Educators act ethically and maintain the integrity, credibility and reputation of the profession.
To me, this standard has always fallen to the back burner of my thoughts because when it comes up in conversation or when I read it when reflecting on the standards my immediate thought is: Well, obviously… OF COURSE educators need to act ethically and maintain the integrity, credibility and reputation of the profession. And OBVIOUSLY it is imperative as an educator to understand that you are a representative of the entire education system, your school, your community, and of your students and their guardians.
Throughout the last few months, however, I was faced with a situation that proved to me just how important it is for educators to remember that they represent the teaching profession, and I came to understand why and how to ensure that this standard should always be at the forefront of my mind while engaging in my work and studies. Without going into too much detail, I was faced with an individual in a profession that I am interested in who did not entirely practice Standard 2 in their own professional practice. At first, I was shocked but optimistic, and after further interactions I came to realize that how they interacted with the people they came into contact with for work was simply how they conducted their own business. Being one of those people in contact with this individual, their behaviour incited quite a lot of reaction on my part. It had me wondering if I wanted to be in further contact with that person, or even in their field. It also had me re-considering my own future education or profession in fear of having to interact with this person again, simply because I was unsure if I would be able to progress in the way that my goal intended.
What I learned from this experience is that by acting ethically and maintaining the integrity of the teaching profession, we are not only ensuring that we uphold a positive self-image of the educational system, but we are also drastically affecting and influencing the lives of the people we come into contact with. Of course it is important to paint teachers in a positive and professional light, however our ability to develop relationships with those in our immediate communities is so directly interconnected with Standard 2 that it is those relationships that need to me our main focus and motivation for engaging with the standard.
Personally, when I found myself in the situation that I outlined above, I was feeling unsafe, unsure, and concerned about my own professional and mental well-being. Not because I felt threatened, or that it resulted in a hit to my self-confidence, but because I did not trust that the system would recognize my great efforts, original thoughts, or opinions. If I found that my own behaviour was resulting in the same feelings with my students, I would feel as though I have completely gone back on my entire pedagogical stance.
From a systematic view, I can engage in Standard 2 by ensuring that I am kind, courteous, compassionate, and professional with faculty and those around me in my community. When I tell people I am a teacher, I want them to have faith in the system for the own children and for the future of society. For my students, I will continue to engage in Standard 2 during interactions because they deserve the same compassion, empathy, respect, and professionalism that I do in my own day-to-day life. My hope for my students is that if they feel respected and valued, they will trust in the education system to be a support for them into young adulthood, something they can rely on and trust to care for them and to keep them safe.