CLO 1 - Describe the diversity of students and its impacts on schools.

CLO 2 - Examine various educational models and the role of schools in communities and with government. 

CLO 3 - Analyze teacher practice and decision-making. 

CLO 4 - Explore the professional and ethical complexities of teaching. 

CLO 5 - Synthesize foundational elements of education into a personal philosophy of education and teaching. 

CLO 6 - Evaluate professional learning of pre-service and in-service teachers and educators. 

• Define ethics. 

• Identify ethical dilemmas.

• Explore various scenarios where teachers face ethical dilemmas.

• Examine the Model Code of Ethics for Educators (MCEE). 

• Apply the MCEE to various educational contexts and scenarios. 

Academic Vocabulary in the Field of Education

Professionalism in Teaching - Professionalism is a multifaceted concept encompassing a teacher's attitudes, behaviors, and skills. A Professional teacher demonstrates dedication to their student's success, a strong knowledge of their subject and teaching methods, and a commitment to ethical behavior and continuous improvement.

Ethics - Ethics refers to well-founded standards of right and wrong that prescribe what humans ought to do, usually regarding rights, obligations, societal benefits, fairness, or specific virtues. 

Model Code of Ethics for Educators (MCEE) - A national framework developed by the US National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS). It guides educators in outlining the ethical principles they should uphold in their professional practice.

Inclusion - Inclusion in education is all about creating a learning environment where every student feels welcome, valued, and supported. It ensures all students, regardless of background, ability, or learning style, have an equal opportunity to participate and succeed in education.

Primary Concept - Do Teachers REALLY behave unethically?

We could argue that there are two types of unethical behavior:

1. intentional unethical behavior - the individual is aware that his/her behavior is wrong and is aware of the environmental influences that push them to act in that way.

2. unintentional unethical behavior - unethical actions and tendencies without knowing and realizing that the behavior is wrong and unaware of the environmental influences that push him to act in that way.

Have you ever had a teacher do any of the following?

Poor Teaching & Instruction

• • • Be satisfied with limited evidence of student learning

    • Not Meeting or Respecting Students' Needs

    • Not considering student engagement and motivations

    • Poor scaffolding

    • Poor pacing of lessons

    • No clear outcomes

    • There is no explanation of outcomes, assessments, and evaluations. 

    • The teacher is unprepared or disorganized, leading to wasted time and confusion.

    • There's a lack of differentiation, making it difficult for struggling students to keep up.

    • The teacher doesn't provide clear and timely feedback to help students improve.

Poor communication with Students 

• Uncaring Communications 

• No Explanation for decisions

• Overly Emotional 

• Unclear

• Not explaining actions

• The teacher shows disrespect towards students, creating a negative learning environment.

Poor Classroom Management

• • • The teacher doesn't create a safe space for students to ask questions or make mistakes.

    • No clear Procedures and Routines

    • No clear expectations

    • Allowance of Off­Task Behaviors 

    • Allowance of Bullying

    • Lack of Fairness

    • Showing favoritism

Primary Concept - As teachers, what does professionalism look like? 

Commitment to Students - As teachers, we believe in our students, their learning, and their growth. 

• High Expectations - Believing all students can learn and succeed and fostering a positive learning environment that motivates them to achieve their full potential.

• Fairness and Respect - Treating students with respect, avoiding favoritism, and fostering a sense of community within the classroom.

Mastery of the Subject and Pedagogy/Teaching - As teachers, we must know our subject and how to teach it so that others may learn. 

• Deep Knowledge - Having a strong understanding of the subject matter they teach and keeping their knowledge current through ongoing learning.

• Effective Instruction - Using various engaging and effective teaching methods to cater to different learning styles and ensure student comprehension.

Communication and Collaboration - As teachers, we operate in a community of professionals and individuals who are working to support student learning, achievement, and success. 

• Clear Communication - Communicating effectively with students, parents, and colleagues verbally and in writing.

• Collaboration - Collaborate with colleagues, parents, and administrators to support student learning.

Professional Conduct and Responsibility - As teachers, we are models of learning and professional behaviors. 

• Reliability and Punctuality - Being dependable, arriving on time for classes and meetings, and meeting deadlines.

• Ethical Conduct - Maintaining confidentiality, adhering to professional codes of ethics, and acting as a role model for students.

• Lifelong Learning - Continuously seeking opportunities to improve their teaching practice through professional development activities.

Primary Concept - There is a Model Code of Educator Ethics (MCEE). 

The Model Code of Ethics for Educators is a framework that consists of 5 primary principles. 

• Principle I - Responsibility to the Profession - The professional educator is aware that trust in the profession depends upon a level of professional conduct and responsibility that may be higher than required by law. This entails holding one and other educators to the same ethical standards.

