B) Ethos of the Teaching Profession

School Based Workshop

Date: 13 January 2016, 3.15 pm to 5.15 pm

Venue: AVA Room

Please sit according to your respective levels and Mother Tongues teachers to sit in 2 mixed groups.

Note takers, please key in your responses HERE.

Singapore teachers have developed a strong ethos which defines the teaching profession. The Ethos of the Teaching Profession encapsulates the beliefs and practices of our teachers.

To download information on the Ethos: Click Here

To download Ethos slides: Click Here

The Ethos is expressed in Our Singapore Educators' Philosophy of Education, the Teachers' Vision, the Teachers' Pledge, the Teachers' Creed and the Desired Outcomes of Education. Each of the above is an important facet of an integrated Ethos of the Teaching Profession.

Symbol of the Ethos of the Teaching Profession

The compass has been chosen to depict the facets of the Ethos of the Teaching Profession. Pointing to the true north, it symbolises the constancy of values in the lives of educators. New entrants to the profession are presented with a compass at the Teachers' Compass Ceremony.

Facets of the Ethos of the Teaching Profession

• Our Singapore Educators' Philosophy of Education captures the core beliefs and tenets of the teaching profession and serves as the foundation of teachers' professional practice.
• The Desired Outcomes of Education establishes a common purpose for the teaching fraternity, guiding educational and school policies, programmes and practices.
• The Teachers' Vision articulates the aspirations and roles of the teaching profession, helping teachers to focus on what to do in pursuit of professional excellence.
• The Teachers' Pledge constitutes an act of public undertaking that each teacher takes to uphold the highest standards in professional practice.
• The Teachers' Creed codifies the practices of retired and present educators and makes explicit their tacit beliefs. It provides a guide for teachers to fulfil our responsibilities and obligations, and to honour the promise of attaining professional excellence

Role of Teachers: Lead, Care, Inspire

Teachers play a key role in nurturing our children as we lead, care for and inspire future generations of young Singaporeans. We have a profound and lasting influence on the lives of the students we teach. Hence, we need to stay fast to the highest standards and ideals of the profession.

Teachers are professionals with specialised knowledge and skills acquired through training and on-going professional development. We have direct access to students and are placed in a privileged position of trust and respect. We have a special responsibility in maintaining the trust and respect that parents and the community have accorded us.

As members of a trusted profession, we are responsible for reflecting on our own conduct, developing our practice, and ensuring that we meet the standards of the profession.

Purpose of the Ethos: Honouring our Past, Inspiring the Future

Over the past 50 years, Singapore Teachers have developed a strong ethos, an unspoken set of professional beliefs, practices and conduct, which defines the Singapore teaching profession. Given the generational change, we need to capture this ethos explicitly in writing, to guide and inspire future generations of teachers.

Goal of the Ethos: Towards Teacher-Led Professional Excellence

The Ethos of the Teaching Profession helps foster a distinct professional identity and deepens the pride that we have in our chosen profession.

Teachers are best placed to lead and uphold the standing of the profession. The Ethos will guide all teachers to serve with honour in all areas of our responsibilities as we progress in our journey as educators.

The Ethos captures the thoughts and beliefs of many retired and present educators. This has been achieved through extensive consultations. Many more will continue to contribute stories that reflect and shape the codified set of values and beliefs. These stories will help guide us as we go about fulfilling our roles and responsibilities in and out of school.

For more information on the Ethos of the Teaching Profession and to contribute stories, please visit the Ethos website.