide when they are faced with the decisions of what to do if a child has a learning disability, what content matter should be taught, what should be done in defense of a student and a number of other events that will require ethical decisions. The National Education Association (NEA) has created a code of ethics for the different occupational needs of the teaching profession. The NEA created their code of ethics in 1975, which is divided into two sections. The first section lists eight ethical commitments the teacher has to the student and the second section also lists eight ethical commitments the teacher has to his/her profession(Brady, Buchotz and Keller).

National Education Association Ethics Indicators for Educators

Commitment to the student.

• Restraint of individual action and pursuit of learning
• Access to varying points of view
• Do not distort subject matter
• Protect students from harm
• Do not embarrass or disparage
• Do not discriminate
• Do not use professional relationship for private advantage
• Do not disclose confidential information

Commitment to the Profession

• Do not make false statements in application of a position
• Do not misrepresent qualifications
• Do not assist someone unqualified gain entry into the profession
• Do not make false statements concerning a candidate’s qualifications
• Do not assist a noneducator in the unauthorized practice of teaching
• Do not disclose personal information about a colleague unless required by law
• Do not knowingly make false statements about a colleague
• Do not accept any gift or favor that might influence professional decisions

Possessing what it takes to be an ethical teacher can be a difficult task for many teachers, especially when he/she encounters unsuspecting events on a daily basis that will require an ethical decision, which may not be the exact right answer. Hopefully, it will be the ethical answer. This decision making is a great responsibility placed on the teacher, no matter how long one has been in the profession. One can only hope that the years or months of teaching has taught you enough to know what to do when ethical dilemmas occur in the classroom or within the school system.

Allison, Derek J. (2004). Reviews the book “The Ethical Teacher,” by Elizabeth Campbell. American Journal of Education. 111(1), 122-126.

Brady, Michael P., Bucholz, Jessica L., & Keller, Cassandra L. (2007). Teachers Ethical Dilemmas: What Would You Do? Teaching Exceptional Children, 40(2), 60-64.

Campbell, Elizabeth. (2006). Ethical Knowledge in Teaching: A Moral Imperative of Professionalism . Education Canada. 46(4), 32-35.

Colnerud, Gunnel. (2006). Teacher ethics as a research problem: syntheses achieved and new issues. Teachers and Teaching: theory and practice . 12(3), 365-385.

Covaleskie, John F. (2005). Ethical Teachers: Ethical People . Philosophy of Education Yearbook, 34-136.

Kienzler, Donna. (2004). Teaching Ethics Isn’t Enough . Journal of Business Communication. 41(3), 292-301.

Application Questions

1. What is ethical knowledge?

Choose the best answer.

A. Intrinsic features of awareness between moral and ethical principles.

B. Knowing what is good or evil

C. Practicing ethics

D. The practice of common sense

2. When a teacher demonstrates characteristics of ethics in the classroom it causes what to occur?

A. Behavioral change of students

B. Depletion of student interest

C. Lack of class participation

D. Positive impact on many students

3. What should teacher assessment practice include?

Choose the best answer

A. Bias factors

B. Fair standards

C. Instructional objectives

D. Opinions of the teacher

4. Many teachers do not intervene whey they see their colleague mistreating a student due to what factor?

A. Confidentiality

B. Embarrassment

5. What do teachers use as a guide or reference, when they need to make an ethical decision?

A. Code of ethics for educators

B. Law books

C. School policies

D. Teacher's code of ethics

Answer Key:

Code of Ethics in Education

Code of ethics which is otherwise known as ethical code is meant to give certain guiding principles to standardize the profession. Sometimes it is controlled by a particular line of vocation or by an organization – private or governmental. Here, the code of ethics was built up by a well-known board of consultants and by the executive committee of the association of American educators. This association has mainly four functions that speak about the rights of every student and educator. A general concept is that parents are the first teachers of every child, as it is from one’s home that the child learns about everything around the world. “Nevertheless, we believe all educators are obligated to help foster civic virtues such as integrity, diligence, responsibility, cooperation, loyalty, fidelity, and respect for the law, for human life, for others, and self.” (Adult educator code of ethics, 2007 ) . As the students spend much of their time in school teachers have the right to play a major role in the better development of students, and for that, the teachers need to understand every student. The teachers towards their students must teach them good values in life like faithfulness, respect towards others, towards oneself, and the entire human being.

