2. Educators are role models who act ethically and honestly.
Educators act with integrity, maintaining the dignity and credibility of the profession. They understand that their individual conduct contributes to the perception of the profession as a whole. Educators are accountable for their conduct while on duty, as well as off duty, where that conduct has an effect on the education system. Educators have an understanding of the education system in BC and the law as it relates to their duties.
The evidence piece for this standard is represented by my Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin accounts.
My social media accounts are the specific evidence for this standard. I have had all three social media accounts for a few years now. I opened a Linkedin and a Twitter account for professional purposes, while my Facebook account was for personal use. Although I have always preferred to portray a more professional image in my social media activity, after attending a digital footprint presentation at VIU at the beginning of the program, I realized it would be better to clean up my Facebook account a little bit because I was starting a new professional path, which involved being under public scrutiny more than in other professions.
This experience made me realize that even though teachers do have a private life, as educators we are seen as role models not only while on duty, but also during our time away from work. Therefore, our conduct can have a significant impact on the perception the general public has of our profession and the education system.
This evidence piece is an example of how as an educator I can contribute to the general public having a positive perception of the profession. In relation to this standard, reviewing my social media accounts to ensure all the content is appropriate for a more public role has made me understand that as a teacher my students, their parents and the entire community are learning from me not only when I am in the classroom or when I interact with them directly, but also through the content I share online. My behaviour both online and in person must adhere to this standard to ensure I contribute to maintaining the dignity of the profession.
My social media accounts are evidence of my commitment to conducting myself in a manner that is consistent with TRB, 2 as well as of my adherence to the law in relation to my duties as an educator. The content in my accounts shows ethical and honest behaviour, appropriate for a professional who is aware of how her status as a public role model may influence children and young adults.
It is important to uphold TRB 2 because our individual behaviours affect the entire profession and the education system as a whole. From the perspective of the general public, our personal and public lives are intertwined and, understandably, teachers should behave ethically and honestly not only in school but also while off duty. We must not only behave ethically and honestly, but also be seen as ethical and honest people.
In my practice, upholding this standard is of great importance because if parents are going to entrust their children to me for so many hours of the day I must be seen as a person who can always be trusted to behave appropriately, who respects confidentiality and whose personal and public lives are one and the same.
As I grow as an educator, I will strive to conduct myself at all times in a manner that upholds the dignity of the profession, always remembering that my decisions and behaviour may have an impact on other people, particularly on impressionable young students. This standard also has a great influence towards my teaching practice, because upholding it means remembering we are always teaching by example no matter where we go.
The second evidence piece for this standard is comprised by a science lab taught with two grade 8 classes.
After completing my second practicum in a grade 4 class, the grade 8 science teacher at the school offered me an opportunity to volunteer in his class. After going over the content that been covered and establishing prior knowledge, I decided to conduct an experiment to identify the presence of vitamin C.
Naturally, I was very excited and thankful to have this opportunity. I did not anticipate how much more I would be learning from this experience though. In addition to gaining teaching experience, I also acquired a clearer understanding of the impact teachers have as a role models while on duty as well as off duty. The interesting thing is that it happened in stages.
The first “ah-ha” moment when I realized the impact our conduct has in the perception of the profession and the influence we have on young students was when the science teacher commented on the importance of having a female teacher in science and how that would impact female students. I already knew that in general female students do not gravitate to science, but it had not occurred to me how I could personally influence young students by simply teaching a lab. That is when I first started reflecting on the potential effect our conduct has on the education system.
Later that day, my son who attends the same school, told me some of the girls from grade 8 had commented on the lab and said “your mom is really good at science!” Needless to say this is far from the truth, but it illustrates very well how a few interactions with young students can make a tremendous impression on them. The last event related to this teaching experience happened a few days later when I ran into some of those students at the beach. This was my personal time; I was off duty relaxing with my family. Since starting this program I have been more aware of my behaviour in public, but at this moment when I was not expecting to run into students I fully comprehended the importance of behaving in a professional, ethical and honest manner at all times because we are role models on and off duty, even when we think “nobody is watching”. Through this experience, I fully understood how our conduct can have a significant impact on the perception the general public has of our profession and the education system.
This evidence piece is an example of how as an educator I can contribute to the general public having a positive perception of the profession. In relation to this standard, teaching this lab in combination with the comments from the science teacher and the students and my running into some students during my personal time has made me understand that as a teacher my students, their parents and the entire community are learning not only what I am attempting to teach during class time but also through my behaviour outside of the classroom and through the unintended messages conveyed by my conduct. This is why it is crucial that my behaviour both on and off duty adheres to this standard to ensure I contribute to maintaining the dignity of the profession and act as an ethical, honest and positive role model.
It is important to uphold TRB 2 because our individual behaviours affect the entire profession and the education system as a whole. From the perspective of the general public, our personal and public lives are intertwined and, understandably, teachers should behave ethically and honestly not only in school but also while off duty. We must not only behave ethically and honestly, but also be seen as ethical and honest people.
In my practice, upholding this standard is of great importance because if parents are going to entrust their children to me for so many hours of the day I must be seen as a person who can always be trusted to behave appropriately, who respects confidentiality and whose personal and public lives are one and the same.
As I grow as an educator, I will strive to conduct myself at all times in a manner that upholds the dignity of the profession, always remembering that my decisions and behaviour may have an impact on other people, particularly on impressionable young students. This standard also has a great influence towards my teaching practice, because upholding it means remembering we are always teaching by example no matter where we go