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UNIT 7: The Teacher and the Community: Teacher’s Ethical
and Professional Behavior
7.0 Intended Learning Outcomes
a) Identify teacher’s ethical and professional behavior;
b) Explain community’s expectations from teachers and on teacher’s expectation
from communities; and
c) Describe teacher’s ethical and professional behavior in the community by
giving concrete examples.
7.1. Introduction
The Preamble of the Teacher’s Code of Ethics states,
“Teachers are duly licensed professionals who possess dignity and
reputation with high moral values as well as technical and
professional competence. In the practice of their noble profession,
the strictly adhere to, observe, and practice this set of ethical and
moral principles, standards, and values.”
The very title of this unit indicates that teachers are expected
to be part of the community. To be part of the community definitely
means to participate in the life of that community. What is that
community referred to here? The 8 Sections of Article III of the Code
of Ethics refers to the community within the school and the
community outside the school. How can teachers be a part of the
community? The various Sections of the Article III give more details.
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7.2 Topics/Discussion (with Assessment/Activities)
Activity 1
Think of your favorite teacher. Why do you consider that teacher your
favorite? What qualities that teacher possesses? Is that teacher ideal teacher?
How did the teacher influence you? Did that teacher act in accordance to the
expectations of the community?
Activity 2
Here are quotes on teachers. Read and understand them. Do you agree with
each of the quotation?
1. “Teachers change the world, one child at a time.”
2. “Teachers, I believe, are the most responsible and most important
members of society because their professional efforts affect the fate of
the earth.”
“Every child deserves a companion, an adult who will never give up on
3. them, who understands the power of connection and insists they become
the best they can possibly be.”
-- Rita Pierson
“The influence of a good teacher can never be erased.”
4.
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“I am a teacher.
I am not in it for the income.
5. I am in it for the outcome.
I am a teacher.
It’s who I am.
It’s my passion, my calling, and my world.”
Based on your observation, do all teachers embody the traits expected of professional
teachers? Support your answer.
7.2.1. Teacher as Facilitator of Learning
Article III, Section 1 states that the teacher is a facilitator of learning and the
development of the youth… therefore shall render the best service by providing an
environment conducive for such learning and growth.
Facilitator comes from the word “facilitate” which means to make something
easy or easier. You, as the professional teacher, facilitate learning or make learning
easier. Learning is a difficult task and is made easier when you make dry lesson
interesting, exciting and enjoyable. As a professional teacher, you make learning
easier when you simplify the complex and concretize the abstract. This is what is
ethical for every professional teacher like you ought to do. This you can do after four
long years of academic profession.
What happens sometimes, however, is teachers complicate the simple and
teaches only at the abstract level. To facilitate learning, a conducive learning
environment is necessary. It has been proven that learners learn best in a pleasant
environment. A pleasant environment is where the learners can be themselves
because teachers are caring. No need to put best self forward because teachers and
classmates truly care and take you for who you are. All forma of bullying has no
place in a conducive learning environment. A conducive learning environment
makes learners believe they can do the work and feel accepted. A favorable
learning climate is not competitive where everyone is tense.
The teacher who believes that “Every child deserves a champion, an adult
who will never give up on them, who understands the power of connection and
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insists they become the best they can possibly be” like Teacher Rita Pierson in TED
Talk is a facilitator of learning.
7.2.2. Teacher Leadership and Initiative for Community Participation
Section 2 refers to the leadership and initiative of the professional teacher to
participate in the community movements for moral, social, economic and civic
betterment of the community.” As professional teachers you do not live in an ivory
tower, meaning you are not supposed to be removed nor aloof from community life.
Schools are at the heart of communities and you, as professional teacher, are expected
to be be-in-the-world and to be-in-the-world-with-others and for others (borrowing
the words of Heidegger, as cited by Prieto, [Link]).
The words in section 2 of Article III are provided “provide leadership and
initiative…” This implies that as a professional teacher you have not to wait for
community to ask for help. Section 6 further explicitates how you can show your
professional leadership, to wit: “Every teacher is an intellectual leader in the
community, especially in the barangay, and shall welcome the opportunity to provide
such leadership when needed, to extend counselling services, as appropriate, and to
be actively involved in matters affecting the welfare of the people.”
