Alyssa Supple

Professor Suk
Educational Field Experience EDUC 230-13
Spring 2015
Rationale Statement Blog Posts NJPTS Standard Eleven
Statement of Standard Eleven:
Ethical Practice. The teachers acts in accordance with legal and ethical
responsibilities and uses integrity and fairness to promote the success of all students,
(NJPTS, 2014, p. 39).
Name of Artifact: Blog Posts
Date of Artifact: March 23 April 9, 2015
Course: Education Field Experience EDUC 230-13
Rationale Statement:
The blog statements that I composed, in regards to my service learning
experience, served as an outlet for me to express my thoughts regarding the teaching
profession and how teachers uphold ethical practices in their classroom. The thirty-hour
experience gave me an inside view to the lives of a few teachers, and what I learned was
invaluable, but also surprising. The experience was overall a positive one, and I was
thrilled to observe how many teachers were focused on establishing a classroom
environment based upon respect and the wellbeing of their students. Standard Eleven
alludes to these practices, as it states, The teacher promotes aspects of students wellbeing by exercising the highest level of professional judgment, and working
cooperatively and productively with colleagues and parents to provide a safe, healthy, and
emotionally protective learning environment, (NJPTS, 2014, p. 40). This
professionalism is crucial to the classroom, as it is important to enter the classroom as a
teacher with an attitude that instills confidence in your students and that is based on

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mutual respect. Unfortunately though, not all teachers adopted this mentality when it
came to instructing their class.
I observed many teachers who were unable to set aside their biases, and who did
not seem to fully understand the weight of their words in the classroom. Sarcasm and
teasing ran rampant at the school I was observing, and while I believe the intentions were
light-hearted, there were some moments where I could see a students discomfort with a
particular teachers statement. While the teacher did apologize, I do not believe anything
should have been said in this manner that caused the student embarrassment in the first
place. Teachers need to be aware of the different personalities and identities that will pass
through their class, and need to respect students beliefs and decisions in a professional
and understanding way. Standard Eleven further explicates: The teacher understands
how personal identity, worldview, and prior experience affect perceptions and
expectations, and recognizes how they may bias behaviors and interactions with others,
(NJPTS, 2014, p. 41). This type of understanding stretches outside of the classroom as
well. I observed in the way that teachers communicate outside of the classroom that many
teachers do not [uphold] the highest standards of professional conduct both as a
practitioner in the classroom and as an employee vested with the public trust, (NJPTS,
2014, p.41). Gossip about students and their personal character is out of line, as were
many of the statements I heard teachers saying about their colleagues and superiors.
I reflected upon these experiences in my blog posts, as I attempted to understand
the meaning for many of the behaviors and actions I observed. Relating all of these to
Standard Eleven helped me realize further the importance of our actions as educators in
shaping the lives of our students and how our ethical practices are so instrumental to their

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wellbeing and to their education. The service learning experience was one that was
extremely influential and one that served to further motivate my becoming a teacher. By
having the blog posts as an outlet for reflection, I appreciate even more the demands and
responsibilities that are a part of the profession.
While I will most likely not be required to use blog posts in my future career as an
educator, I realize the importance of artifacts such as these, and will continue
documenting my thoughts and experiences through such a medium, while encouraging
my students to do the same. By having a written artifact to look back upon based on your
thoughts and experiences, moments in time become more memorable and meaningful,
and it is important to realize the part that your thoughts play in shaping your teaching and
learning philosophies.
References
Professional Development in New Jersey. (2014, August 4). Retrieved from New Jersey
State Department of Education: http://www.state.nj.us/education/code/current/
title6a/chap9c.pdf