• Principle II - Responsibility for Professional Competence - The professional educator is committed to the highest levels of professional and ethical practice, including demonstration of the knowledge, skills and dispositions required for professional competence. 

• Principle III - Responsibility to Students - The professional educator has a primary obligation to treat students with dignity and respect. The professional educator promotes the health, safety and well-being of students by establishing and maintaining appropriate verbal, physical, emotional and social boundaries. 

• Principle IV - Responsibility to the School Community - The professional educator promotes positive relationships and effective interactions, with members of the school community, while maintaining professional boundaries. 

• Principle V - Responsible and Ethical Use of Technology - The professional educator considers the impact of consuming, creating, distributing and communicating information through all technologies. The ethical educator is vigilant to ensure appropriate boundaries of time, place and role are maintained when using electronic communication.

Primary Concept - Each of the Principles has suggested components and actions. 

Principle I: Responsibility to the Profession

A. The professional educator demonstrates responsibility to oneself and the profession by:

1. Holding oneself responsible to Model Code of Ethics for Educators (MCEE) and other recognized professional ethics standards;

2. Knowing and upholding the procedures, policies and laws relevant to professional practice regardless of personal views;

3. Monitoring and maintaining sound mental, physical and emotional health necessary to perform duties and services of any professional assignment and taking appropriate measures when personal or health-related issues may interfere with work-related duties;

4. Refraining from professional or personal activity that may lead to reducing one’s effectiveness within the school community;

5. Refraining from using one’s position for personal gain and avoiding the appearance of impropriety;

6. Taking responsibility and credit only for work actually performed or produced, and acknowledging the work and contributions made by others; and

7. Recognizing a lack of knowledge or understanding of the MCEE is not, in itself, a defense of unprofessional conduct.

B. The professional educator fulfills the obligation to address and attempt to resolve ethical issues by:

1. Identifying and taking reasonable steps to resolve conflicts between the MCEE and the implicit or explicit demands of a person or organization;

2. Maintaining fidelity to the MCEE by taking proactive steps when having reason to believe that another educator may be approaching or involved in an ethically compromising situation;

3. Refraining from discriminating or retaliating against a person on the basis of having made an ethics complaint;

4. Refraining from filing or encouraging frivolous ethics complaints solely to harm or retaliate; and

5. Cooperating fully and honestly during investigations and proceedings.

C. The professional educator promotes and advances the profession within and beyond the school community by:

1. Engaging in respectful discourse regarding issues that impact the profession;

2. Influencing and supporting decisions and actions that positively impact teaching and learning, educational leadership and student services;

3. Staying current with ethics guidelines and decisions from professional organizations and other relevant sources;

4. Engaging with the greater educational community through professional organizations and associations; and

5. Advocating for adequate resources and facilities to ensure equitable opportunities for all members within the learning community.

Principle II: Responsibility for Professional Competence

A. The professional educator demonstrates a commitment to high standards of practice through:

1. Using the MCEE and other ethics codes unique to one’s discipline to guide and frame educational decision-making;

2. Incorporating into one’s practice state and national standards, including those specific to one’s discipline;

3. Advocating for equitable educational opportunities for all students;

4. Accepting the responsibilities, performing duties and providing services corresponding to the area of certification, licensure and/or training of one’s position;

5. Reflecting upon and assessing one’s professional skills, knowledge and competency on an ongoing basis; and

6. Committing to ongoing professional learning.

B. The professional educator demonstrates responsible use of data, materials, research, and assessment by:

1. Recognizing others’ work by appropriately citing data or materials from published, unpublished or electronic sources when disseminating information;

2. Using appropriate assessments for the purposes for which they are intended and for which they have been validated to guide educational decisions;

3. Conducting research in an ethical and responsible manner with appropriate permission and supervision;

4. Seeking and using evidence, instructional data, research and professional knowledge to inform practice;

5. Creating, maintaining, disseminating, storing, retaining and disposing of records and data relating to one’s research and practice, in accordance with, but not limited to, official guidance, policy and laws; and

6. 6. Using data, data sources, or findings accurately, reliably and ethically.

C. The professional educator demonstrates competence by acting in the best interest of all students by:

1. Increasing students’ access to the curriculum, activities and resources in order to provide a quality and equitable educational experience;

2. Working to engage the school community to close achievement, opportunity and attainment gaps; and

3. Protecting students from any practice that harms or has the reasonable potential to harm.

Principle III: Responsibility to the Profession

A. The professional educator respects the rights and dignity of all students by:

1. Respecting students by taking into account their individual characteristics, including but not limited to age, gender, culture, setting, ability and socioeconomic context.

