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Friday, January 6, 2012
Chapter 10- Introduction to Teaching-Kauchak ,Eggen School Law: Ethical and Legal Influences on Teaching
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Chapter 10 definitely provided food for thought. Every profession is likely to have an ethics code to abide by, and teachers seem to be under a magnifying glass on that issue. There are laws, surely, to protect both teachers and students, but, like the text pointed out, laws don't tell people what they should do. In order to make right decisions, teachers have to turn to ethics, which is a discipline that examines values and offers principles that can be used to decide whether acts are right or not (Chapter 10, p. 288). I liked the example in the beginning of the chapter, where a teachers decides to discuss in his class an open-space initiative, which he totally supports. He even offers extra credit for passing out fliers after school. This creates a kind of a commotion, because even though teachers have a certain freedom of speech, they have to provide both sides of the argument to promote healthy class discussion on the subject. The fact that the teacher failed to bring up business's concerns regarding open-space initiative, shows that he was preferential in the topic.
ReplyDeleteAnother issue I wanted to bring up is teacher's liability. The two accidents described on page 295 were eye opening to me, as I forgot how much actual responsibility teachers actually carry for their students. The principle of in loco parentis, or “in place of the parents” provides a sobering view of just how much teachers are liable in case of negligence. I was glad to know that the teacher was not found guilty of negligence in the case of a child throwing a rock and injuring another child. The fact that the teacher was present, and could not have foreseen the accident and thus prevented it, was enough for the courts to decide favorably. On the other hand, when a wave brought in a log, which seriously injured a student wading in water, the teacher was found guilty for negligence, since this is something that should have been anticipated. I was a bit surprised by this decision, as I don't see how the teacher could have anticipated the wave or the log, unless of course, the log was near by, floating, and the wave just moved it along closer. Under those circumstances, I do think the teacher should have gotten the students out of the water, away from the log. The line between the two cases is pretty thin, and I suppose every day should be treated carefully by the teacher, in order to avoid any kind of a serious injury. I was surprised that teachers, of all professions, should consider carrying liability insurance, in order to be protected from law suits
Victoria,
DeleteTeachers do have a great responsibility for students, I agree. To have to carry liability insurance was unheard of in past years. When reading about the teacher who told his students about cause that he supported I realized quickly that he had not given the facts so they could choose but made it so they had to promote the cause he believes in to get extra credit at all which is wrong. There are great causes out there but they should be presented to inform only, letting the students choose what they want to support.
Chapter 10 talks about the different ethic codes that teachers must follow and how to follow these within the standards of the school system. There are laws that help protect the teachers and the students but these laws do not tell the teachers how to react to certain situations. As a teacher you must turn to the code of ethics and use it wisely to make the right decisions for yourself and your students. We have seen a lot of disturbing things on the news on the bad decisions teachers and students have made. Like just recently here in Florida a teacher resigned after a comment she made about how much cleavage a student in her class was showing a brought a ruler up to the student’s cleavage in class to measure how much the student was wearing. In this situation was the teacher right or wrong because I remember when I went to school they were always measuring how long our shorts were either by ruler or by our arms and finger tips. The way it might a happened may not have been appropriate because it was during class but I do understand the point the teacher was trying to get across if it was not appropriate school attire. So you really have to take in consideration how you handle things before you do it as teacher.
ReplyDeleteI was unaware about the teacher that used the ruler to measure the student’s cleavage. I see the problem here. Teachers are meant to teach the students and prepare them for the “real world” I think that this is where you have teachers that do these sorts of “out of place” things. I do think the teacher was wrong for doing that to a student. I think the teacher or administration should tell the girl to wear a shirt over her clothes and then punishment should be followed, such as detention. I think that this would be a more appropriate form of punishment. I do think the girl should be taught that this is not a proper way to dress.
DeleteThere are a lot of things teachers have to consider on day to day basis, especially because children are involved. After all, as educators, teachers not only provide instructions to their students, but role model examples as well. It boggles my mind that a teacher would take a ruler to measure a student's anything, in front of everyone else. This is definitely very inappropriate conduct for a teacher, and should not have happened. Of course, worse things have happened unfortunately, like teachers participating in sexual relationships with students.
