CA2

Tutorial Paper 1
Leader: Kevin Maye

Student Name
Christopher Roche (G00270882)

Tutorial Paper Number

Tutorial Paper Number 1

Reading Article Reference

The Teaching Council of Ireland. (2016). Code of Professional Conduct for Teachers .
Ireland: Teaching Council.

Article Summary (Teaching Council Code of Conduct)

The Code of Professional Conduct for Teachers applies to all registered teachers. The Code
has three primary purposes; firstly, it serves as a guiding compass assisting teachers in
upholding the honour and dignity of the teaching profession. Secondly, it is used to inform
people's understanding and expectations of the teaching profession in Ireland. Thirdly, it
has an essential legal standing and is used as a reference point for investigations and
disciplinary procedures.
Concerning the above primary purposes, the Code encapsulates the values of Respect,
Care, Integrity, and Trust. These primary purposes are evident throughout the Code. These
core values underpin everything a teacher does in the practice of their profession.
The Code then sets out six standards which are central to the practice of teaching and are
the standards expected of registered teachers. These six standards are; Professional Values
and Relationships, Professional Integrity, Professional Conduct, Professional Practice,
Professional Development and Professional Collegiality and Collaboration.
Firstly, Professional Values and Relationships ensure that teachers are committed to their
students' best interests while showing an appreciation for the values and beliefs of diverse
learners and learning styles. Secondly, Professional Integrity ensures that teachers act with
honesty and integrity in all aspects of their work and work within set guidelines. Thirdly,
Professional Conduct outlines how teachers should conduct themselves while upholding
the reputation and standing of the profession. Professional practice is the next standard
discussed. It outlines how teachers should commit to catering to all students' needs while
keeping the students’ best interests at heart and always maintaining the highest standards.
Next, Professional Development outlines how teachers should take personal responsibility
for sustaining and improving the quality of their professional practice. Lastly, Professional
Collegiality and Collaboration outlines how teachers should collaborate and cooperate with
their colleagues and the wider teaching community.
The Code is written in accordance with the Council's Policy on the Continuum of Teacher
Education. It envisages that every teacher is a reflective practitioner whose key role is to
educate their pupils and support student teachers and newly qualified teachers. The Council
is mindful of the rights of students, parents and teachers and the responsibilities that
accompany those rights.
Alongside the Code of Conduct, nationally agreed procedures for dealing with complaints
at a school level are also operational in schools to deal with day-to-day issues as they arise.
Only complaints of a severe nature will progress to an inquiry. Anyone can make a
complaint to the Teaching Council concerning one of their members. The grounds on
which these complaints can be based are set out in the Teaching Council Acts, 2001 - 2015.
Following this, a hearing may be held concerning a complaint if deemed appropriate.

Critical Reflection on the Article (1 A4 Page)

In my opinion, the Teaching Council provides an invaluable service to teachers and the
broader education community, both nationally and internationally. It strives to ensure the
integrity of the teaching profession and the Irish education system. This was particularly
evident from an article in the Irish Times where the Council identified a candidate “teacher
who fraudulently created documents about his qualifications with the aim of securing a
job in an Irish secondary school” (O'Brien, 2022). This is one such incident which
demonstrated how the Teaching Council works to protect teachers' credibility and
integrity while also ensuring that only trained professionals educate students. Keeping in
mind the Teaching Councils' record of maintaining high standards in credibility and
integrity, I feel that all people in the teaching community can look upon them as a
guiding light leading us on the right path to being successful teachers.
I feel that the Code of Conduct is a crucial document when it comes to clarifying the
missions, values and standards that have long been experienced by pupils/students through
their participation in education. The document contains much valuable information;
however, it is concise enough to be easily read and understood. I feel the Code could
benefit from giving more detail on the six standards. For example, the Professional
Development section says that “teachers should take personal responsibility for sustaining
and improving the quality of their personal practice by actively maintaining their
knowledge and understanding to ensure it is current”. I feel this is a very vague statement
and is open to interpretation. I think that giving more detail in areas such as this could help
guide teachers to the most relevant sources and help keep teachers updated on current
relevant standards.
The Code takes into consideration the multitude of factors which are beyond a teacher's
control. These factors include the role of parents and guardians as primary educators,
access to resources and supports, and individual students' level of motivation. It is essential
that teachers are conscious of these factors so that they can structure and differentiate their
lessons accordingly. For example, students with low motivation levels could be engaged in
a class through their interests.
Overall, the Code gathers the fundamental ethics that inform the work of teachers and is
written in a way that is easily accessible to educators and those interested in education. The
Teaching Council states that using the Teaching Council Code of Professional Conduct for
Teachers strengthens the confidence and trust that society places upon teachers. I think that
we have the Code and the Teaching Council to thank for the highly professional teachers
that we have in our education system, and with some minor alterations, as mentioned
above, it could be considered a ‘Teacher’s Bible’, leading us all in the teaching profession
along the best path.
List of References

Bibliography
The Teaching Council of Ireland. (2016). Code of Professional Conduct for Teachers .
Ireland: Teaching Council.

O'Brien, C. (2022, August 12). Teacher ‘hugely ashamed’ over forging documents to secure
second level teaching post. The Irish Times.