To strengthen the code of ethics, teachers have to do their duty. They have to teach the students about their personal qualities. When the teachers do so, it will help them to realize not only about themselves but also about the whole world. The teachers should care for every student, talk to them with pleasing attitudes, and try to understand their problems. If the students are mischievous, teachers can try to change them only through loving words. They have to help the students to solve their problems and have to protect them from the barriers which are harmful to them. The teachers have to give full encouragement to the students for better performance so that they will have the desire to achieve more. The teachers should commit their profession, and then only they can make their class an interesting one; otherwise, the students will not be able to understand what the teachers teach. If the students fail to understand any topic, the teachers have to clear their confusion. The teachers should maintain decency towards the students and the institution too; then the students and the management will have a good impression of the teachers. If the teachers spare some time to communicate with the parents of every student, they will be able to understand every student personally. To make a good academic career, the teachers must have good educational qualifications. To do their duties well, they should maintain sound mental health, physical stamina, and social prudence. The best way to learn anything easily is by hearing in the classroom and if the teacher’s sound is low the students will not be able to understand what the teacher says. The teachers should not misuse institutional or professional rights for personal benefits. They have to teach high values to the students and should realize the truth that for the benefit of a good academic career and the development of every individual, the students should have high standards.

The main weakness of this group which one can find usually is that the teachers insult the students in front of others and they are not concerned about the truth that it will lead the students to develop an inferiority complex and will result in loss of self-confidence. If the teachers find any faults with the students, they should try to correct them by giving necessary guidance. If a teacher knows a student personally, he should not reveal the student’s personal information to anyone else, as sometimes it will cause harmful effects in his career. If a teacher does so, the authorities should take necessary action. A teacher should not force the students to do certain things against their will and if anyone does this, it will badly affect the student’s career.

The main aim of education is to make the student a good citizen. For that, good educators and a good educational system are needed. If the teacher fails to do his duty, it means that he failed in his profession itself.

Reference List

Adult educator code of ethics: Principle 1: Ethical conduct towards students . (2007). Key Content.org. Web.

• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2023, November 24). Code of Ethics in Education. https://ivypanda.com/essays/code-of-ethics-in-education/

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1. IvyPanda . "Code of Ethics in Education." November 24, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/code-of-ethics-in-education/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "Code of Ethics in Education." November 24, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/code-of-ethics-in-education/.

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While pretty much everyone agrees that it’s important to live according to what’s right and to avoid acting in a way that’s wrong, not everyone always agrees on the what’s right or what’s wrong in any given situation. A code of ethics is personal and different for each individual. It determines an individual’s response to a particular situation and also accounts for the varied responses exhibited by different individuals in the same situation.

An individual code of ethics comes into play in everyday situations that teachers experience, such as when an influential parent asks for special favors for his child, while dealing with an impudent student or an impertinent remark, while dealing with colleagues, or at any point while performing the daily duties of the job. All actions and responses are a function of a personal code of ethics, which is the foundation for differences in teachers’ styles of dealing with students and school-related situations. A well-defined code of ethics will help you negotiate difficult times during the life of your career. It allows you to decipher the right thing to do based on your current perspective and to take responsibility for and stand by your decisions.

Another ideal to be realized in the process of abiding by your code of ethics is to make quick and prudent decisions. Teachers should not delay ethically correct decisions for long periods of time before putting them into practice. If your code of ethics is strong, you should be able to make decisions on the spot and have the conviction to bear the consequences. Too much pondering or hesitation takes the impact out of even the soundest ethical decisions.

Ultimately, the way you respond to what you believe is right and wrong provides insight into your code of ethics. And that’s why a personal code of ethics is not a stringent, formulated code. You can approximate and set guidelines for yourself based on what you think is right and depend on these guidelines to solve dilemmas and complex educational situations. Individual codes of ethics are not formal codes laid out by organizations and institutions to be obligatorily adhered to by their members. They are intangible moral guidelines that individuals appropriate on their own.

