PROFESSIONALISM

  Professionalism is something demanded of teachers both as professionals and as persons. Professionalism is succinctly described in Article XI of the Code of Ethics for Professional Teachers, to wit:

Section 1. A teacher shall live with dignity at all times.

Section 2. A teacher shall place premium upon self-respect and self-discipline as the principle of personal behavior in all relationships with others and in all situations.

Section 3. A teacher shall maintain at all times a dignified personality which could serve as model worthy of emulation by learners, peers, and others.

    Section 4. A teacher shall always recognize the Almighty God or being as guide of his own destiny and of the destinies of men and nations.

The Code of Ethics for public school teachers adopted in Section 7 of Republic Act 4670 cites integrity as one essential trait of a professional teacher. This is given below:

INTEGRITY: Since the teacher's work is not confined merely to the development of certain fundamental skills and abilities encompassed by the teaching of the 3R's but also includes the development of desirable habits and attitudes that go into the formation of character, his manner of living should provide a worthy example for his pupils and students to emulate for his fellow teachers to be proud of, and for the community to feel as being enriched by it.

  The personal traits cited above as attributes expected of teachers as persons are all included in the big words - "live with dignity," "premium on self-respect and self-discipline," "model, worthy of emulation" found in the Code of Ethics of Professional Teachers. They are not only personal traits, they are also professional traits expected of a teacher. In one word, these are all manifestations of professionalism, the hallmark of a professional.