STANDARD 7: ENGAGE PROFESSIONALLY WITH COLLEAGUES, PARENTS / CARERS AND THE COMMUNITY
7.1 Meet professional ethics and responsibilities
7.1 Meet professional ethics and responsibilities
Understand and apply the key principles described in codes of ethics and conduct for the teaching profession.
Evidence
Annotation
This evidence is my mentor teacher's overall comment from the final placement report completed on my last day.
Reflective statement
Hooper (2018, pp. 301) establishes that “early childhood professionals are in a unique position of trust and influence in their relationships with children, families, colleagues and the community, therefore professional accountability is vital”. The Code of Ethics and Code of Conduct have been designed to establish the expectations and values of the teaching profession (Victorian Institute of Teaching [VIT], 2021). The Code of Ethics promotes the values of integrity, respect and responsibility that underpin teaching practice, whilst the Code of Conduct outlines the professional responsibilities of teachers to provide quality teaching and ensure the safety, wellbeing and inclusion of all students (VIT, 2021). Adhering to these codes is fundamental to the role of an educator.
McArdle et al., (2015, as cited in Hooper, 2018) indicate that whilst on placement, pre-service teachers have access to significant amounts of privileged information about children, families and staff at the school. They emphasise the importance of honouring the trust and respect that these relations are built upon in order to uphold professional responsibility. Throughout my placement I strove to fulfil and uphold the obligations and values described in the Codes through all of my interactions with students, parents and colleagues alike.
References
Hooper, A. (2018). Introduction to professional practice. In E. Irving, & C, Carter (Eds.). The child in focus : Learning and teaching in early childhood education (pp. 289-319). Oxford University Press.
Victorian Institute of Teaching [VIT]. (2021). Codes of Conduct and Ethics. VIT. https://www.vit.vic.edu.au/maintain/conduct/codes
VIT. (Last updated 2021, May). The Victorian teaching profession’s code of conduct. VIT. https://www.vit.vic.edu.au/sites/default/files/media/pdf/2021-07/Document_VIT_Code_of_Conduct.pdf
VIT. (Last updated 2021, May). The Victorian teaching profession’s code of ethics. VIT. https://www.vit.vic.edu.au/sites/default/files/media/pdf/2021-07/Document_VIT_Code_of_Ethics.pdf
