Week+6+Teacher+Code+of+Ethics+and+Code+of+Conduct

**//Lecture Review by Svetlana Spaseska//** 

The Victorian Teaching Profession Code of Ethics is based on 3 values. Integrity, Respect and Responsibilty. Integrity relates to acting in the best interests of the children; upholding a professional relationship with parents, children and other staff members; and acting in a respectable way towards the profession. Respect relates to teachers acting with care and compassion; acknowledging that parents take part in the education of their children; teachers need to treat the children with fairness and be impartial. Teachers need to display responsibility by maintaing a professional practice; proide high quality teaching; work in the best interest of the children. A working group of representaties (teachers principals, employers, aprents, unions) formed a group to take care of te deelopment of the code. When the code was being drafted a number of people were inited to comment on its progess. The code of conduct is made up of 3 sections. Professional Conduct, Personal Conduct and Professonal Competence. Teachers need to be professional at all times, they need to remember that they are not employed to be counsellors, psychologists or friends to the children, they are their to be the professional teacher. Teachers are considered to be role models to the children, therefore it is important that they act with discretion and responsibility.

**The Victorian teaching profession code of conduct website** //discussed by Alison Harvey// The Victorian teaching profession code of conduct website can be found at: [|Victorian Teacher Code of Conduct] It contains the full document of the code by which we, as teachers are expected to live. The guide is subdivided into three sections relating to professional conduct, personal conduct and professional competance, and gives guidelines as to how teachers should maintain professional relationships with their colleagues, the students and parents. There are also FAQs and workshop ideas to introduce the code into schools. The lesson we have to take from the code is that we are not just teachers from 8:55 until 3:30 - we are teachers //all// the time. We cannot be on our 'best behaviour' in the classroom, we have to model good behaviours ALL the time as wherever we go, we may bump into collegues, students and parents: they may read our facebook and other online social spaces. As teachers we should endeavour to be positive role models in our communities. The website features Elida Brereton, Princpal of Camberwell High School (who also played the principal of Summer Heights High School as Margaret Murray) introducing the code.

**The Victorian Institute of Teaching Professional Standards website** //reviewed by Richard Gay// “The standards, which describe the characteristics of effective teaching and establish the essential components of teachers' knowledge and practice, were developed by teachers, for teachers.” The Standards Framework importantly includes the Standards for Graduating Teachers. The standards are divided into three broad themes which include eight standards described by up to seven essential points 1. Teachers know how students learn and how to teach them effectively. 2. Teachers know the content they teach. 3. Teachers know their students. ** 4. Teachers plan and assess for effective learning. 5. Teachers create and maintain sage and challenging learning environments. 6. Teachers use a range of teaching practices and resources to engage students in effective learning. ** 7. Teachers reflect on, evaluate and improve their professional knowledge and practice. 8. Teachers are active members of their profession.
 * Professional Knowledge
 * Professional Practice
 * Professional Engagement

It is essential to thoroughly read the document to gain a full understanding of the standards. It is effectively a checklist for this year to ensure we have taken on all aspects required to be a teacher. The standards are comprehensive and a useful guide to the role and responsibilities. It is also a support to show what knowledge teachers must have to provide the best support to students in their learning. **

This week I looked at the article called working in an ethical school, it was an interesting read which outlined the characteristics of an ethical school. These are ethical awareness, this means teachers who are aware of the impact there policies and practices have on students. Next is acceptance of responsibility, this meaning that each individual with in the school takes responsibility for their actions as well as collectively.Last is ethical practices, which means that teacher behave and practice in a way that recognisably and consciously ethical. This article however points out that values are based on personal believes and as such depend on a personal point of view, however ethics are made up of rule based behaviors. These two aspects therefor work together to make decisions. Then the article moves on to discuss this example: "Greta teaches Year 10 Maths at her school, Sample College. Karen is one of her students. Karen’s parents approach Greta asking her to tutor their daughter as they are keen for her to improve her maths. Discussion Point: If you were Greta, how would you make your decision about your response to Karen’s parents?" This is the same example we discussed in the workshop this week. Personally I felt this was ethical as long as no money was exchanged, but after further discussion with my group and with the class I realised how this could cause problems. This example also made me realise how easily mistakes can be made in real life situations, and how carefully you have to think about every choice you make as a teacher. The article also contained an awareness checklist which was very helpful.
 * Working in an ethical school, //reviewed by Michelle Lotriet //**

//Looking at characteristics of an ethical culture at schools, schools will be characterized by an ethical awareness. School staff accept that they are responsible for what they do, as individuals and as groups. Decision making and good judgment are important factors of ethical conduct. It is important to have good judgment and be able to make decisions on conflicting values. Schools that abide by ethics are where the people that work in the school care about the well being of the school and everyone within it. In these schools ethics are positive and they promote healthy human relationships within the community.
 * Promoting the Ethical School - Professional Ethics for School Administrators **. **//Reviewed by Svetlana Spaseska//

Children need to be treated as people and with respect; they need to be taught how to treat people with respect and care. School communities are important to the structure of the school and process, these school communities need to acknowledge group identities and promote respectful group inter relations. Education in ethics is really important for teachers that would like to use ethical decision making skills in the classroom. Education in ethics focuses on knowledge, understanding and skills that will assist the teachers to develop and maintain their own ethical framework. The ethical education is designed to focus on the teachers moral autonomy.

It is important for school administrators to contribute to an ethical school culture by leading by example, they need to have good relationships with other teachers and members of the school community. //**<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">

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