DeleteChapter 10 in the text is about the code and ethics of teachers. I didn’t realize how much teachers have to think about in regard to codes of conduct. In my opinion, teachers have a very difficult job because they not only have to do their job and do it well but they also have the care and responsibility of another person’s child in their care. That is a lot of pressure to take on in my opinion. I was really surprised by the stories of the teachers that made lawsuits. I didn’t think of all the situations that teachers have that could get them into trouble. I noticed that there is so much in place for avoiding lawsuits in the education world. There are forms for different things, restrictions on certain educational experiences and codes of ethics for what to bring up on certain topics. This chapter really made me think of the controversy surrounding whether or not to teach evolution in schools. I think this is such an important topic. I think that both should be taught in schools so that the child has the knowledge of both. I think that at this age the children should be given the information and then have it left up to them on what they believe in or not. I think the same way with the debate over whether or not to teach sex education in schools. I think it is up to teachers to teach children all the information and let the children make up their own minds. In this case, I believe that it is better for teens to know about how to protect themselves. In all this chapter taught me about how to use the code of conduct and ethics in the school environment.
ReplyDeleteS Whitson,
DeleteI agree with you that teachers have a lot of pressure. I, too, thought reading about the law suits was very interesting. There are so many issues that could come into play while being an educator. Unfortunately, all the controversial topics of teaching have altered the way students get information. So, we as future educators will have to be very careful about comments regarding many issues.
I agree that providing students with all the available information and allowing them to think critically and make judgements is the best course of action. I do not however feel that this important job can be done solely by the public school system. In the case of scientific and religious perspectives on the origins of the universe and life that inhabits it, I believe that it is the schools' responsibility to teach sound science. It is the job of the family, community, and religious institutions to teach whatever creation stories they hold dear. After all, science is part of the public school curriculum, and there are as many creation stories as there are religions and cultures.
DeleteI agree with you teachers really have to keep their guard up and be aware of the laws and regulations that are out there. It is unfortunate that when live in a society today where everybody seems to sue others for their misfortune. Teachers must educate themselves on these laws and make sure not to fall victim to a technicality.
DeleteChapter 10 Blog
ReplyDeleteWhen reading the chapter about School Law, I felt as though the laws tried to be specific but cover a large range of issues. The laws focus on “General Guidelines” which makes it so teachers have to have strong professional ethics. Because there are laws that protect teachers and students, they have to be general, kind of like an umbrella. Teachers have to make split second decisions when dealing with problems in the classroom or problems on the playground. You have to think about what you’re going to say when upset with a student, use diplomacy and professionalism when dealing with the students and the parents 24/7. Teachers not only have to be quick thinkers, but good role models, as well.
I too thought that the "umbrella" of laws was fairly broad, and required ever situation to be treated differently. In the text, the authors pointed out examples where some teachers were considered liable and and others were not. And like you said, teachers do make split second decisions everyday, and the wrong decision can quickly become liability suit, and the teacher can loose their job for good.
DeleteHi Mitchell,
DeleteYou used a good analogy. It bothers me that the term "guidelines" can be so loosely interpreted. I think there is too much room for error. I'm not sure that teachers are as protected as they should be. I feel that if a teacher does something that is negligent, unethical or abusive, of course they should be held accountable. I'm just a bit concerned on the administrators making judgments based on their opinion or views. Good post.
Well, wasn’t chapter 10 just rife with controversy? The section that most ruffled my feathers was the section on teachers’ private lives. I agree that it is likely sage and prudent advice to suggest that teachers live within the bounds of the values and norms or the communities in which they teach. I do take issue, however, with the text book’s inference that these values represent “a higher moral standard”. (299) Are the values of the local community a higher moral standard if they are prejudiced or hateful? For example, if a teacher wished to marry someone of a different racial background but lived in a bigoted community that did not approve, conformity to this “higher moral standard” be a condition for the teachers continued employment? What if this prejudiced objection is not widely held, but merely a value for a vocal and persistent sub-group? These tricky questions make me want to throw out the “community value” litmus test in favor of some of the other criteria mentioned by our book. Note: I suppose these guidelines would be best directed at administrators considering a complaint than a teacher considering a personal decision.
