Q. 5 Discuss ethical issues about the role of a teacher?
Course: Professionalism in Teaching
Course Code 8612
Topics
Ethical issues about the role of a teacher
Answer:
Teachers and students share a very
unique relationship. They spend the majority of their time interacting with
each other, yet there always seems to be a feeling of conflict between each other.
In a sense, there always seems to be a battle occurring between the two groups
with the school itself acting as the battlefield. It often appears that the major
goal of the school system is to outwit and scheme against the students.
This rifted relationship does not
occur at all times or with all people, there are some instances of qualitative
emotional sharing between the teachers and the students. It takes a lot of courage
to be either a teacher or a student in the school system today. Courage,
because that every day bears witness to another battle.
One of the major components of these
everyday battles is the notion of discipline or misbehavior. Teachers use
discipline as a means of creating an optimum learning environment for their
students. There has been a vast amount of research dealing with the use of disciplinary
procedures in the school system. The evidence suggests that rather than
focusing on disciplining the child, teachers should focus on positively affecting the Childs life.
Written
Authorization: Teachers are guaranteed protection legally
for performing activities and duties that are within their written scope of
employment. The term scope of employment is a term that basically means we have
job-related legal protection for activities we have been contracted or directed
to do and that have been approved by some authority.
Teachers who do things that are outside of officially sanctioned activities may be placing themselves in a position of great vulnerability. Examples include: teachers who take students on field trips without approval from or sanction by school authorities which includes parental permission as well; or teachers who discipline students outside of approved school procedures.
Liability
Insurance: Teachers who transport students for school-related activities may be putting themselves at great risk legally. Carefully
following the school district's policies for student transport is
imperative. When permission is granted
from school authorities to transport students and district policies are
followed, teachers who transport students even in the teacher's own vehicle are
commonly covered by the school district's liability policies over the
teacher's own liability covered within the teacher's auto insurance policy.
However, the risk occurs when a claim
must be paid by the teacher's insurance company, the teacher runs a substantial
risk of having the company cancel their auto insurance policy. Protection for
teachers comes from ensuring that all activities are approved within the contract,
or at least through written authorization of a school administrator as well as
making sure that all other variables (e.g. insurance coverage) are well
considered.
Educational
Malpractice: Malpractice involves the lack of skill in
performing professional duties, no matter what the profession. Because teachers
are certified, the presumption is that they have at least a minimal level of
competency. Those who fail, and, in some cases, organizations that hire them, can
face serious consequences.
Lack of
Skill: Certified
teachers are presumed to have acquired sufficient skills to maintain an environment
conducive to learning and to convey knowledge and/or skills to their students. This
is often summarized by the phrase "duty to supervise and instruct."
When this cannot be accomplished, the accusation of "lack of skill"
can be made.
Repeating
Ineffective Procedures: When students are repeatedly
subjected to ineffective procedures or strategies, a case may be made for
educational malpractice. There are several activities, used in education
from time immemorial, that, given the tenor of today's society, could be cause
for concern.
Some examples are abusing detentions,
ho me work as punishment, sarcasm or ridicule, or any other verbally abusive
tactic. As parents become more legally savvy and focus on calling schools to
task, teachers may want to give considerable thought before continuing some
practices simply because they worked in the past.
Learning as
Punishment: Using learning, extra work, or homework as
punishment is a practice that only
serves to antagonize students and their parents, and has little, if any, remedial
justification.
Using Grades
to Control Behavior: Teachers would be well advised to
reconsider using grades for anything except reflecting actual skill or content
mastery, rather than effort, improvement, or other behavior. To be judicious,
all grades should be equally accessible to every student.
Grading on a
Curve: This is another practice to avoid. This
practice does not allow for equal accessibility to every student
(criterion-referenced) and only indicates mastery relative to others in the
grading pool (norm-referenced). It does not give an accurate indication of what
skills and/or content the student does or does not have.
Ignoring
Students' Individual Capacities:
With the advent of special education and "504 Legislation"
(referring to the section of the civil rights legislation that went into effect
in 1973, which basically states that individuals cannot be discriminated
against because of being handicapped), the courts are now increasingly involved
in determining a definition for "appropriate instruction." This
individualization may include modifying materials, giving additional time to
complete tasks, and developing teaching strategies to address different ways of
learning.
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