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Code of Ethics
An educator who exhibits professional behavior is able to peacefully enforce an environment of
respect and control over the classroom while also maintaining an attitude of trust with the
students. Control over the classroom is crucial if a teacher hopes to be able to have the students
see them as a figure of authority that they are required to listen to. Along with this, the students
must feel as if the teacher wants them to succeed and is on their side. A teacher should be able to
balance being strict on discipline while also showing mercy to students who are trying to learn
from their mistakes.
My personal code of ethics includes five main points of emphasis. The first is that as an
educator, I will try my absolute best not to let my personal issues outside of the classroom affect
the way I teach. It is not fair to my students if I come to class angry and upset because of
something that has happened in my personal life. Although there will be times that I will have
things going on in my life, I cannot let it disrupt my job as a teacher. I want to walk into the
classroom with my mind refreshed and focused on what is happening in my room. I hope to do
this by having alarms go off in between class periods that have messages on them, such as “Give
everything you’ve got!” I hope this helps me remind myself of why I am a teacher and encourage
me to be fully present with each class.
My second code is that I will make sure that everything we do in class is for a purpose. I
will come prepared with a lesson plan and explain to the students why the content we are
covering is useful for them to know. The questions I ask will be for the purpose of meaningful
conversations and discussions. I hope that students will be able to understand the purpose of why
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we are learning what we are learning. Not everything we learn will be fun and exciting, but
everything we learn will be for purpose. I want every student to be able to tell me not only what
we are covering in class, but why it is important for them to know.
My third code is that I will commit to knowing my students on a personal level. This
includes going to sporting events, community gatherings, and helping with student organizations.
Relationships are crucial for being able to teach your students effectively, and I hope to do
everything I can to connect with my students. I want to make sure that I talk with every student
who walks into my classroom and try to have a meaningful conversation with each one of them.
Students will only listen to what I have to teach if they feel like I care about them and what they
are learning.
My fourth code is that parents should be involved in the classroom. This involves me
taking steps to reach out to the parents and guardians of my students on a regular basis. Not only
am I reaching out when a child is falling behind in my class, but I am also reaching out to
encourage a parent about how their child is succeeding in my class. I hope to invite parents into
the class to talk about how they incorporate the curriculum we are learning into their own lives. I
want parents to be engaged in the class and knowing what their child is learning. Parents are my
partners in helping my students learn, so anything I can do to bridge that gap is worth it.
My fifth code is that teachers should look for every opportunity to grow. I want to
constantly be on the lookout for conferences to attend or ways that I can cooperate with other
teachers at my school for ways that I can grow. There are new methods of teaching and resources
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coming out every day, and I want to be up to date on each of them. I want to make sure that I am
up to date on the best methods of teaching and managing a classroom. Other teachers in my
school are also a great resource for me to see what they are incorporating in their classes to help
their students succeed. I also will be spending a fair amount of time reading into different
philosophies of education and discipline, making sure that I am practicing pedagogy in the most
successful way.