ReplyDelete1. Is the Teacher reasonably discrete about his/her possibly controversial personal choices? Note: in cases of choice of domestic partner discretion may not be a reasonable request.
2. Is the teacher’s behavior illegal?
3. Is the teacher’s personal life in any way interfering with his/her effectiveness as a teacher?
4. How have courts ruled in similar cases?
Well, if you made it this far you are to be commended for your tolerance for soap boxy rants.
I just did an "author study" about Laura Ingalls Wilder for another class and read where women had to be at least 16 to teach and could not be married. What a difference a few decades makes!
DeleteThere are standards of right and wrong but some things are just plain choice. If doesn't interfere with your professionalism or put things out in the public that your students would see and be negatively influenced by then should it affect your job? These are great questions and each generation has a new set of values. There has to be a professional one in there somewhere.
DeleteAnalysis of the reading/issue.
ReplyDeleteWow, this chapter was a real eye opener for me. I found myself pretty amazed at some of the court rulings against teachers. It is quite terrifying to say the least. Teachers should be held to a very high ethical and moral standard. After all, teaching children is a serious responsibility. However, it seems as if the administrators have a little too much power over opinion matters. One case that really stuck out for me was the teacher who used the “Learning Ball” in his class. He was fired because he ignored warnings to stop this learning activity? That seems unjust.
2. Questions and/or contradictions about the reading/issue. I didn’t have any questions.
3. How did the reading reflect you or allow you to look at an issue differently?
I don’t think that teachers are treated fairly in many of the cases that I read. I didn’t realize that corporal punishment was still being used. I was surprised about negligence. “Parents have the right to sue a teacher if they can demonstrate that he or she failed to protect students from injury.” (287) This is such a fine line! Teachers should protect their students, but it is not realistic to expect teachers to prevent all accidents.
4. Connecting the reading to you. Examples of your own experience. I found myself recalling my grade school years as I was reading this chapter. I moved a lot when I was growing up. I went to many different schools and quickly learned that each school has a different way of doing things. For example, in Kansas none of the schools I went to used corporal punishment. In Oklahoma, it was exercised quite regularly. Imagine my surprise when I found out that they had a paddle and the teacher paddled students’ in front of the whole classroom. I knew I would never do anything to warrant such humiliation. I think that school systems should be more uniform. State control may not be the best solution in today’s society.
I too was floored to read corporal punishment is still being used in some schools. Can you imagine! I would hope that I would be sued if I were to hit a child that was not mine. Wow. I recall in my junior high school in Texas a teacher taking a student out in to the hall to punish him for talking back in class, and he took the wooden paddle. You could hear it hitting the child and he came in crying. Even then I remember thinking "my God I can't believe that!" It certainly made an impression on me that is for sure. I was so well behaved it isn't even funny. I will say he was a little more discrete than your teachers in Oklahoma in that he took them to the hall and didn't do it in front of the whole class. This chapter, like chapter 1 I think it was, made me go back to the thought "is this really what I want to go into? Do I want to be held accountable if something happens to one of my students simply because I didn't do enough?" There is so much to think about in education. It's not the school they portrayed in the old movies where the children are all quiet with their hands crossed on their desks and they give the teacher an apple. Now we are lucky if they don't bring a weapon to school and are actually sitting in the seats. Again, so much to think about.
DeleteAs a secretary to an assistant in a high school of over 3000 students for four years, I experienced the "legal system' in the public schools. I was the one to prepare the pages and pages of documents when a student was going to a hearing and everything had to be in "order". There was the case of one student that a security guard, when walking in the parking lot, saw in the open trunk a machete. While this was definitely a weapon, as stated in the student handbook: "No weapons are allowed on school property", what saved this student from being expelled was the intent. The student had simply forgotten to take the machete out of his trunk, he had bought it on a mission trip and it was taken to his church for display. The student was getting something else out of his trunk when the guard walked by. Page 289 mentions students lockers and the Fourth Amendment. Many times I would go on a locker search mainly for textbooks. What else I came across I turned over to security. We did bring in search dogs but the school had to be very careful and not infringe on the rights of the students unless there was definite suspicion of drugs.
