Brief #8 - Performance Standard 6: Professionalism Professionalism The teacher maintains a commitment to professional ethics, communicates effectively, and takes responsibility for and participates in professional growth that results in enhanced student learning. Serve as role model for Contributions What does mean? professionalism other educators and to the Teacher professionalism encompasses key students. profession characteristics—professional competence, Serve on school, district, performance, and conduct—that reflect regional, and state teachers’ goals and purposes, capabilities, educational committees, values and beliefs, and directly impact the work groups, etc. effectiveness of teaching. As a profession, Participate in professional teachers value and practice the principles, associations. standards, ethics, and legal responsibilities of Contribute to the teaching. And, as with any profession, they must development of the be committed to and skilled in the areas of profession (e.g., through expertise that define teaching. presentations, writing). Professionalism should reflect three essential elements of any true profession: What does research say about professionalism? Professionalism Teachers’ daily practice is grounded in the Area beliefs, values, and attitudes they hold toward Adhere to legal and ethical Professional the profession, the students, the school, and guidelines. standards and themselves. Adhere to standards ethics of the defined for the profession. profession Caring: Caring about students and respecting Demonstrate professional them as individuals are prevalent in the demeanor and positive literature descriptions of effective teachers. interaction with others. Caring is central to student learning the glue ‒ Respect the diversity of that binds teachers and students together and ethnicity, race, gender, and makes life in classrooms meaningful. Caring special needs. fosters a type of teacher-student connection that Act as reflective Continuous self encourages possibilities for learning that may practitioner. professional not otherwise occur. Good teachers are often Acquire and refine development described as warm, friendly, and caring; professional knowledge conversely, ineffective teachers often are said to and skill. create a tense classroom and are described as Engage in ongoing cold, abusive, and uncaring. When students professional renewal. perceive that their teachers care about them, Act, as appropriate, as risk they respond by their commitment “optimizing taker, stepping out of to learning and putting forth greater efforts to comfort zone. reach their potential.” In classroom learning, Embrace practices of a when students are supported by a caring teacher, life-long learner. they are more likely to ask questions, to take chances, and to share their inner thoughts in
Brief #8 - Performance Standard 6: Professionalism Professionalism The teacher maintains a commitment to professional ethics, communicates effectively, and takes responsibility for and participates in professional growth that results in enhanced student learning. What does professionalism mean? Teacher professionalism encompasses key characteristics—professional competence, performance, and conduct—that reflect teachers’ goals and purposes, capabilities, values and beliefs, and directly impact the effectiveness of teaching. As a profession, teachers value and practice the principles, standards, ethics, and legal responsibilities of teaching. And, as with any profession, they must be committed to and skilled in the areas of expertise that define teaching. Professionalism should reflect three essential elements of any true profession: Professionalism Area Professional standards and ethics of the profession Adhere to legal and ethical guidelines. Adhere to standards defined for the profession. Demonstrate professional demeanor and positive interaction with others. Respect the diversity of ethnicity, race, gender, and special needs. Continuous self professional development Act as reflective practitioner. Acquire and refine professional knowledge and skill. Engage in ongoing professional renewal. Act, as appropriate, as risk taker, stepping out of comfort zone. Embrace practices of a life-long learner. Contributions to the profession Serve as role model for other educators and students. Serve on school, district, regional, and state educational committees, work groups, etc. Participate in professional associations. Contribute to the development of the profession (e.g., through presentations, writing). What does research say about professionalism? Teachers’ daily practice is grounded in the beliefs, values, and attitudes they hold toward the profession, the students, the school, and themselves. Caring: Caring about students and respecting them as individuals are prevalent in the literature descriptions of effective teachers. Caring is central to student learning ‒ the glue that binds teachers and students together and makes life in classrooms meaningful. Caring fosters a type of teacher-student connection that encourages possibilities for learning that may not otherwise occur. Good teachers are often described as warm, friendly, and caring; conversely, ineffective teachers often are said to create a tense classroom and are described as cold, abusive, and uncaring. When students perceive that their teachers care about them, they respond by “optimizing their commitment to learning and putting forth greater efforts to reach their potential.” In classroom learning, when students are supported by a caring teacher, they are more likely to ask questions, to take chances, and to share their inner thoughts in
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