2. Interacting with students with transparency and in appropriate settings;

3. Communicating with students in a clear, respectful and culturally sensitive  manner;

4. Taking into account how appearance and dress can affect one’s interactions and relationships with students;

5. Considering the implications of accepting gifts from or giving gifts to students;

6. Engaging in physical contact with students only when there is a clearly defined purpose that benefits students and continually keeps their health, safety and well-being in mind;

7. Avoiding multiple relationships with students that might impair objectivity and increase the risk of harm to their well-being or decrease educator effectiveness;

8. Acknowledging there are no circumstances that allow for educators to engage in romantic or sexual relationships with students; and

9. Considering the ramifications of entering into an adult relationship of any kind with a former student, including but not limited to, any potential harm to the former student, public perception and the possible impact on the educator’s career. The professional educator ensures the adult relationship was not started while the former student was in school.

B. The professional educator demonstrates an ethic of care through:

1. Seeking to understand students’ educational, academic, personal and social needs as well as their values, beliefs and cultural background;

2. Respecting the dignity, worth and uniqueness of each individual student including, but not limited to, actual and perceived gender, gender expression, gender identity, sexual orientation, civil status, family status, religion, age, disability, race, ethnicity, socioeconomic context and culture; and

3. Establishing and maintaining an environment that promotes the emotional, intellectual, physical and sexual safety of all students.

C. The professional educator maintains student trust and confidentiality when interacting with students in a developmentally appropriate manner and within appropriate limits by:

1. Respecting the privacy of students and the need to hold in confidence certain forms of student communication, documents or information obtained in the course of professional practice;

2. Upholding parents’/guardians’ legal rights, as well as any legal requirements, to reveal information related to legitimate concerns for the well-being of a student; and

3. Protecting the confidentiality of student records and releasing personal data in accordance with prescribed state and federal laws and local policies.

Principle IV: Responsibility to the School Community

A. The professional educator promotes appropriate and effective relationships with

parents/guardians by:

1. Communicating with parents/guardians in a timely, respectful and culturally sensitive manner that represents the students’ best interests;

2. Demonstrating a commitment to equality, equity, diversity and inclusion with parents/guardians;

3. Considering the implication of accepting gifts from or giving gifts to parents/guardians; an

4. Maintaining appropriate confidentiality with respect to student information disclosed by or to parents/guardians unless required by law.

B. The professional educator promotes appropriate and effective relationships with colleagues by:

1. Respecting colleagues as fellow professionals and maintaining civility when differences arise;

2. Resolving conflicts, whenever possible, privately and respectfully and in accordance with policy;

3. Working to ensure a workplace environment that is free from harassment;

4. Collaborating with colleagues in a manner that supports academic achievement and related goals that promote the best interests of students;

5. Keeping student safety, education, and health paramount by maintaining and sharing educational records appropriately and objectively in accordance with local policies and state and federal laws;

6. Enhancing the professional growth and development of new educators by supporting effective field experiences, mentoring or induction activities across the career continuum;

7. Ensuring educators who participate as mentors for new educators, cooperating teachers and leadership positions are prepared and supervised to assume these roles; and

8. Demonstrating a commitment that educators are assigned to positions in accordance with their educational credentials, preparation and/or training to maximize students’ opportunities and achievement.

C. The professional educator promotes appropriate and effective relationships with the community and other stakeholders by:

1. Maintaining the highest professional standards of accuracy, honesty and appropriate disclosure of information when representing the school or district within the community and in public communications;

2. Advocating for policies and laws benefitting students and families within the school community; and

3. Collaborating with community agencies, organizations and individuals in order to advance students’ best interests.

D. The professional educator promotes appropriate and effective relationships with employers by:

1. Exhibiting personal and professional conduct that is in the best interest of the organization, learning community, school community and profession;

2. Using property, facilities, materials and resources in accordance with local policies and state and federal laws;

3. Respecting intellectual property rights (e.g., original lesson plans, district level curricula, syllabi, gradebooks) when sharing materials; and

4. Considering the implications of offering or accepting gifts and/or preferential treatment by vendors or an individual in a position of professional influence or power.

E. The professional educator recognizes the problematic nature of multiple relationships by:

1. Considering the risks that multiple relationships might impair objectivity, increase the likelihood of harm to students’ learning and well-being, or diminish educator effectiveness;

2. Considering the risks and benefits of a professional relationship with someone with whom the educator has a current or past personal relationship;

3. Considering the implications and possible ramifications of engaging in a personal relationship with parents/guardians, student teachers, colleagues and supervisors; and

4. Ensuring professional responsibilities to paraprofessionals, student teachers or interns do not interfere with responsibilities to students, their learning and well-being.

