THE TEACHING PROFESSION

Code of Ethics for Professional Teachers

Preamble Teachers are duly licensed professionals who possesses dignity and reputation with
high moral values as well as technical and professional competence in the practice of their
noble profession, and they strictly adhere to, observe, and practice this set of ethical and moral
principles, standards, and values.

Section 2. This Code covers all public and private school teachers in all educational institutions
at the preschool, primary, elementary, and secondary levels whether academic, vocational,
special, technical, or non-formal.

Art. 2 - The Teacher and the State

Section 3. In the interest of the State and of the Filipino people as much as of his own, every
teacher shall be physically, mentally and morally fit.

A teacher shall not engage in the promotion of any political, religious, or other partisan interest,
and shall not, directly or indirectly, solicit, require, collect, or receive any money or service or
other valuable material from any person or entity for such purposes.

A teacher shall not use his position or official authority or influence to coerce any other person
to follow any political course of action.

Article III: The Teacher and the Community

Every teacher shall merit reasonable social recognition for which purpose he shall behave with
honour and dignity at all times and refrain from such activities as gambling, smoking,
drunkenness, and other excesses, much less illicit relations.

Every teacher shall live for and with the community and shall, therefore, study and understand
local customs and traditions in order to have sympathetic attitude, therefore, refrain from
disparaging the community.

Section 8. A teacher possesses freedom to attend church and worships as appropriate, but shall
not use his positions and influence to proselyte others.

Article IV: A Teacher and the Profession

Section 3. Every teacher shall participate in the Continuing Professional Education (CPE) program
of the Professional Regulation Commission, and shall pursue such other studies as will improve
his efficiency, enhance the prestige of the profession, and strengthen his competence, virtues, and
productivity in order to be nationally and internationally competitive.
Section 4. Every teacher shall help, if duly authorized, to seek support from the school, but shall
not make improper misrepresentations through personal advertisements and other questionable
means.
Article V: The Teachers and the Profession
Section 2. A teacher is not entitled to claim credit or work not of his own, and shall give due credit
for the work of others which he may use.
Section 4. A teacher shall hold inviolate all confidential information concerning associates and the
school, and shall not divulge to anyone documents which has not been officially released, or
remove records from files without permission.
Section 5. It shall be the responsibility of every teacher to seek correctives for what may appear to
be an unprofessional and unethical conduct of any associate. However, this may be done only if
there is incontrovertible evidence for such conduct.

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Section 6. A teacher may submit to the proper authorities any justifiable criticism against an
associate, preferably in writing, without violating the right of the individual concerned.

Article VI: The Teacher and Higher Authorities in the Profession

Section 2. A teacher shall not make any false accusations or charges against superiors, especially
under anonymity. However, if there are valid charges, he should present such under oath to
competent authority.

Article VIII: The Teachers and Learners

Section 4. A teacher shall not accept favours or gifts from learners, their parents or others in their
behalf in exchange for requested concessions, especially if undeserved.
Section 5. A teacher shall not accept, directly or indirectly, any remuneration from tutorials other
what is authorized for such service.
Section 7. In a situation where mutual attraction and subsequent love develop between teacher and
learner, the teacher shall exercise utmost professional discretion to avoid scandal, gossip and
preferential treatment of the learner
Section 8. A teacher shall not inflict corporal punishment on offending learners nor make
deductions from their scholastic ratings as a punishment for acts which are clearly not
manifestation of poor scholarship.

Article IX: The Teachers and Parents

Section 3. A teacher shall hear parent’s complaints with sympathy and understanding, and shall
discourage unfair criticism.

Article X: The Teacher and Business

Section 1. A teacher has the right to engage, directly or indirectly, in legitimate income generation;
provided that it does not relate to or adversely affect his work as a teacher.
Section 2. A teacher shall maintain a good reputation with respect to the financial matters such as
in the settlement of his debts and loans in arranging satisfactorily his private financial affairs.
Section 3. No teacher shall act, directly or indirectly, as agent of, or be financially interested in,
any commercial venture which furnish textbooks and other school commodities in the purchase
and disposal of which he can exercise official influence, except only when his assignment is
inherently, related to such purchase and disposal; provided they shall be in accordance with the
existing regulations; provided, further, that members of duly recognized teachers cooperatives may
participate in the distribution and sale of such commodities.

