Kelly

Rakus
Professional Ethics Tool Kit
https://www.pspc.education.pa.gov/Promoting-Ethical-Practices-Resources/
Ethics-Toolkit/Pages/default.aspx

Unit 1: The Ethical Teacher

3 Areas of deep learning
1. As a teacher we should be motivational for someone and show we are for them.
This is all part of building a trusting relationship with students.
2. One very important thing as a teacher is to have a boundary between work and
personal lives. Teachers hold high moral standards within a classroom and should
hold the same standards outside the classroom as well.
3. The code of ethics considers values to trust, fair mindedness, honoring dignity,
emotional well-being and cognitive development. Those are all consider
responsibilities within the code.

2 Areas that surprised you or challenged your thinking

1. One thing that surprised me is how private we are supposed to keep our lives as
teachers. I am a person who believes in transpancey to everyone. I think as
teachers, we don’t always need to hide our personal lives so we can be an example
to our students that it is okay to have a bad day. I also don’t believe that majority
of actions outside out a school should effect and trust of a teacher.
2. One thing that challenged me is that our emotional well-being is important to
consider when look at ethical standards, yet we need to keep our personal lives
private. I understand the boundary, but I do not believe it is as cut and dry as it
seems.

1 Comment, questions, area for future learning

1. How can we show a high moral standard while also maintaining friendships when
you live and work in the same area?

Unit 2: Private & Professional Lives

3 Areas of deep learning
1. Some choices done off duty can effect the classroom environment or school
district. Some distracts have stricter dress codes than others and while on duty,
those should be respected.
2. The state views the example teachers set in there personal lives relates to the
classroom. Teachers are expected to show respect and show good for the
community.
3. Teachers private lives can be questions at any point if they believe what they do
does not show respect for there responsibilities or community.

2 Areas that surprised you or challenged your thinking

1. One thing that challenges my thinking is the idea that teachers can not have nose
rings or tattoos. There is no correlation between someone having a tattoo and

 being an effective teacher. As teacher, we never judge a student for choices they
make or lifestyles they have yet we are constantly judged as teachers.
2. I understand not being able to teacher after receiving a DUI. Although, if we
maintain a work life balance, students would not be aware of that. I think those
type of situations need to be looked at in a way of what point of life did that
happen and changes have been made since.

1 Comment, questions, area for future learning

1. How do we hold a work - life balance when the fear of ‘doing something wrong’
outside the classroom is always in our mind?

Unit 3: Relationships with Students

3 Areas of deep learning

1. In order to be the most effective teacher, we need to have trust from students and
parents to create an environment of learning and safety.
2. The term sexual misconduct is a very broad term that can include sexual or
romantic invitations, dating, engaging in sexual dialogue, suggestive comments,
exposure, self-disclosure of a sexual nature and exchanging gifts.
3. New or young teachers are considered to be more susceptible to slippery slope of
these type of relationships since becoming a teacher is a very hard thing and can
easily become emotionally vulnerable.

2 Areas that surprised you or challenged your thinking

1. One thing that surprised me is that 60-70% of cases are liminal convictions.
2. I never thought of a teacher grooming a student. This is hard to accept that this
can happen to students and they are too young to understand what is happening.

1 Comment, questions, area for future learning

1. What is the best way to hold ourselves and other teacher to stay accountable to
provide safety and trust to our students?

Unit 4: The Connected Teacher

3 Areas of deep learning

1. It is hard for teachers to maintain a private life and communicating with students
digitally it can lead to crossing the ine line of what appropriate communication is.
2. It is the teachers job to ensure the trust between the student and teacher is not
broken by the teachers personal live.
3. Our “public brand” can disqualify the amount of trust we have and how effect we
can be as a teacher.

2 Areas that surprised you or challenged your thinking

 1. One thing that really surprised me is that parents look to teachers to promote
ideas of citizenship and society responsibilities. I don’t think parents should
expect teacher to show these things.
2. Another thing that surprised me is that we need to be aware of how much we use
technology within the classroom yet we are constantly trying to include
technology in new ways.

1 Comment, questions, area for future learning

1. How do we balance including the technology in the classroom while also keeping
the digital world outside the classroom?

Unit 5: Teaching in a Diverse Society

3 Areas of deep learning

1. Some general strategies and tactics for teaching in a diverse society are to
recognize any basses or stereotyper we might have, treat each student with
respect, be aware of terminology, learn how students feel about culture, be
informed, don’t protect any students.
2. Insure text and reading include all cultures and do not conclude any stereotypes.
3. Shows the same respect to all students and become more informed of the cultures
student hold within the classroom.

2 Areas that surprised you or challenged your thinking

1. One thing that surprised me is that we need to be aware of how students feel
about culture within the classroom. We need to be aware of there stereotypes of
cultures as well.
2. One thing that challenged me is that we need to monitor our own reactions to
students answers. I understand that we need to allow students to have there own
opinions but I don’t think that suppressing out own is a good example of that.

1 Comment, questions, area for future learning

1. How we know that our materials are including every culture within our
classroom?

Unit 6: Improper Personal or Financial Gain

3 Areas of deep learning

1. Some teachers will use school funds in an inappropriate way that can be
considered theft.
2. As teachers we can not accept gifts or favors that may appear to change
professional judgement.
3. Stealing money from a school or using school funds for personal reasons is
considered a crime.

2 Areas that surprised you or challenged your thinking

 1. I never thought that teachers would use school fund for personal reasons. We are
role models for our students and this is hard to think that this happens.
2. We need to be aware of the reason on why a student or family may be providing a
gift to us.

1 Comment, questions, area for future learning’

1. How do we know when a gift is for appreciation or for personal gain?

Unit 7: The Ethical Colleague

3 Areas of deep learning

1. Teachers can now knowingly deny someone else of becoming a teacher or change
evaluations of others.
2. We need to protect our student from harmful conditions and are expected to
report any interventions needed.
3. A complain must be illed within a year of when the event happened unless it is
sexual abuse of a child.

2 Areas that surprised you or challenged your thinking

1. One things that surprised me is that we can report misconduct up to a year after it
happens.
2. It surprised me that teachers would discriminate each other or coerce one
another. I always saw teachers as supportive of each other.

1 Comment, questions, area for future learning

1. I really like the fact that this hold teachers accountable for each other to make
sure the values are being upheld.

Unit 8: Fostering an Ethical School Climate

3 Areas of deep learning

1. Some of the ethical expectations are to respect civil rights and not discriminate for
any reason.
2. We need to accept diversity and provide students the tools they need to learn in
the best way possible.
3. Teacher should stay open-minded when learning about students and working on
communication skills.

2 Areas that surprised you or challenged your thinking

1. I was surprised that as teachers are told to make sure they have all the tools
needed for students to learn best. This is discussed so much in all my courses that
it’s hard to imagine it’s not the irst thing a teacher thinks about.
2. One thing that challenges me is that we need to keep information con idential
about students but we are also encouraged to collaborate when iguring out the
best way for a student to learn.

1 Comment, questions, area for future learning

1. I think these ethical guidelines are all things we have been taught in courses
throughout our education.