PROFESSIONAL
CODE OF CONDUCT FOR TEACHERS
Ø Every
profession requires code of conduct because it helps in self-control and
self-action plan.
Ø A
profession will have the following characteristics.
Ø Social
responsibility; special training.
Ø It
is not mainly profit – oriental but service oriented.
Ø Official
professional recognition of social status and
Ø To
uphold and develop professional standards they must abide by the professional
code of conduct.
Ø In
view of all the above characteristics, teaching is a profession with special
responsibility. Therefore, they must abide by the professional code of conduct.
Ø UNESCO
has prepared guide lines for code of conduct in 1994.
Ø In
view of NPE 1986, recommendations of NCERT prepared a draft code of ethics
based on UNO guidelines and finalized in 1997.
This
contains 30 aspects under 6 areas. This also has a preamble. The six areas are
as follows:
1.
Relationship with parents or guardians.
2.
Relation with society
3.
Relation with other teachers
4.
Relation with professional organization
5.
Relationship with students
6.
Relationship with management and
authorities.
PROFESIONAL ETHICS OF TEACHERS
It
is universally accepted fact that the status of teaching profession requires
its dignity and integrity. There are five major areas of professional
activities which encompass the work of a teacher. For each area there are
certain principles which will serve as guidelines for teachers conduct.
Five
areas in relation to professional ethics are as follows:
1.
Teacher in relation to students
2.
Teacher in relation to Parents/Guardians
3.
Teacher in relation to Society and Nation
4.
Teacher in relation to colleagues and
professions
5.
Teacher in relation to professional
organizations & administrations
1.
Teacher in relation to students:
I.
Teacher shall always be punctual in
attending to his duties in the school.
II.
Always teach the curriculum after making
through preparation for the lessons to be taught.
III.
Treat all students with love and affection
and to be impartial to all irrespective of caste, creed, sex, status religion,
language and place of birth.
IV.
Guide the student in the physical, social,
intellectual, emotional, moral and spiritual development.
V.
Set standard of dress, speech and behavior
worth of example to the students.
VI.
Respect basic human dignity of children
while maintaining discipline in the school.
2.
Teacher in relation to Parents/Guardians:
I.
The teacher shall seek to establish cordial
relation with parents/guardians.
II.
Provide information regularly to parents
regarding the attainments and short falls of their wards.
III.
Refrain from doing anything, which may
undermine students confidence in their parents or guardians.
3.
Teacher in relation to Society and Nation:
I.
Teacher shall strive to develop the
educational institution as a community and human resource development centre
providing knowledge and information.
II.
Strive to understand the social problems.
III.
Work actively to strengthen national
integration and spirit of togetherness and oneness.
IV.
Respect Indian culture and develop positive
attitude towards it among students.
V.
Respect and be loyal to the school,
community, station nation.
4.
Teacher in relation to colleagues and professions:
I.
The teacher shall treat other members of
the profession in the same manner as he himself wishes to be treated.
II.
Refrain from lodging unsubstantiated allegations
against colleagues of higher authorities.
III.
Avoid making derogatory statements about
colleagues especially in the presence of pupils, other teachers, officials or
parents.
IV.
Co-operate with the head of the institution
and colleagues outside the institution in both curricular and co-curricular
activities.
V.
Accept as a professional the individual
responsibilities of reporting to the concerned authorities in appropriate
manner all matters regarding the students and development of institution.
5.
Teacher in relation to professional organizations & administrations:
I.
The teacher shall take membership of
professional organizations and treat it as a professional responsibility.
II.
Participate as a manner of right in
formulation of policies and programmes of professional organization.
III.
Always function within the framework of the
constitution of the organization
concerned.
IV.
The teacher in relation to management
recognize the management as prime source of his sustainable development and
develop mutual respect and trust through his professional activities and
outputs.
CODE OF CONDUCT OF TEACHER AND ROLE OF THE TEACHER ASSOCIATIONS IN THE REGARD
Elements
for code of conduct:
1.
A teacher shall co-operate and secure the
cooperation of other persons in all activities aimed at moral, mental and
physical well being of pupils.
2.
A teacher shall not exploit his position
for private gain.
3.
A teacher must possess and practice moral
conduct.
4.
He should possess good habits and avoid
habits like smoking, chewing of betel leaves etc.
5.
A teacher shall take pride and respect of
his profession.