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RA 7836 AN ACT TO STRENGTHEN THE REGULATION AND SUPERVISION OF THE

PRACTICE OF TEACHING IN THE PHILIPPINES AND PRESCRIBING A
LICENSURE EXAMINATION FOR TEACHERS AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

This created the BOARD FOR PROFESSIONAL TEACHERS, a collegial body under the general
supervision and administrative control of the Professional Regulation Commission, hereinafter
referred to as the Commission.

EXAMINATION AND REGISTRATION

The examinations for the elementary and secondary school teachers shall be separate.
The examination for teachers in the secondary level shall consist of three (3) parts, namely:
professional education, general education, and field of specialization.
For teachers in the secondary grades, a bachelor's degree in education or its equivalent with a major
and minor.

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A professional license signed by the chairman of the Commission and bearing the registration
number and date of issuance thereof and the month of expiry or renewability shall likewise be
issued to every registrant who has paid the annual registration fees for three (3) consecutive years.
This license shall serve as evidence that the licensee can lawfully practice his profession until the
expiration of its validity.

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Progressivist – learn by doing (less teacher talk, more student talk), strive to simulate in the
classroom the life in the outside world, do not focus on facts and concepts, students’ interests and
needs are considered

Existentialist – the main concern is to help students understand and appreciate themselves as
unique individuals who accept complete responsibility of their thoughts, feelings and actions.

Perennialist – highlight the wisdom of ancient and medieval times. Perennialist classrooms are
teacher-centered. Do not sacrifice the subject matter for the sake of students’ interests.
Perennialism maintains that education involves confronting the problems and questions that have
challenged people over the centuries. Thus there is a need to study classical tradition of great
books.

Behaviorist teachers believe that students are a product of their environment, believe that they
control over some variables that affect learning. Human has no choice, he is determined by his
environment;
Behaviorist schools are concerned with the modification and shaping of students’ behavior by
providing for a favorable environment. A behaviourist believes that human behaviour can be best
explained in terms of responses to external stimuli. Also, education can be best achieved by
modifying or changing student behaviours in a socially acceptable manner through the
arrangement of the conditions for learning. The control is obtained not by manipulating the
individual, but the environment.

Essentialism contends that teachers teach for learners to acquire basic knowledge, skills and
values (basic skills or the fundamental Rs (reading, ‘riting, rithmetic, right conduct) as these are
essential to the acquisition of higher or more complex skills needed in preparation for adult life.
Curriculum includes the traditional disciplines such as math, natural sciences, history, literature.
Essentialist teachers emphasize mastery of subject matter. They are

Reconstructionists aim to teach students to reconstruct the society.

The model citizen of the reconstructionists is the citizen who contributes to the re-building of
society.

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Republic Act No. 9155 - “Governance of Basic Education Act of 2001.” In section 2, it says,
The school shall be the heart of the formal education system. It is where children learn. Schools
shall have a single aim of providing the best possible basic education for all learners.

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Learning to know implies learning how to learn by developing one’s concentration, memory
skills and ability to think.

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Learning to do more generally, entails the acquisition of a competence that enables people. to
deal with a variety of situations, often unforeseeable, and to work in teams, a feature to which
educational methods do not at present pay enough attention.

Learning to live together: it’s about having enough social skills to live with any kind of people
in a peaceful way. In order to do this, it’s important to understand and respect others by putting
certain values into practice.

The learning to be pillar, first used as the title of the 1972 Report to UNESCO of the International
Commission on the Development of Education, refers to the role of education in developing all the
dimensions of the complete person: the physical, intellectual, emotional and ethical integration of
the individual into a complete man, which is a broad definition of the fundamental aims of
education (Delors, 1996, p. 156).
Learning to be: it consists of developing all their individual skills. As a result, they’ll become
independent and responsible people. Therefore, this pillar includes all the pillars previously
mentioned.