ReplyDeleteIn large school districts, I agree with school uniforms as discussed on page 306. In the high school where I worked, as you can imagine with such a huge school population, enforcing the dress code was a daily nightmare! Students would be given detention for infringement again and again! One girl who came in my office that I told she was out of dress code for wearing a very low cut top went home and told her mother. The next day a woman came in my office and started chewing me out, actually yelling at me for getting onto her daughter and telling me I was not the fashion police. I called in a staff member in the office next to me as I knew I needed a witness to this ranting parent. We finally got her out of my office and I found out later that she lied about having business on campus just to get past the front office. This was not an unusual occurrence as parents who should have been supervising their child's dress greatly resented it when we imposed discipline on them. It is sad that schools are often put in the position of disciplining a student because of neglect on the parent's part, yet, the parent who could be "sue happy" is quick to see it quite differently.
In our middle school which is about ~650 students, we have a uniform policy as well. It does seem to help alot of the dress code issues. We still have problems with students not adhering to the uniform policy, but it's much easier to enforce that instead of a normal dress code. I have also been told that it's much cheaper to get kids ready for school. I had hoped in our school that uniforms would be the great equalizer, but it's not. The neglect that so many sutdents endure is still reflected even in uniforms.
DeleteChapter 10 is informing us on the legal and ethical things we will be encountering as teachers. The chapter informs about what we can be held liable for, like for instance, if I child gets hurt under our care we can be sued for negligence if it’s found that we could have prevented the injury. In one section it carefully states that as new teachers we should read our contracts carefully to become educated and informed on our obligations, rights, and district policies. There was also a section on collective bargaining with teachers which is unions. I talked to teachers in my building about the pros and cons of this. And the general consensus is that the teachers are in favor of their union. In addition to the safety they feel with their contracts, they know that they can’t be fired without due cause and representation. I was also told that their union provides life insurance as part of their benefits for being members, and they also get representation in legal situations. The chapter goes on to discuss copyright, liability, prayer in schools, corporal punishment, student rights, and teachers and students with aids. I glad to be more informed on prayer in schools. I have had students ask me religious questions in the middle school where I work and I have felt so uncomfortable with the situation, that I usually excuse myself from the conversation and refer the students to the teacher. Regarding corporal punishment, once when I was a teenager attending a private school briefly, I got mouthy with a teacher and I punished by the principal with swats. I was made to bend over his desk, and he took small board and swatted my bottom 5 times. It humiliating and degrading. To this day I still feel violated by the act. My act of disobedience was deserving of detention and a call to my Mom.
ReplyDeleteI always like to discuss how I did on the “This I Believe” section. I am so embarrassed to admit to you my peers that I got ALL five questions wrong! I did not believe that teachers have the right to determine what was taught. Wrong! I knew we were responsible for the safety of our students, but not to the extent that the text outlined. In fact what I have been taught and told as a para is contradictory to the text. For example, I have told to stay out of the fights between students for my own safety. I thought we were held to the same moral standards. I should have known better honestly, but when I answered the question, I thought yeah sure, the same. I thought ALL prayer was prohibited. Not so! I also believed that corporal punishment was now illegal. Also not so! I can’t help but feel if a child today received corporal punishment the school and the teacher or administrator could be sued for child abuse.
Don't worry. I also got many of the "This is Believe" section wrong! As I learned the right answers, I was thinking to myself "wow, I have a lot to learn before I actually get into teaching as a profession."
