ProCADs and Ethics

Attitudes towards Teaching Methods: Teaching involves change. Lesson plans and teaching methods should not be “written in stone” but instead treated as possibilities that can be adapted to new and diverse situations.

Attitudes toward Students: There are no two students are the same. Effective teaching recognizes and values student differences and includes/respects differences in all areas of planning, instruction, and assessment.

Attitudes toward Schools: There is no classroom that exists in isolation – they are within a school. No school exists in isolation – they are situated in a community. A teacher must value the input and experience of others in the school and the community.

Open-Mindedness Dispositions: There are no two students are the same. Teaching requires a stance of open-mindedness to the ways and knowledges of various people. 

Self-Reflection Dispositions: The most important posture in a teacher’s tool kit is self-reflection that drives changes and development in knowledge and action. Teaching is an art and a teacher must determine what a classroom needs, year after year, class after class. A teacher must use self-reflection as the foundation for effective planning, instruction, and assessment for all students.

Curiosity Dispositions: A good teacher is a lifelong learner. Lifelong learning requires curiosity, both toward understanding how things work but also toward imagining how things might be made better.

Educational Equity Dispositions: Centuries of data show that educational inequities exist and persist. It is difficult to imagine that one teacher can change the world, but we look for teachers who are willing to try. Much can be accomplished within a single classroom to promote educational equity, and an educational equity and advocacy disposition also means looking beyond the classroom to address educational inequities. 

Professional Competencies: Teaching competencies include proficiency in planning, teaching, and assessing, but there are other duties and responsibilities that transcend a learning segment. Professional competencies include self-presentation, self-representation, professional collegiality and demeanor, and also taking responsibility for those tasks entrusted to you.