PROFESSIONAL ETHICS FOR TEACHERS

Dr. Yashpreet Kaur

Assistant Professor
Lovely Professional University,
Punjab
 
What is Profession ?
Profession term is defined (by
oxford dictionary) as a type of job
which requires special skill and
training. Especially the job which
requires higher educational
qualification and training such as
teaching, doctor, lawyer etc. The
term special skill and training means
to acquire a particular profession,
one must possess the training and
skill specifically for that profession.
What is Ethics?
Oxford’s advanced learners’ dictionary defines the term ethics as “moral
principle that govern or influence a person’s behavior”.
Ethics is a branch of philosophy, which deals with the concepts of right
and wrong doing. Ethics is a set of principles that govern the behavior
of the individual.
Professional Ethics
Professional ethics depends upon the profession, which one possesses. It
is the set of principles and rules which one follows for being in a
profession. This includes certain characteristics that one must possess
for being in a profession such as trustworthiness, respect, responsibility,
fairness, caring, citizenship, obligations, duties and behavior towards
each aspect of the profession.
Teaching is not everyone’s cup of tea.
Characteristics that one must possess for
being ethical in a teaching profession
1. Trustworthiness: Teaching profession revolves around the teacher student’s relationship, teacher and school
association and teacher society interaction. Trustworthiness of a teacher is one of the major trait which
makes such associations strong and worthy.
2. Respect: Respect is giving due regard to the work and behavior of any person. Being a
teacher, it demands the honour and respect from fellow beings and students, but respect is
something which is not earned rather it is attained through righteous efforts and humble
ethical behavior.

3. Responsibility: The most important trait a teacher must possess is the trait of responsibility
as teaching profession demands due care and responsibility towards students, their
performance, growth and development, emotional wellness etc.

4. Fairness: Teacher deals with number of students in the teaching learning process. Students
consider teachers to be a role model and inspiration. Therefore, teacher is supposed to be
fair enough to deal with students with equity and equality with any bias and prejudice.
5. Caring: Being caring for a teacher demands a teacher to duly care about the interest of the students, their
emotional, intellectual, social and moral development.

6. Citizenship: One of the major aims of education is to make an individual a good citizen. To develop the
citizenship quality in students, teacher herself should portray this trait.

7. Obedience to the law: Education makes an individual socially acceptable. The norms and laws of society
are taught by teachers in school education as one of the major aspect. Thus the quality of obeying the law
and legislation of the society should be there in the teacher.

8. Loyalty: A teacher should be loyal towards each aspect of teaching profession. When a teacher teaches to
the students, he/she not only imparts knowledge but rather leave his impression on the student’s minds. The
basic aim of education is inculcating values in students. Therefore loyalty of a teacher illuminate the moral
values like truthfulness, fairness, honesty, integrity etc. in the students
PROFESSIONAL ETHICS OF THE
TEACHERS
Based on the code of professional ethics reported by NCTE (2010) as
recommended by Right to Education Act, 2009, there are certain
professional ethics a teacher must possess. These are:
1. Ethics towards Students
• Inculcating Value education
• Development of moral attitude
• Encouraging students for classroom discussion
• Holistic development of students
• Maintaining discipline
• Inculcating decision-making ability
• Developing leadership qualities
2. Ethics towards Parents
• Motivating parents for creating healthy environment for their children
• Providing assistance in decision making
• Providing information related to child’s aptitude
• Creating relationship between parents and the school
3. Ethics towards Society
• Making the students aware about the social norms
• Help students understand their rights and duties
• Imparting social values
• Developing patience and tolerance
• Help promote national integration
4. Ethics towards Profession
 Honour the profession
 Growth and development of the profession
 Creation of healthy work culture
 Maintenance of confidentiality
5. Ethics towards the higher authorities
 Abiding by the rules and regulations
 Planning and designing of growth strategies
 Maintaining link between higher authorities and students
 Construction of policies and programs for school
 Effective implementation of the policies
Why a teacher need to possess professional
ethics ?
1. Accountability: Being in teaching profession, a teacher has to carry different responsibilities towards students, fellow
teachers, administrators etc. if a teacher is not responsible for his/her duties and obligations, then it certainly affects on
his/ her performance. The professional ethics encourages a teacher to stay accountable towards his profession.

2. Social development: Schools and society have a very close relationship and are influenced by one another. It is of
prime importance to develop and inculcate social ethical principles among the students to build a morally upright
society and the teachers play an important role in this development. Professional ethics of the teachers ignites a
feeling of respect and honour for every social aspect.

3. Self satisfaction: Teaching job demands the satisfaction of the learners, society and the institution. To attain this
satisfaction, a teacher must be self satisfied herself first. The ethical principles make a person to choose right things
over the wrong ones. Thus following such righteous conduct leads a teacher to do right things and to be self satisfied.

4. Good conduct and behavior: Professionally ethical teacher helps in guiding the students to have a good conduct and
behavior. Professional ethics helps a teacher to nurture the behavior of the students.
5. Role model: Students usually follows the footsteps of their teachers. If the teacher behaves in a positive and
right manner with everyone in the school, this act of teacher influences the mindset of the students to a large
extent. Professional ethics motivates the teacher to behave in the right manner at right time and in a right
place.

6. Strong work culture: Every professional institute demands a distinctive and strong work culture. To make
it smooth and strong every professional should behave in a professional manner. Professional ethics makes a
teacher professionally good and helps in maintaining the professional culture of the school strong.

7. Adoption of norms of the profession: In every profession, there are certain norms and principles to achieve
the professional vision and mission. Smooth functioning of the schools is conduct by certain set of rules and
regulations. Professional ethics encourages a teacher to accept, follow and adopt these rules and regulations
for the achievement of educational goals.
THANK YOU