Educators Act Ethically and Maintain the Integrity, Credibility, and Reputation for the Profession.
Educators play a pivotal role not only in imparting knowledge but also in setting ethical standards and maintaining the integrity, credibility, and reputation of the teaching profession
- Educators must conduct themselves politely, demonstrating respect and courtesy towards students, colleagues, and other members of the school community. This includes respecting physical boundaries and personal space and ensuring students have access to basic facilities such as washrooms, creating a conducive and equitable learning environment.
- In my class I trusted students to excuse themselves when they needed to use the washroom all I asked was that they would write their names on the board (and that only one student would be out of the class at a time unless it was an emergency)
- In my class we had access to a filtered tap for students to fill their water bottles with. As we were working in a computer lab only water was allowed in the class and students understood that if they brought other substances that they wanted to drink they had to do so near the sink itself, away from the computer but still within the class.
- Students did have assigned seating, but they had the right to work with me to find the best seat for them if they required it for reasons such as sight, hearing, and ability to keep their attention on the lesson (if they needed to sit alone or not).
- Educators strive to cultivate a safe and warm atmosphere where students feel valued and supported, promoting emotional well-being alongside academic growth. Upholding respectful language is paramount, involving correcting disrespectful words or actions from students while teaching cultural knowledge with sensitivity and reverence.
- When introducing terminology or stories from other cultures I made sure to best explain the words and their importance. I made sure to discourage derogatory language when I heard it and corrected crude or accidentally racist or sexist language right away so students understood how to best act and speak within my class and in society itself.
- attached at the bottom of this list are an example of slides which I used in class that required a conversation before the instructional period as well as within the period where we discussed religious tolerance and racism and what language would be used in the class purely for historical use but that the terms are not appropriate to be used outside of the historical and academic context. We discussed how we could/can talk about religions and cultures that differ from ours in a respectful manner and in the context of the Holy Lands which was pertinent to this course we discussed the history of conflicts on the lands that are tied to religion and the current conflict between Israel and Palestine.
- When introducing terminology or stories from other cultures I made sure to best explain the words and their importance. I made sure to discourage derogatory language when I heard it and corrected crude or accidentally racist or sexist language right away so students understood how to best act and speak within my class and in society itself.
- Educators lead by example, modelling appropriate behaviour and speech for others to emulate. This can be seen as using language that entails adhering to school rules and professional codes of conduct set forth by organizations such as the British Columbia Teachers’ Federation (BCTF) and Canadian educational standards.
- Educators respect the individual rights of both students and fellow teachers, fostering an environment where everyone feels valued, heard, and respected.
- my CT and I sometimes worked together to deliver lessons in which I felt unsure about the topic to best deliver the information accurately to the students and/or give students multiple perspectives on a topic.
By upholding these ethical principles, educators elevate the teaching profession and foster a culture of integrity, inclusivity, and excellence in education.
During my practicum, I tried my best to be relatable to students but still uphold all professional standards as dictated by the BCTF and the school’s own rules. I believe that teachers should be friendly to students but they are not the friends of students and I tried my best to make sure that this was understood by my class and colleagues. How I went about this was at the beginning of my practicum I had a discussion with my class about acceptable language and interactions that me and the students could have/use with one another. They understood that even though I am a student in a university program I am/was also an adult and staff of the school and it was my job to be there to educate them. This does not mean that my students and I did not build relationships! My students and I had great conversations in class on the topic of our lessons as well as outside of class on topics such as personal interests (travel, cats, world news), school events and university goals/prep!