1. The Teacher and Community:
Teacher’s Ethical and
Professional Behavior
Prepared by:
Mary Blanche Palmes
Hannah Pearl Serrano
Jaymar Hablado
2. INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES:
At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
Elaborate on community’s expectation from teachers
and on teachers’ expectation from communities.
Describe teacher’s ethical and professional behavior in the
community by giving concrete example.
3. 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.
4. SECTION 1:
TEACHER AS FACILITATOR OF LEARNING
Article III, Section I 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 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.
5. SECTION 1:
TEACHER AS FACILITATOR OF LEARNING
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 forward 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 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 like Teacher, Rita Pierson in TED Talk is a facilitator of learning.
6. SECTION 2:
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 . 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.
7. SECTION 2:
TEACHER LEADERSHIP AND INITIATIVE FOR
COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION
The words in Section 2 of Article II 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 explicates how you can show your professional leadership, to
with: "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.
8. SECTION 3:
"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
relationship, 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.”
9. SECTION 3:
"PROFESSIONAL TEACHER WITH HONOR AND DIGNITY
Society expects so much of teachers that when they tail 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.
10. SECTION 4:
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 exocentric. 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 exocentric and so looks at his/her culture as inferior in to other community's
culture.
11. SECTION 4:
TEACHER'S ATTITUDE TOWARD LOCAL CUSTOMS AND
TRADITIONS
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 purity, however, the negative aspects with teacher
pointing them out tactfully and sincerely.
12. SECTION 5:
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.
13. SECTION 5:
THE PROFESSIONAL TEACHER AND INFORMATION UPDATE
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 participate more actively in the resolution of
school's problems and needs.
14. SECTION 6:
TEACHER IS INTELLECTUAL LEADER IN
THE COMMUNITY
Every teacher is 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 actively be involved in matters
affecting the welfare of the people.
15. SECTION 7:
THE PROFESSIONAL TEACHER AND GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS
AND OTHER PROFESSIONALS
Section 7 states: "Every teacher shall maintain harmonious 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.
16. SECTION 7:
THE PROFESSIONAL TEACHER AND GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS
AND OTHER PROFESSIONALS
Desiderata give 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”.
17. SECTION 8:
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. tor 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 aw 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).
