Page 4 - Exploring Ethical Professional Relationships

Exploring Ethical Professional Relationships: A Self-Reflective Resource
Introduction
The Ethical Standards for the Teaching Profession provide a powerful ethical framework for critically reflecting on and exploring the individual and collective professional practices of educators. This holistic framework is intended to be used in an integrated fashion when investigating the ethical nature of teaching and educational leadership. Each ethical standard conveys essential ethical concepts and dimensions associated with ethical professional practice.
The Purposes of the Ethical Standards for the Teaching Profession are:
• to inspire members to reflect and uphold the honour and dignity of the teaching profession
• to identify the ethical responsibilities and commitments in the teaching profession
• to guide ethical decisions and actions in the teaching profession
• to promote public trust and confidence in the teaching profession.
The Ethical Standards for the Teaching Profession are: Care
The ethical standard of Care includes compassion, acceptance, interest and insight for developing students’ potential. Members express their commitment to students’ well-being and learning through positive influence, professional judgment and empathy in practice.
Respect
Intrinsic to the ethical standard of Respect are trust and fair-mindedness.
Members honour human dignity, emotional wellness and cognitive development. In their professional practice, they model respect for spiritual and cultural values, social justice, confidentiality, freedom, democracy and the environment.
Trust
The ethical standard of Trust embodies fairness, openness and honesty. Members’ professional relationships with students, colleagues, parents, guardians and the public are based on trust.
Integrity
Honesty, reliability and moral action are embodied in the ethical standard of Integrity. Continual reflection assists members in exercising integrity in their professional commitments and responsibilities.
2 Ontario College of Teachers
(Ontario College of Teachers, 2006)