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EssayEmpire

Ethics codes for teachers essay.

Unlike other professions such as medicine and law, the teaching profession has not developed a consistent and universal code of ethics—a prerequisite for being a profession in the minds of many theorists. Figures such as Myron Lieberman, an expert on education policy and teacher bargaining, have argued that such a code cannot emerge as long as collective bargaining drives teacher–school district negotiations. The development and enforcement of ethical standards, according to Lieberman, is left to administrators and school boards. This is not to suggest that teachers, as a group, are devoid of ethical principles, only that as a professional group, they have not adopted, nor do they enforce on their peers, an ethical code of behavior.

In this context, if a teacher observes other teachers conducting themselves in what may be perceived as an unethical manner, it is not considered his or her duty to enforce a code of professional ethics. This does not mean that teachers do not have an obligation ethically, and possibly legally, to report inappropriate behavior by fellow professionals. But it is not their job to enforce such codes or rules. Instead, this is the responsibility of school administrators and local school boards. Such a model is unlike that of the legal profession, in which peers judge peers based on their conduct and are subject to deliberations by the Bar. Likewise, doctors are subject to peer review by medical boards made up of fellow practitioners.

Ethical codes for teachers are occasionally promulgated at the state and local level, and there is an ethical code that has been developed by the National Education Association (NEA), something which does not exist for the American Federation of Teachers (AFT). According to Lieberman, if teacher unions played a more active role in defining and policing the ethical behavior of their members, they would find themselves faced with two insolvable problems: (1) they could not represent the interests of the teachers who had membership in the union, since there would be a conflict of interest; and (2) there would be an unavoidable problem of accountability—the union leadership, by definition, being an organization that is not legally accountable to the school district or the local community where the ethical misconduct may have occurred.

The educational philosopher Karl Hostetler maintains that Lieberman’s interpretation is based on a “conceptually inadequate notion of moral and political negotiation.” Instead, he argues that the union can take an intermediary role by establishing standards for ethical behavior and seeing that they are enforced, while at the same time advocating for the rights and protecting the interests of its members. In such a scenario, it becomes reasonable for a union to put in place a code of ethical conduct.

In the case of the National Education Association’s code, its basic principles are brief and to the point. According to the NEA, educators (in terms of dealing with students) should seek to help each student realize his or her potential, while at the same time stimulating the process of inquiry, acquisition of knowledge and understanding, and the formulation of worthwhile goals. The teacher shall not deny students access to different points of view; shall not suppress or distort knowledge; shall make reasonable efforts to protect the safety of students; shall not intentionally embarrass the student; shall not discriminate against the student based on race, color, creed, sex, national origin, marital status, political or religious beliefs, family, social or cultural background, or sexual orientation; shall not use his or her professional relationship with students for private advantage; and shall not disclose private or confidential information about students unless compelled to do so by a clear professional reason or by the law.

In terms of commitment to the profession, the NEA Code of Ethics maintains that teachers are public servants, and therefore expected to maintain the highest possible standard of professional conduct. In this context, teachers should not make false statements; should not overstate their professional qualifications; should not assist the entry of unqualified individuals into the profession; should not knowingly make a false statement concerning the qualifications of a candidate for a position; should not assist noneducators in participating in unauthorized teaching; should not unnecessarily discuss information about colleagues unless professionally compelled to do so or as required by the law; should not make false or malicious comments about a colleague; and should not take gifts that will influence their behavior or professional judgment.

In conclusion, ethical issues faced by teachers are particularly complex: Teachers are public servants, they serve highly complex and diverse populations, and they work with minors. While issues of regulation and authority may be debated, reasonable principles do exist, which ultimately provide guidelines on appropriate ethical conduct and behavior.

Bibliography:

• Hostetler, K. (1989). Who says professional ethics is dead? A response to Myron Lieberman. Phi Delta Kappan, 70, 723–725.
• Lieberman, M. (1994). Professional ethics in education. In M. Lieberman, Public education: An autopsy. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
• Peters, R. S. (1966). Ethics and education. Atlanta, GA: Scott, Foresman.
• National Education Association, Code of Ethics of the Education Profession: http://www.nea.org/aboutnea/code.html

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