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MODULE 7
The Teacher and the Community: Teacher's Ethical and Professional Behavior
OBJECTIVES
At the end of this Chapter, you should be able to:
1. elaborate on community's expectations from
teachers and on teachers' expectation from
communities
2. describe teacher's ethical and professional behavior
in the community by giving concrete examples
ACTIVITY - Let's read these
Activity 1-Think, Pair, Share
1. Think of your favorite teacher. Why was he/she your
favorite? What qualities did he/she possess? Is he/she your
ideal teacher? What influence did he/she have in your life?
Did she act in accordance to the expectations of the
community?
2. Group yourselves by 5. Share your answers to # 1 with the
group. Take note of qualities common among your favorite
teachers.
Activity 2
Here are quotes on teachers. Read and understand them. Do
you agree with each of the quotation?
1. “Teachers change the world, one child at a time."
2. “Teachers, I believe are the most responsible and
most important members of society because their
professional efforts affect the fate of the earth."
3. "Every child deserves a champion, an adult who will never give up on
them, who understands the power of connection and insists they
become the best they can possibly be." - Rita Pierson
4. "The influence of a good teacher can never be erased."
KEY TAKEAWAYS
 Article III of the Code of Ethics for
Professional Teachers states that a
professional teacher shall live for and
with the community.
 The community includes internal
stakeholders (learners and their
parents/guardians, teachers and the
school head) and external stakeholders
(members of the community who have
no children enrolled in the school such
as community non-government officials,
church leaders, non-organizations and
government organizations).
 For the learners, you facilitate learning
and the development of the youth. To do
this, you have to create a nurturing,
positive learning environment.
 For the community, you are a leader.
You take the initiative and leadership to
actively participate in community affairs
and movements and in turn to involve
the community in school activities for the
upliftment of both school and the
community. This can readily happen if
you are in a harmonious relations with all
people in the community.
 To keep parent and community
involvement in school, they must be
updated with happenings in the school
accomplishment, achievements,
problems and projects.
 At all times, at all places and for all
people, don't misuse nor abuse that
 5. “I am a teacher.

I am not in it for the income.

I am in it for the outcome.

I am a teacher.

It's who I am.

It's my passion, my calling, and my world."

What is your favorite quote? Any message for you? Share with your group

ANALYSIS - Let's Analyze

1. Are the traits shared in your small groups the same traits that schools and the larger community
expect of professional teachers?
2. Based on your observation, do all teachers embody the traits expected of professional teachers?

Code of Ethics for Professional Teachers, Article III

The very title of this Unit indicates that teachers are expected to be part of the community. To be part
of the community definitely means to participate in the life of that community. What is that community
referred to here? The 8 Sections of Article III of the Code of Ethics refers to the community within the
school and the community outside the school. How can teachers be a part of the community? The various
Sections of Article III give more details.

Teacher as Facilitator of Learning

Article III, Section1 states that the teacher is a facilitator of learning and the development of the
youth... therefore shall render the best service by providing an environment conducive for such learning
and growth.

Facilitator comes from the word "facilitate" which means to make something easy or easier. You as,
the professional teacher, facilitate learning or make learning easier. Learning is a difficult task and is
made easier when you make dry lesson interesting, exciting and enjoyable. As a professional teacher, you
make learning easier when you simplify the complex and concretize the abstract. This is what is ethical
for every professional teacher like you ought to do. This you can do after four long years of academic
preparation.

What happens sometimes, however, is teachers complicate the simple and teaches only at the
abstract level.

To facilitate learning, a conducive learning environment is necessary. It has been proven that
learners learn best in a pleasant environment. A pleasant environment is where the learners can be
themselves because teachers are caring. No need to put best self because teachers and classmates truly
care and take you for who you are. All forms of bullying has no place in a conducive learning
environment. A conducive learning environment makes learners believe they can do the work and they
feel accepted. A favorable learning climate is not competitive where everyone is tense.

The teacher who believes that "Every child deserves a champion, an adult who will never give up on
them, who understands the power of connection and insists they become the best they can possibly be"
like Teacher Rita Pierson in TED Talk is a facilitator of learning.

Teacher Leadership and Initiative for Community Participation

Section 2 refers to the "leadership and initiative of the professional teacher to participate in
community movements for moral, social, economic and civic betterment of the community." As
professional teachers you do not live in an ivory tower, meaning you are not supposed to be removed nor
aloof from community life. Schools are at the heart of communities and you as professional teachers are
expected to be be-in-the-world and to be-in-the-world- with-others and for others (borrowing the words of
Heidegger).

The words in Section 2 of Article III are "provide leadership and initiative..." This implies that as a
professional teacher you have not to wait for community to ask for help. Section 6 further explicitates
how you can show your professional leadership, to wit: "Every teacher is an intellectual leader in the
community, especially in the barangay, and shall welcome the opportunity to provide such leadership
when needed, to extend counseling services, as appropriate, and to be actively involved in matters
affecting the welfare of people."