You do not just welcome the opportunity to lead. Section 2, states that you, the
professional teacher ought to take the initiative to offer your help for the improvement
of the community. Many a time, you can be a guidance counsellor, a prayer leader,
commentator or reader in religious celebrations, fiesta coordinator, judge in or coach
for a contest, financial adviser, a nurse, a doctor, commentator, prayer rolled into one.
Providing leadership and initiative also means working with the community.
This means getting the parents and other members of the community participate in
school activities. Teachers, as they participate in community affairs prove that they “
are the most responsible and most important members of society because their
professional efforts affect the fate of the earth.”
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7.2.3. Professional Teacher with Honor and Dignity
Section 3 states: “Every teacher shall merit reasonable social recognition for
which purpose he shall behave with honor and dignity at all times and refrain from
such activities as gambling, smoking, drunkenness, and other excesses much less illicit
relations.” Obviously, if as a professional teacher, you are an inveterate gambler, chain
smoker and alcoholic or if it is common knowledge that you are engaged in an elicit
relationship, how can you have moral authority? Who will listen to you when you
advise your class not to smoke, not to drink alcoholic drinks, not to gamble, etc? Your
audience will say “Look, who is talking!” It is a matter of “do what I say not do what
I do.”
Society expects so much of teachers that when they fail to live up to the
challenge to behave or model good behavior, they are “condemned without trial!” It
is no wonder why many are afraid to answer the call to teach. Society seems to expect
much more from professional teachers than from any other professional and so look
at teachers with scrutinizing eyes. The quotations states “The influence of a good
teacher can never be erased” but the influence of a dishonorable teacher is as lasting.”
7.2.4. Teacher’s Attitude Toward Local Customs and Traditions
Section 4 expects every teacher to live for and with the community and shall,
therefore study and understand local customs and traditions in order to have a
sympathetic attitude, therefore, refrain from disparaging the community. ”The
professional teacher is neither ethnocentric nor xenocentric. A teacher is not
ethnocentric and so does mot look down on community’s culture because of the
thought that one’s culture is superior to the culture of the community. Neither a
teacher is xenocentric and so looks at one’s culture as inferior in to other community’s
culture.
Fortunate and happy is the community that has teachers who live with them,
exert effort to understand their local customs and traditions and consequently
appreciate the same. No culture as perfect as stated by Prieto, [Link]. Every culture
including the teacher’s has its positive and negative aspects. What we need to pass on
are the positive aspects of the culture. We need to purify, however, the negative
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aspects with teacher pointing them out tactfully and sincerely according to Prieto,
[Link].
7.2.5. The Professional Teacher and Information Update
Section 5 states that the teacher “shall help the school inform the community
about the school’s work, accomplishments, needs and problems. Community here
refers to internal as well as external stakeholders. Internal stakeholders include the
students, the parents of the students and teachers. The external stakeholders are the
other parents in the community without children enrolled in school, barangay officials
and other government officials, non-government organizations, government
organizations, alumni/ alumnae and retirees.
Why do these stakeholders have to be informed? The school is there for the
community and so the community has the right to be informed about its activities,
accomplishments, needs and problems. Informing them about the school’s projects,
needs and problems give them a sense of ownership. Having a sense of ownership,
these stakeholders will participate more actively in the resolution of school’s problems
and needs.
7.2.6. The Parents-Teacher Association
We have Parents’ and Teachers’ Association (PTA) in place in every
school. Some private schools call it Home School Association or Family Advisory
Council. This is for internal stakeholders only. A PTA is an association of teachers
and parents with children who are enrolled in a school. It is a forum for
discussions on school problems and how they can be solved.
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7.2.7. The School Governing Council
Other than PTA is the School Governing Council. The SGC has different
membership and functions. A School Governing Council as a policy-making body has
the school head as Chief Executive Officer, Manager and Chief Operations Officer.
The formation of SGC in every school is a proof of school head sharing one’s
leadership with members of the community.
It determines general policies on student welfare, discipline, well-being; it is
concerned with the development and implementation, monitoring and evaluation of
the School Improvement Plan (SIP), and reporting of the progress of the SIP
implementation to the Schools Division Superintendent and the community.
In addition to PTA are School Governing Council in every public school. This School
Governing Council shares in the management of the school with School Head as
Chair. This School Council is another opportunity for communities to participate in
school activities.