DeleteNisa, I always like reading your posts because you do provide how you did on the This I believe. I think it is a great way for me to see how someone currently in the education system does. Even though I am not in the education system yet, I like to think I can answer the questions correctly before I read the chapter. Sadly, I always learn I am wrong (not on all but quite a few) but by the end of the chapter, I learn and if I should answer the questions again, I can answer them correctly. It just goes to show me I have so much to learn.
DeleteAs I was reading chapter 10, i felt like I was entering a whole new ballgame. I'm not quite for sure why I didn't think of all the stipulations before, but I hadn't. So needless to say, chapter 10 was a real eye-opener! As always, I love the personal paragraphs that talk about different situations that people face. I obviously know about copy-right laws, but I never thought about the fact that when I'm a teacher, that is something that I would have to pay very close attention to. I'm glad the chapter touched about child abuse. This is something that is so important to me, and I hate to think of all the kids who go to school, the teacher knows something is up, but refuses to do anything about it. Then there are the teachers who do, do something about it and higher authority thinks the teacher is over-reacting. Of course, this isn't in all cases, but I know it goes on and gets left unreported. There is so much more that goes into teaching than just "teaching!" you have to know your rights going into this profession and know the background on every angle from religion to child abuse. I look forward to learning more about each and every one of these topics.
ReplyDeleteOne section of the reading that allowed me to look at an issue differently would be the scenario about the head of the math department having to pick a student. It was clear to me the young man was the proper choice, but the teacher was still looking at the young lady as a possible candidate. At first I couldn't believe she would even throw in the single parent and the female aspect into her decision, because morally that wouldn't be the right thing. The best one for the job is who should get it. But, I can also see where it would be a hard choice to make knowing the young lady's background.
Chapter 10 was very interesting. It spoke of Laws and Ethics in relationship to Teaching. Teachers are responsible to be licensed through a process of having their credentials checked, being tested and having background tests done. They enter into binding contracts with the school district in which they apply to teach. Other issues of collective bargaining, tenure, and dismissal were also discussed. Teachers are held to a much higher standard than regular citizens. Academic Freedom is a great way to have autonomy in the classroom. Teachers are told what they can and must do but not what they should do. They are able to choose their content and methods individually. Does this always happen in all schools? Unfortunately not as I am learning while reading The Shame of a Nation. In loco parentis means using the same judgement and care as a parent would with your students. We do this at the school I work at by offering breakfast to those who maybe didn’t eat at home. We also are buying extra supplies, correcting behavior,and encouraging students. Educators wear several hats and supporting these students like another parental figure is one.
ReplyDeleteStudents have rights to Freedom of Speech including dress code when it does not harm others. Educators must teach their students that freedom comes with responsibility and that we must not infringe on the rights of others
The 4th Amendment allows Search and Seizure and it is legal and beneficial when targeting a problem such as the one in the example concerning the girl and drugs. Student records are accessible by parents and students but not necessarily all of the records. Some notes written by teachers are used for recommendations and are not public.
Corporal Punishment is still legal in 23 states including Kansas. This is the site I found that lists them: http://school.familyeducation.com/classroom-discipline/resource/38377.html. I wonder just how many schools actually use this. How do they implement it? Is it easy or hard to get parents to agree to this? This information shocked me! When thinking of some of our students’ parents, I would never expect this to be accepted even though it is legal here. While some people may know how to administer this kind of correction properly, others may not, making this an unreliable method of correction that may be and most likely is misused. Teachers are in the public eye so they must be aware of laws and ethics that relate to them.
I also found it very interesting that teachers seem to be held to a higher standard that normal citizens. And are considered to have the same rights as the parents in the absence of that parents. There are a lot of responsibilities that come along with being a teacher, and I look forward to them.
DeleteCh. 10 was very interesting. I found the portion that discussed separation of church and state to hit home. I am Catholic and part of me would love to be able to pray in school. Or at least be able to have religious symbols that represent who I am as a person. According to ch. 10 organized prayer in school as well as religious symbols are not allowed. It's ok for students to pray together as long as it doesn't interfere with classroom activity. There is always an option of trying to get a job at a private Catholic school that would allow me to express my religious beliefs, however, if I were to work in a public school district that is not the case. I feel as though there is a very fine line between the separation of church and state. Are teachers and students allowed to celebrate Christmas? Or how does that exactly work without religiously offending a student or parent. There has got to be certain protocol and professionalism that needs to be adhered to and followed. It's an interesting topic for debate.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you on how I wish schools would be able to pray. I like how there are private and public schools so a teacher can have the option of where they want to teach. I think Christmas is allowed at most schools but I don't know how much religious discussion comes with the celebration.