6.
A teacher should always be updated with
latest developments in educational thoughts and practices.
7.
A teacher has to maintain good relationship
and ethical behavior with parents and community.
8.
A teacher shall not indulge in private
tuitions.
9.
He should be democratic in creating
opportunities for all children equally.
10.
Knowledge of new trends in science and
technology helps a teacher to be successful in his profession.
11.
Every teacher should develop affection
towards his profession and students.
12.
He should not be influenced by any
political party.
13.
Through education the teacher must develop
the sense of cultural heritage, national integration and international
understanding among students.
14.
The teacher should be punctual in his
timings.
15.
He should be loyal to his higher officials.
16.
He should develop faith in democracy,
social justice and secularism among students.
Role
of Teacher Association: Teachers organize themselves into
associations and organizations in order to develop and propagate their
professional knowledge and skills.
There are various teacher
organizations in India like Madras Women
Teacher Association, South Indian Teacher Union (SITU), Baroda Secondary
Teachers Association and Hyderabad Teachers Association.
One of the main aims of
teachers association is to develop code of professional ethics for teacher. To
see the teachers observe the code and thus improve the professional status of
teachers. Various seminars and discussions were conducted by these
organizations on this issue. The organizations mainly worked for promoting the
professional efficiency of teachers to raise the social status of the
profession.
ACCOUNTABILITY OF TEACHERS
Accountability of teachers is a very
significant aspect in teacher education. It is very essential for quality
assurance in education. The concept is more relevant to profession like
teaching.
Accountability is defined
as a mechanism of holding one responsible for his action.
Good,
Biddle and Murphy defined accountability as follows:
1.
Making them responsible for people is
accountability.
2.
It is not a unilateral concept. In the
educational system the principal, teachers, non-teaching staff and the
community is accountable for the products of education.
Teachers being ‘Educational Engineers
of Human Engineers’ are accountable for the progress of children they teach.
NPE’86
has made the concept very clear.
“A system of teacher evaluation open,
participate and date based will be created and reasonable opportunities of
promotion will be created and reasonable opportunities of promotion to high
grade provided. Norms of accountability will be laid down with incenting for
good performance and disincentives for non-performance. Teachers will continue
to play a crucial role in the formulation and implementation of educational
programmes”.
Teachers
are accountable to: -
1.
Students
2.
Parents
3.
School Authorities
4.
Community
5.
Government Supervision
1.
Criteria for accountability to students (learners):
Ø Love
and affection for children
Ø Tolerance
towards the mistakes, mischief
Ø Towards
their progress and development
Ø Towards
their human empowerment
Ø Care
for the development of quality of life among children
2.
Criteria of accountability towards parent community:
Ø Children
of the poor and deprived sections need extra ordinary care & love.
Ø Encouragement
to make them educated
Ø Enrolment
of children into formal school
Ø Community
mobilization for development of schools
Ø Willingness
to participate in enrolment drives
Ø Develop
a sense of belongingness with the community
3.
Criteria of accountability towards management:
Ø Accountable
to the management
Ø Develop
mutual trust and respect
4.
Criteria of accountability towards education department:
Ø Follow
rules and regulations with meticulous case.
Ø Obedience
and strict observance of educational acts, programmes ans policy
Ø Participation
in departmental programmes whole heartedly.
Types
of Appraisal:
Teacher’s
accountability basically is of three types:
1.
Self-appraisal method
2.
Method of collecting data directly from
teachers
3.
Method of collecting data from others viz.
a)
Colleagues
b)
Inspecting Officers
c)
Students
d)
Parents
How
to assess accountability among teachers:
NPE
1986 and Programme of Action 1992 stressed the need of assessing the
accountability of teachers with its suggestions and the accountability of the
teachers should be taken from the following points.
Ø Students
should attain minimum levels of learning at the primary and upper primary
level.
Ø No
teacher should work for more than five years at one place and should stay in
the village or work place.
Ø Teachers
adopting cheap methods of getting results in the examination should be
punished.
Ø Teacher
should avoid rude behavior, negligence of duty.
Ø Bad
habits, using abusive language should be avoided.
Ø Teachers
should write lesson plans, complete syllabus as per annual plan.
Ø Encourage
student appraisal of teachers.
Ø Many
teachers of today taking teaching profession as a last resort. This outlook has
to be changed.
