THE TEACHER AND THE

COMMUNITY:TEACHERS
ETHICAL AND PROFESSIONAL
BEHAVIOR
GROUP 5
 CODE OF ETHICS FOR PROFESSIONAL
TEACHERS, ARTICLE lll

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 lll 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
lll give more details.
 TEACHERS AS FACILITATOR OF
LEARNING
Article lll, Section l 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 preparations.
TEACHERS 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-in-the-world and to-be-in-
the-world-with-others and the for others.
The words in Section 2 of Article lll 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 wait: 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 approprate and to be actively involved
in matters affecting the welfare of people.
 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 inveteate gambler chain smoker and alcoholic or if it is
common knowledge that you are engaged in an illict relationship, how
can you have moral authority? Who will listen to you when you advise
your class not to smoke, not drink alcoholic drinks, not to gamble, etc.
TEACHERS ATTITUDE TOWARD LOCAL
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 professonal teacher is neither
ethnocentric nor xenocentric. He/she is not ethnocentric and so does
not look down on communitys 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 communitys culture.
 THE PROFESSONAL TEACHER AND
INFORMATION UPDATE
Section 5 states that the teacher “shall help the school inform the
community about the school works, accomplishments,needs and problems.
Community here refers to internal as well as external stakeholders. Internal
stakeholders include the students and the teachers. The external
stalkeholders are the other parents in the community without children
enrolled in school,barangay officials and other government officials,non-
government organizations,government organizations,alumni/alumnate and
retirees.
 THE PARENTS-TEACHERS
ASSOCIATION

We have parents and teachers association ( 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 for 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. 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 professionals
teachers. It is always best to be in good terms with everyone else in the
community.
 THE PROFESSIONAL TEAHER 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 jobas 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 professional and
worship, without discrimination or preference, shall forever be
allowed,”( Article ll, Section 6).
 TAKEWAYS
• Article lll 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 leaders, 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
uploaded with happenings in the school-accomplishment,
achievements, problems and project.
• At all times, at all places and for all people, don’t misuse nor abuse that
authority or power bestowed on you as a professional teacher. For you
to be credible as a community leader, you shall behave with honor and
dignity twenty-four hours a day, 7 days a week, respect community
culture and seek to understand them or else lose your “flavor” as a
community leader.
THANK YOU
AND
GODBLESS