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Republic Act No. 9293

AN ACT AMENDING CERTAIN SECS OF REPUBLIC ACT NUMBERED SEVENTY-EIGHT
HUNDRED AND THIRTY-SIX (R.A. NO. 7836), OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE
“PHILIPPINE TEACHERS PROFESSIONALIZATION ACT OF 1994”

“SEC. 15. Qualification Requirements of Applicants. – No applicant shall be admitted to take the
examination unless, on the date of filing of the application, he shall have complied with the
following requirements:

“(e) A graduate of a school, college or university recognized by the government and possesses the
minimum educational qualifications, as follows:

(1) For teachers in preschool, a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education (BECED) or its
equivalent;

(2) For teachers in the elementary grades, a bachelor’s degree in elementary education (BSEED)
or its equivalent;

(3) For teachers in the secondary grades, a bachelor’s degree in education or its equivalent with a
major and minor, or a bachelor degree in arts and sciences with at least eighteen (18) units in
professional education; and

(4) For teachers of vocational and two-year technical courses, a bachelor’s degree in the field of
specialization or its equivalent, with at least eighteen (18) units in professional education.”
“SEC. 26. Registration and Exception. – No person shall engage in teaching and/or act as a
professional teacher as defined in this Act, whether in the preschool, elementary or secondary
level, unless the person is a duly registered professional teacher, and a holder of a valid certificate
of registration and a valid professional license or a holder of a valid special/temporary permit.

Professional teachers who have not practiced their profession for the past five (5) years shall take
at least twelve (12) units of education courses, consisting of at least six (6) units of pedagogy and
six (6) units of content courses, or the equivalent training and number of hours, to be chosen from

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a list of courses to be provided by the Board and the Department of Education, before they can be
allowed to practice their profession in the country.

Those who have failed the licensure examination for professional teachers, with a rating of not
lower than five percentage points from the passing general average rating, shall be eligible as para-
teachers upon issuance by the Board of a two-year special permit, renewable for a non-extendible
period of two (2) years. The para-teachers shall be assigned to areas where there is a shortage or
absence of a professional teacher, as identified and provided by the Department of Education and
the Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) education department to the Board for
professional teachers and to the Commission. The special permit shall indicate the area of
assignment of the para-teacher.
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1. Resource Provider - Teachers help their colleagues by sharing instructional resources. These
might include websites, instructional materials, readings, or other resources to use with students.
They might also share such professional resources as articles, books, lesson or unit plans, and
assessment tools.
2. Instructional Specialist
An instructional specialist helps colleagues implement effective teaching strategies. This help
might include ideas for differentiating instruction or planning lessons in partnership with fellow
teachers. Instructional specialists might study research-based classroom strategies (Marzano,
Pickering, & Pollock, 2001); explore which instructional methodologies are appropriate for the
school; and share findings with colleagues.
3. Curriculum Specialist
Understanding content standards, how various components of the curriculum link together, and
how to use the curriculum in planning instruction and assessment is essential to ensuring consistent
curriculum implementation throughout a school. Curriculum specialists lead teachers to agree on
standards, follow the adopted curriculum, use common pacing charts, and develop shared
assessments.
4. 4. Classroom Supporter
Classroom supporters work inside classrooms to help teachers implement new ideas, often by
demonstrating a lesson, coteaching, or observing and giving feedback. Blase and Blase (2006)
found that consultation with peers
5. Learning Facilitator
Facilitating professional learning opportunities among staff members is another role for teacher
leaders. When teachers learn with and from one another, they can focus on what most directly
improves student learning. Their professional learning becomes more relevant, focused on
teachers' classroom work, and aligned to fill gaps in student learning. Such communities of
learning can break the norms of isolation present in many schools.
6. Mentor
Serving as a mentor for novice teachers is a common role for teacher leaders. Mentors serve as
role models; acclimate new teachers to a new school; and advise new teachers about instruction,
curriculum, procedure, practices, and politics. Being a mentor takes a great deal of time and
expertise and makes a significant contribution to the development of a new professional.
7. School Leader
Being a school leader means serving on a committee, such as a school improvement team; acting
as a grade-level or department chair; supporting school initiatives; or representing the school on
community or district task forces or committees. A school leader shares the vision of the school,
aligns his or her professional goals with those of the school and district, and shares responsibility
for the success of the school as a whole.
8. Data Coach
Although teachers have access to a great deal of data, they do not often use that data to drive
classroom instruction. Teacher leaders can lead conversations that engage their peers in analyzing
and using this information to strengthen instruction.

