What is the importance of code of ethics for professional teachers essay?

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.

In the field of education, similar to other professional fields, there is a need for a code of conduct. Teachers require a code of conduct for a multitude of reasons. Teaching is a complicated profession. It is important for education professionals to understand how to appropriately interact with students, families, and co-workers. Since many aspects of education rely on collaboration with the aforementioned individuals, it is imperative for teachers to understand what is proper in regards to those individuals and any interaction among them. Like any employment position, it is essential to know all of the rules one must follow. In my opinion, the teaching profession requires a code of conduct because of the job requirements (i.e. interaction …show more content…
Everything an educator does is for the benefit of the students; therefore, it makes sense that the code of conduct explains the teacher’s duties to the students. The entire code essentially presents the obligations a teacher has in terms of relationships with students. According to the PA code of conduct, a professional educator must not “intentionally distort or misrepresent evaluations... subject matter or curriculum” (2000). In addition, educators must not have any sexual relationships with students, harass students, or withhold any evidence from authorities of violations of the code of conduct. In short, a teacher should never harm a student, whether it be sexually, physically, emotionally, professionally, or academically. Students are the top priority and educators have the duty to keep them …show more content…
It is horrifying to think that some former educators have disregarded the code of conduct. It seems to me that it is relatively simple to follow all of the rules so long as you are familiar with them. As a future educator, I think it is important to have a code of conduct because it provides a clear standard for teachers to be held accountable. With all of the teachers, old and new, it is essential to have guidelines. Otherwise it would just be a free for all; therefore, resulting in a lack of prestige for the field of education. Educators are held to a higher standard because they shape the

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Updated: Nov 14th, 2021

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.

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