DeleteChapter 10 provided some very interesting reading material. I thought this chapter did a pretty good job of outlining the different legal issues that teachers may face in and outside of the classroom. One of the more interesting subjects in the chapter that I read was the topic of teachers’ private lives outside the classroom. The text went into detail about how teachers have the right to live the life they choose to live outside of the classroom, but only if they are living as good role models and making good decisions. I think this statement is a perfect illustration of what is expected of teachers in their private lives. Teachers should be allowed to live however they choose, but at the same time they must behave as good role models to others. Being a teacher you are seen in the public eye and the choices you make in society can have a negative effect on your job status. I think for a recent college graduate and or a newly employed teacher this concept is vital to understand and follow. Making the transition from college life to teaching life could be a bit challenging if you are not willing to forgo some of your past college behaviors. If you make a mistake as a teacher, chances are somebody will recognize you and word will get back to the school for whatever poor choice you made. It is important to be a good role model in society and make the right decisions every day.
ReplyDeleteIn this chapter it talks about the code of ethics and how as a teacher you need to follow these to keep yourself and students safe. There are many right and responsibilities you will deal with as a teacher. One of theses things are having a contract with a school. Academic freedom was interesting to read about and how a teacher can choose its teaching methods but professional academic freedom has its limits. So if they didn't like what you are doing even if it was working such as the principal you would have to stop. Teachers need to be cautious when living their private life outside of school because they need to meet community standards.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading this I question why schools won't allow prayers in school along with religious views. In reading this chapter it made me think a lot about how when I become a teacher and will have to make sure I am always following the right standards so I do not jeopardize my job. I also when reading about punishment I looked at how different it is now and how more students seem to be disrespectful.
In my own experience with my job now I see that teachers have to be cautious in what they do and how they react to a student.
After reading chapter 10, I recall many policies that from high school that didn't make sense at the time, but now they totally do. The section over moral and ethics in the classroom was most interesting to me because there isn't a set of rules to go by; all situations are different. It occurred to me that I need to read up on my rights, and the laws that govern school-based incidents. Since I want to be a Physical Education teacher, there will some accidents that happen that won't be in my control. I plan on having safety as one of the main things I teach. Personally I have gotten hurt during P.E. and thought to myself what could have been taught to me or what policies could have been put in place so I would have not been injured. Coming from a large suburban school district, I am very familiar with the problem with drugs and alcohol in schools. This bring up the fourth amendment about search and seizure. How will I act as a teacher when these things happen at my school? Obviously I want my students to be safe and also have a safe learning environment, what should I do different that my teachers didn't? These are just some thoughts for future educators.
ReplyDeleteI read what you said about policies from High School and it stuck in my head that you were right. I hated rules that I had to adhere to then, but completely understand them now. At one time I was thinking about going into Physical
DeleteEducation as well and what you say about accidents is true. You would be seeing incidents that other teachers won't.
At the same time though other teachers will be seeing things that you wouldn't.
Chapter 10 was a heavy chapter and provided an insight to what teachers can and can’t do (the legal) and what we should and shouldn’t do (the ethical). And while there are professional organizations who publish ethical codes for teachers to follow (NEAAFT) to help make it a little easier to know what we should and shouldn’t do, they usually lack specifics and do not help cover issues as they are addressed today. The education system is not the same as it was 20 years ago or even 10 years ago. On the other hand, it can be somewhat confusing knowing what we can do because while the Constitution allows teachers the freedom to teach what we want, we also have to be concerned with laws, rights and fair use in the materials used.