You do not just welcome the opportunity to lead. Section 2, states that you, the professional teacher
ought to take the initiative to offer your help for the improvement of the community. Many a time, you
can be a guidance counselor, a prayer leader, commentator or reader in religious celebrations, fiesta
coordinator, judge in or coach for a contest, financial adviser, a nurse, a doctor, commentator, prayer
rolled into one.

Providing leadership and initiative also means working with the community. This means getting the
parents and other members of the community participate in school activities.

Teachers, as they participate in community affairs prove that they "are the most responsible and most
important members of society because their professional efforts affect the fate of the earth."

Professional Teacher with Honor and Dignity

Section 3 states: "Every teacher shall merit reasonable social recognition for which purpose he shall
behave with honor and dignity at all times and refrain from such activities as gambling, smoking,
drunkenness, and other excesses much less illicit relations." Obviously, if as a professional teacher, you
are an inveterate gambler, chain smoker and alcoholic or if it is common knowledge that you are engaged
in an illicit how can you have moral authority? Who will listen to you when you advise your class not to
smoke, not to drink alcoholic drinks, not to gamble, etc? Your audience will say "Look, who is talking!"
It is a matter of "do what I say not what I do"

Society expects so much of teachers that when they fail to to live up to the challenge to behave or
model good behavior, they are "condemned without trial!" It is no wonder why many are afraid to answer
the call to teach. Society seems to expect much more from professional teachers than from any other
professional and so look at teachers with scrutinizing eyes.

The quotation states "The influence of a good teacher can never be erased" but the influence of a
dishonorable teacher is as lasting."
Teacher's Attitude Toward Local Customs and Traditions

Section 4 expects every teacher to live for and with the community and shall, therefore study and
understand local customs and traditions in order to have a sympathetic attitude, therefore, refrain from
disparaging the community." The professional teacher is neither ethnocentric nor xenocentric. He/she is
not ethnocentric and so does not look down on community's culture because of the thought that his/her
culture is superior to the culture of the community. Neither is he/she xenocentric and so looks at his/her
culture as inferior in to other community's culture.

Fortunate and happy is the community that has teachers who live with them, exert effort to
understand their local customs and traditions and consequently appreciate the same. This author sees no
culture as perfect. Every culture including hers has its positive and negative aspects. What we need to
pass on are the positive aspects of the culture. We need to purify, however, the negative aspects with
teacher pointing them out tactfully and sincerely.

The Professional Teacher and Information Update

Section 5 states that the teacher "shall help the school inform the community about the school's
work, accomplishments, needs and problems. Community here refers to internal as well as external
stakeholders. Internal stakeholders include the students, the parents of the students and the teachers. The
external stakeholders are the other parents in the community without children enrolled in school,
barangay officials and other government officials, non-government organizations, government
organizations, alumni /alumnae and retirees.

Why do these stakeholders have to be informed? The school is there for the community and so the
community has the right to be informed about its activities, accomplishments, needs and problems.
Informing them about the school's projects, needs and problems give them a sense of ownership. Having a
sense of ownership, these stakeholders will participate more actively in the resolution of school's
problems and needs.

The Parents-Teachers Association

We have Parents' and Teachers' Associations (PTA) in place in every school. Some private schools
call it Home School Association or Family Advisory Council. This is for internal stakeholders only. A
PTA is an association of teachers and parents with children who are enrolled in a school. It is a forum for
discussions on school problems and how they can be solved.

The School Governing Council

Other than the PTA is the School Governing Council. The SGC has different membership and
functions. A School Governing Council as a policy-making body has the school head as Chief Executive
Officer, Manager and Chief Operations Officer. The formation of SGC in every school is a proof of
school head sharing his/her leadership with members of the community.

It determines general policies on student welfare, discipline, well- being; it is concerned with the
development and implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the School Improvement Plan (SIP), and
reporting of the progress of the SIP implementation to the Schools Division Superintendent and the
community.
 In addition to PTAS are the School Governing Council in every public school. This School
Governing Council shares in the management of the school with School Head as Chair. This School
Council is another opportunity for communities to participate in school activities.

The Professional Teacher and Government Officials and Other Professionals

Section 7 states: "Every teacher shall maintain harmonious an pleasant personal and official relations
with other professionals, with government officials and with the people individually or collectively." As a
professional teacher, you cannot afford not to be in pleasant relations with others especially those with
whom you work with like other professional teachers. It is always best to be in good terms with everyone
else in the community.

Desiderata gives this advice: "As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all
persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, ven the dull and the ignorant; they too
have their story."

The Professional Teacher Does not Use Position to Proselyte

Finally, Section 8, says: "A teacher possesses freedom to attend church and worship as appropriate,
but shall not use his position and influence to proselyte others."To be in a position means to have power
or influence for a purpose, i.e. for you to use that position to perform your job as a professional teacher. It
is highly unprofessional for a teacher like you to use your position of influence to proselyte. Besides
freedom of religion is guaranteed by the 1987 Philippine Constitution. "No law shall be made respecting
an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. The free exercise and enjoyment of
religious profession and worship, without discrimination or preference, shall forever be allowed." (Article
II, Section 6).