7.2.8. The Professional Teacher and Government Officials and
Other Professionals
Section 7 states: “Every teacher shall maintain harmonious and pleasant
personal and official relations with other professionals, with government officials and
with the people individually or collectively.” As a professional teacher, you cannot
afford not in pleasant relations with others especially those with whom you work with
like other professional teachers. It is always best to be in good terms with everyone
else in the community.
Desiderata gives this advice: ‘As far as possible, without surrender, be on good
terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, ven
the dull and the ignorant; they too have their story.”
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7.2.9. The Professional Teacher Does Not Use Position to Proselyte
Finally, Section 8, says: “A teacher possesses freedom to attend church and
worship as appropriate, but shall not use one’s position and influence to proselyte
others.” To be in a position means to have power or influence for purpose, i.e. for you
to use that position to perform your job as a professional teacher. It is highly
unprofessional for a teacher like you to use your position of influence to proselyte.
Besides freedom of religion is guaranteed by the 1987 Philippine Constitution. “No
law shall be made respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free
exercise thereof. The free exercise and enjoyment of religious profession and worship,
without discrimination or preference, shall forever be allowed.” (Article II, Section 6)
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Assessment:
After your thorough reading and understanding of the discussion,
answer the following questions by choosing the letter of the correct answer;
1. In the teacher’s leadership in the community, a professional teacher shows no
signs of ethnocentric? What does this means?
A. Does not belittle other peoples’ culture
B. Looks at one’s culture as superior to other’s culture
C. Is ashamed of one’s own culture
D. Does not mind other people’s culture
2. The professional teacher is quite xenocentric. How is this manifested??
A. Looks at one’s culture as superior to that of others
B. Looks at one’s culture as inferior to that of others
C. Does not mind if one’s culture is superior or inferior
D. Is at home with all cultures
3. Which is a policy-making body composed of internal and external stakeholders
with whom school head and teachers relate?
A. Parents Teachers Association (PTA)
B. Supreme Student Council (SSC)
C. School Governing Council (SGC)
D. Faculty Club
4. Who is not a member of Parents Teachers Association?
A. Parents with no child currently enrolled in school
B. Parents of children currently enrolled in school
C. School Head
D. Teacher Representative
5. As a teacher, you are a facilitator of learning. What is expected of you?
A. Do not fail anyone.
B. Make teaching-learning interactive and exciting.
C. Use video clips.
D. Allow them to use their cell phones in the classroom.
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Assignment
Answer the following questions by citing examples or applying it to the real
life situation.
1. The Bible says: “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how it
can be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to thrown out and
trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be
hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on
its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light
shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your father in
heaven. (Matthew 5:13-16)
Based on this Unit on the teacher as a community leader, how do these biblical
passages apply to the professional teacher?
2. As a community leader, what will you do if you see something negative in the
community culture? Cite an example.
3. Your mayor has a teacher candidate for teaching position. Your ranking is over.
Your mayor’s candidate was not part of the ranking and is not a licensed teacher. As
a professional teacher, what would you do? Why?
Rubric:
Criteria 2.5 1.5 .5 Score
1. Content Very informative Somewhat Give some new
and well organized. informative and information but
organized. poorly organized.
2. Mechanics Visually no spelling, Few spelling and A number of
punctuations or punctuations spelling,
grammatical errors. errors, minor punctuations or
grammatical grammatical
errors. errors.
Total
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7.3. References
Bilbao, Purita P., [Link]. (2015), The Teaching Profession,
Quezon City, Metro Manila: Lorimar Publishing, Inc
Prieto, Nelia G., [Link]. (2019), The Teacher and the Community, School Culture and
Organizational Leadership, 10-B Boston Street, Brgy. Kaunlaran, Cubao
Quezon City: LORIMAR Publishing Inc.
Pawilen, Greg T. ,et. al.,(2019), The School and the Community, School Culture,
and Organizational Leadership, Sampaloc, Manila: Rex Book Store, Inc.
Vega, Violeta A., et al,(2015), Social Dimensions of Education
Quezon City, Metro Manila: Lorimar Publishing, Inc
7.4 Acknowledgment
The images, tables, figures and information contained in this module were
taken from the references cited above.
DISCLAIMER:
This module is not for commercial, and this is only for educational purposes.
Some technical terminologies and phrases were not changed, but the author of this
module ensures that all the in-text citations are in the reference section. Even photos
or figures are with in-text citations to abide by the intellectual property law.
C. M. D. Hamo-ay