Principle V: Responsibility to the Profession

A. The professional educator uses technology in a responsible manner by:

1. Using social media transparently and primarily for purposes of teaching and learning per school and district policy. The professional educator considers the ramifications of using social media and direct communication via technology with one’s interactions with students, colleagues and the general public;

2. Staying current with trends and uses of school technology;

3. Evaluating information obtained electronically for reliability and bias;

4. Respecting intellectual property rights, copyright and fair use when accessing, using and documenting proprietary materials;

5. Understanding and abiding by policy and procedures on the use of technology and communication;

6. Recognizing that some electronic communications are records under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and state public access laws;

7. Considering the implications of sharing legally protected or other sensitive information electronically either via professional or personal devices/accounts; and

8. Exercising vigilance in maintaining separate and professional virtual profiles and keeping personal and professional lives distinct.

B. The professional educator ensures students’ safety and well-being when using technology by:

1. Being vigilant in identifying, addressing and reporting (when appropriate and in accordance with local school, district, state and federal policy) inappropriate and illegal materials/images in electronic or other forms;

2. Respecting the privacy of students’ presence on social media unless there is possible risk of harm to the student or others; and

3. Being attentive to (and appropriately reporting) information concerning possible cyber bullying incidents and their potential impact on the student learning environment.

C. The professional educator maintains confidentiality with the use of technology by:

1. Taking appropriate and reasonable measures to maintain confidentiality of privileged information and stored or transmitted educational records;

2. Understanding the intent of Family Educational Rights to Privacy Act (FERPA) and how it applies to sharing student records electronically;

3. Ensuring the rights of third parties, including the right of privacy, are not violated via the use of technology; and

4. Protecting information from being shared with unintended third parties through technology.

D. The professional educator promotes the appropriate use of technology in educational settings by:

1. Advocating for equal and equitable access to technology for all students;

2. Promoting the benefits and clarifying the limitations of various appropriate technological applications with colleagues, appropriate school personnel, parents and community members;

3. Promoting technological applications that assist and enhance the teaching and learning process; and

4. Practicing and advocating for cybersecurity to protect oneself, others and the integrity of the network.

Primary Concept - Providing Education and Teaching in Classrooms is complex, dynamic, and contextually bound. 

Be Prepared. Be Reflective. Be Mindful. Commit to Improvement. 

Primary Concept - What does Professionalism look like in Practice? 

Hawai'i Department of Education - The Educator Effectiveness System (EES) is a comprehensive evaluation system that sets clear expectations for effective teaching, provides educators with quality feedback and support to improve their effectiveness with students, and informs professional development.

To help students succeed in college and careers, it is imperative that the Hawaii State Department of Education (HIDOE) support our educators to become highly effective in their schools and classrooms. This means that administrators and teachers need feedback, coaching and data that inform them about how to improve their practice and make an impact. We are holding ourselves accountable at all levels of the organization for providing support and getting results for students. ​

Under Board of Education Policy 203.4, the EES is centered on two categories:

• Teacher Practice 

• Student Learning and Growth

Within those categories, teachers receive feedback, support, and evaluation on three components:

• Classroom Observations, using the Charlotte Danielson Framework for Teaching for classroom teachers or Working Portfolios for non-classroom teachers;

• Core Professionalism, using the Charlotte Danielson Framework for Teaching, and reflecting on data and feedback from the Panorama Student Survey and Hawaii Growth Model​;

• Student Success Plans (SSPs)* / School-System Improvement Objectives (SSIO), focusing on standards-aligned learning goals and integrating the data team process to monitor student progress.

Based on their scores in each of these categories, educators receive an overall rating of:

• Highly Effective

• Effective

• Marginal

• Unsatisfactory

All teachers with an overall rating of Effective or Highly Effective are eligible for pay increases the following year. The teacher contract and pay questions should be directed to the Hawaii State Teachers Association. 

Primary Concept - What Framework is used to communicate Professional Expectations? 

The Danielson Framework for Teaching - The Framework for Teaching (FFT) was designed to enhance professional practice. In many ways, it was the first of its kind and has stood the test of time. Over the last two and a half decades, the FFT has been used by countless educators worldwide, and the Danielson Group has partnered with thousands of organizations supporting educators in 49 states, U.S. territories, and 15 other countries. We’ve seen the FFT’s power to accelerate teacher growth, improve student outcomes, and create a more rewarding and sustaining professional environment. By supporting teacher reflection, collaboration, inquiry, and innovation, we know that the FFT has directly impacted student learning and development.

• Model Code of Ethics for Educators (Principles II, III, and IV)

• Educating Peter - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EikuC2hJ5hs

• Educating Peter - http://teach.leeward.hawaii.edu/ed-285-peter-video.html 

Assessment 4.1 - Professionalism & Ethics - Educating Peter

Module 4, Week 11 - Professionalism & Ethics Part II