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9. Catalyst for Change
Teacher leaders can also be catalysts for change, visionaries who are “never content with the status
quo but rather always looking for a better way” (Larner, 2004, p. 32). Teachers who take on the
catalyst role feel secure in their own work and have a strong commitment to continual
improvement. They pose questions to generate analysis of student learning.

10. Learner
Among the most important roles teacher leaders assume is that of learner. Learners model
continual improvement, demonstrate lifelong learning, and use what they learn to help all students
achieve.

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RA 6713 - "Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees
Norms of Conduct of Public Officials and Employees
- Commitment to public interest - uphold the public interest over and above personal interest
- Professionalism - shall perform and discharge their duties with the highest degree of
excellence, professionalism, intelligence and skill
- Justness and sincerity
- Political neutrality - shall provide service to everyone without unfair discrimination and
regardless of party affiliation or preference
- Responsiveness to the public - shall extend prompt, courteous, and adequate service to the
public.
- Nationalism and patriotism - shall at all times be loyal to the Republic and to the Filipino
people, promote the use of locally produced goods, resources and technology and
encourage appreciation and pride of country and people.
- Commitment to democracy
- Simple living. shall lead modest lives appropriate to their positions and income. They shall
not indulge in extravagant or ostentatious display of wealth in any form
. Duties of Public Officials and Employees
(a) Act promptly on letters and requests. - All public officials and employees shall, within
fifteen (15) working days from receipt thereof, respond to letters, telegrams or other means
of communications sent by the public. The reply must contain the action taken on the
request.

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RA 4670 Magna Carta for Public School Teachers
II. RECRUITMENT AND CAREER
minimum educational qualifications for teacher applicants:
For teachers in the kindergarten and elementary grades, Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education
(B.S.E.ED.);
For teachers of the secondary schools, Bachelor's degree in Education or its equivalent with a
major and a minor; or a Bachelor's degree in Arts or Science with at least eighteen professional
units in Education.
For teachers of secondary vocational and two years technical courses, Bachelor's degree in the
field of specialization with at least eighteen professional units in education;
For teachers of courses on the collegiate level, other than vocational, master's degree with a
specific area of specialization:
SEC. 4. Probationary Period.—When recruitment takes after adequate training and professional
preparation any school recognized by the Government, no probationary period preceding regular
appointment shall imposed if the teacher possesses the appropriate civil service eligibility:
Provided, however, That where, due to the exigencies of the service, it is necessary to employ
teacher a person who possesses the minimum educational qualifications herein above set forth but

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lacks the appropriate civil service eligibility, such person shall be appointed on a provisional status
and shall undergo a period of probation for not less than one year from and after the date of his
provisional appointment.

III. HOURS OF WORK AND REMUNERATION

SEC. 13. Teaching Hours.—Any teacher engaged in actual classroom instruction shall not be
required to render more than six hours of actual classroom teaching may, which shall be so
scheduled as to give him time for the preparation and correction of exercises and other incidental
to his normal teaching duties: Provided, however, That where the exigencies of the service so
require, any teacher may be required to render more hours but not exceeding eight hours of actual
loom teaching a day upon payment of additional compensation at the same rate as his regular
remuneration plus at least twenty-five per cent of his basic pay.
Special Hardship Allowances.—In areas in which teachers are exposed to hardship such as
difficulty commuting to the place of work or other hazards peculiar to the place of employment,
as determined by the Secretary of Education, they shall be compensated special hardship
allowances equivalent to at least twenty-five per cent of their monthly salary.

V. LEAVE AND RETIREMENT BENEFITS

SEC. 24. Study Leave.—In addition to the leave privileges now enjoyed by teachers in the public
schools, they shall be entitled to study leave not exceeding one school ear after seven years of
service. Such leave shall be ranted in accordance with a schedule set by the Department of
Education. During the period of such leave, the teachers shall be entitled to at least sixty per cent
of their monthly salary: Provided, however, That no teacher shall be allowed to accumulate more
than one year study leave, unless he needs an additional semester td finish his thesis for a graduate
study in education or allied courses: Provided, further, That no compensation shall be due the
teacher after the first year of such leave. In all cases, the study leave period shall be counted for
seniority and pension purposes.
SEC. 25. Indefinite Leave.—An indefinite sick leave of absence shall be granted to teachers when
the nature of the illness demands a long treatment that will exceed one year at the least.

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