ReplyDeleteTeacher’s lives are now more of an open book due to the internet and social media. What we might have at once kept to ourselves is more than likely going to end up being found somewhere on in the internet, from the pictures you posted about your Easter weekend with the family to your traffic citation you might have received on the way home. While we must protect ourselves online, we must protect our children in the schools and online as well. What happens outside of school online will more than likely spill over into our classrooms. We need to be prepared to handle situations just as their parents will be handling. We are in a sense their “part-time” parents, and we should treat them as our own children.
I did not really have any questions but somewhat of a contradiction I read were about religion. I somewhat understand where religion should be kept from school however I think it would be a great lesson for students to learn about the different religions and beliefs. I recently watched a video about some children who were blind living in Tibet and their treatment. It was very disheartening how rude the townspeople where to the children as they walked through town. However, the belief of Buddhists are if you are born, as these children were, blind, they are a waste. My religion believes God created us each in our own beautiful way to do His plan for us and we would not treat children with a disability as if they are a waste.
I do see now as teachers we can feel free to teach what we want as long as we are following the law and being ethical. It’s not just an easy “I’m going to teach a lesson on December holidays” without worrying about the consequences of am I addressing an issue on religion. You will need to be careful not to overstep any boundaries that will get you into trouble.
An issue I can speak personally to is the use of media in the classroom. My husband works at the University of Iowa College of Medicine with medical professors posting curriculum for medical students. Sometimes the medical professors will find a video they feel is useful for a class they are teaching. However, this video is copyrighted and cannot be duplicated without the consent of the owner. He has been asked by these professors to make copies and provide them to students. They do not understand when my husband tries to tell them he cannot do this because it is illegal as the video is copyrighted. He has had to involve the university legal counsel to set them straight, and they still argue they want it done. While a professor can show the video in a class, it cannot be duplicated for use by the students. What seems to be a common theme throughout the chapter is technology has changed a lot and effects everything it involves. As technology evolves, so must everything else around it.
Chapter 10 refers to laws, ethics and being professional. Professional ethics(page288) is a set of moral standards for acceptable professional behavior. The NEA( National Education Associations is a code of ethics for the teaching profession in which helps educators with professional situations and is written is mainly general terms. It is very important to have your own personal philosophy of education in order to make good professional decisions in the classroom and also to be able to explain reasoning behind what you do as a teacher.
ReplyDeleteA reduction in force is a term that I got to know last year as the district I was with did just this. We had to reduce educators as well as Para Professionals due to lack of funding for the school system, therefore teachers were getting "riffed". I think that the tenure has its pros and cons. I think that it is great that educators are able to have job security, however, I also think that the newest teachers that are let go are in some cases the better educator. I say this because the new teacher is the "cheapest" as well as not "burnt-out". Teachers that are waiting to retire are sometimes not there for the right reasons whereas the new teacher is. So with that, I kind of have mixed feelings of this law.
Chapter 10 talks a lot about ethics and how they effect teachers. Every job there is has some code of ethics, but teachers are scrutinized more than any profession I can think of. They are looked at by their superiors, their peers, students parents, and to some extent the students themselves. I remember being young and having rules or laws I guess that I hated. Now I understand them and agree with them. Having a child has made me really understand them. Religion in school seems to come up in the media every couple of years. Some conflict or controversy that keeps teachers from teaching what they want. While I realize this might be neccasary in some cases, I think for most of these occurences they should be allowed to teach what they want. This was a good chapter because it addressed issues that really interest me.
ReplyDeleteIt is very important as an educator to be professional ethical in your classroom. Being professional ethical is described as displaying appropriate behavior, morals, and values that are acceptable in the classroom. In fact, being professional ethical is so important that the National Education Association created a code of ethics for teacher’s who study professionalism to follow. Now, these code of ethics are limited, to adapt to our quickly changing society, and can only be used as guidelines for indefinite circumstances. In some scenarios, teachers will have to accurately infer information provided by the code of ethics, and in others, guidelines are obvious. The National Educations Association’s code of ethics is designed to help teachers treat students fairly, but not always equally.
ReplyDelete