Standard 10: Professional and Ethical Behavior

 The teacher demonstrates the highest standard of legal, moral, and ethical conduct as specified in Utah State Board Rule R277-515.

Being aware of ethical behavior is important to me because I believe that if a high standard of ethical values is held, the lower amount of pain a community and an individual(s) will feel. The federal and state laws, Board of Education administrative rules, state assessment policies, local board policies, and supervisory directives are in place largely due to protect the welfare of students, families, educators, and administrators. Many hours of deliberation have been given to create a set of rules and laws an educator must comply with. Respect to these laws is an important part of an educator’s civic duty. As a professional educator with a Criminology and Corrections Certificate, I find the justice system and the underlying morals of citizens interesting. Furthermore, I enjoy researching the history and reasoning behind laws. Specifically, how and why a society creates rules and laws. I believe that educators have a civic and professional duty to uphold high values and exhibit those values by explicitly modeling that behavior to students. It is my opinion that fairness and justice is needed to maintain balance in a society. I feel as though the profession of teaching is validated by the ethics that are practiced through the morality of its participants. 

  An educator acts as a role model to her students. I want to ensure that my instruction of curriculum is fair and my management strategies are just. All who enter my classroom should follow the set of class rules. Set standards of behavior should be in place and followed in a respectful manner. In my experience student teaching I learned that students like routine systems. A set of standards, rules, and procedures allows students to focus on what is important (e.g., language arts, mathematics, and social acclimation to large institutions, and science.) Chaos without oversight or set group goals is the antithesis of what I would like my future classroom to represent. Additionally, setting the tone of the classroom environment is connected to the moral integrity of the teacher.

 During my student teaching placement I was on time, if not an hour early, each day. My responsibility to provide adequate education to my students was not only in my contract with the district, but also part of my duty to carry out the responsibilities of my profession. I worked tirelessly to provide well-planned lessons. My interaction with other faculty members and students was consciously supportive. I believe that providing a positive example for other colleagues, teachers, and students is crucial to keep up morale and increase respect for the profession of teaching.