APPLICATION - Let's Apply

1. Here is what one Dean of a College of Education told her freshmen teacher education students in
her Welcome Address on Orientation Day:
Believing that you don't learn everything in the classroom, the College of Education, which will
be your home for four years has prepared a menu of annual co-curricular activities for you. All of
these are meant to help you become the true professional teacher that this College and University
have envisioned you to become....
a) What message do you get from the Dean's Welcome Address?
b) In the context of this Welcome Address, what does this statement "... do more, learn more,
and have more..." (Pope Paul VI, Populorum Progressio, 1967) What message do you get in
relation to your pre-service education?
2. A professional teacher creates a conducive learning environment to facilitate learning. Based on
experiences, illustrate with a drawing or comic strip what a conducive learning environment is.
Display your work in class. Conduct a gallery walk for everyone to see and comment/ask
questions about the comic strips.
3. The Bible says: "You are the salt of the earth. Bus if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be
made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled
underfoot. You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do
people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to
everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your
good deeds and glorify your father in heaven. (Matthew 5:13-16)
 Based on this Chapter on the teacher as a community leader, How do these biblical passages
apply to the professional teacher?
4. "I don't hear what you are saying because who you are speaks louder than what you say". How
does this quote apply to the professional teacher as a community leader? Discuss.
5. A teacher is fully convinced that her religion is the only true religion, the only way to salvation.
As a result, she proselytes. Can her good intention of salvation for all justify her proselyting?
Why or why not?
6. As a community leader, what will you do if you see something negative in the community
culture? Example.
7. Your mayor has a teacher candidate for a teaching position. Your ranking is over. Your mayor's
candidate was not part of the ranking and is not a licensed teacher. As a professional teacher,
what would you do?
8. Cite at least 3 specific ethical behaviors of a professional teacher based on Article III of the Code
of Ethics for Professional Teachers. Come up with a powerpoint presentation or a skit.

Let’s Check for Understanding

1. Give at least 3 expectations that community has for teachers.

2. How should a professional teacher regard indigenous people’s culture.

Let's Reflect

1. The mother of this author was once a public school teacher. When this author was in her preschool age
her mother taught in the remote barrios of the town and so where her mother was assigned the family
went along. This author vividly remembers how her mother was dearly loved by the community. She was
teacher, counselor and consultant to everyone who came. She was indeed a missionary. Her transfer to
another school was always an emotional one, a mother crying, too. To top it all, the one most touching
etched in my memory was one community leader had a big rooster. So many wanted to buy that rooster
but refused to sell it. On the eve of our departure, he butchered it for that last evening meal with them.
This author will never forget such act of generosity. In their poverty, these people can give all.

a) If given the opportunity, would you welcome teaching in the far flung schools? Why or Why not?

b) If you say yes to the call to teach in a far flung school what should be doing more in your pre-
service education?

Taking It to the Net

1. One instance that proves that school-community partnership has been established is the Brigada
Eskwela of the Department. of Education. Research on what Brigada Eskwela is and the good
things it has brought to schools. Share your research findings in class.
2. In what other ways can parents and community leaders be involved in the school to improve
school performance?
3. a) Interview a school head and a member/members of the School Governing Council. Ask:

1)what they have accomplished as a School Governing Council

2) what difficulties they are facing

b) Share your findings with the class.

c) Based on your interview, are you in favor of schools having a SGC? Or is the PTA enough?
Defend your stand.

4. Assign four to read "The Power of Social and Emotional Skills by OECD and ask them to share
at least 5 findings related to conducive learning atmosphere.
 A 2015 publication from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD),
The Power of Social and Emotional Skills, highlights a nine-country analysis that found there is a
common set of skills that seems to matter across cultures including self-esteem, self-efficacy, and
sociability. These skills consistently affect outcomes like college completion, job attainment, health, and
civic engagement.

LET Clinchers

1. In her leadership in the community, a professional teacher shows no signs of ethnocenricism? What
does this mean?

A. Does not belittle other peoples' culture

B. Looks at her culture as superior to other's culture

C. Is ashamed of her own culture

D. Does not mind other people's culture

2. The professional teacher is quite xencocentirc. How is this manifested?

A. Looks at her culture as superior to that of others

B. Looks at her culture as inferior to that of others

C. Does not mind if her culture is inferior or superior

D. Is at home with all cultures

3. Which is a policy-making body composed of internal and external stakeholders with whom school head
and teachers relate?

A. Parents Teachers Association

B. Supreme Student Council

C. School Governing Council

D. Faculty Club

4. Who is not a member of the Parent Teachers Association?

A. Parents with no child currently enrolled in school

B. Parents of children currently enrolled in school

C. School head

D. Teacher representative

5. As a teacher, you are a facilitator of learning? What is expected of you?

A. Do not fail anyone.

B. Make teaching-learning interactive and exciting.

C. Use video clips.

D. Allow them to use the cellphones in the classroom.