What does it mean to be an ethical teacher? An ethical professional? An ethical student? An ethical individual? When you think about ethics, what does your mind jump to?

Personally, when I think about ethics, there isn't much of a huge connection that jumps out at me. I don’t think about a certain presentation I viewed, or professional development I attended, or college course that I took. I simply think about being an ethical individual by being honest, trustworthy, fair to my students and colleagues, and remaining professional in both my work life and personal life. In reality there's so much more to ethics, especially for teachers. I'd like to say that I am an ethical person because of how I was raised. My mother taught me to be respectful and modeled respect. My teachers treated us fairly and with kindness, and emulated the type of professional my young self hoped to be. We’ll come back to this in a bit.

So, why all of this talk on ethics? Well, there's a standard code of conduct that we educators follow, the PA Code of Conduct. However, when we place technology and digital education into the mix, it’s necessary to make additions or adjustments to accommodate the new territory. Let’s begin with thinking about social media. Many of us are on social media and post our thoughts, pictures, and videos, along with share articles and posts daily, without much thought. But, I encourage you to take some time to think before you post. Is what you’re posting or sharing something you’d say aloud? Something you’d want a parent, administrator, or colleague to see or hear? If not, don’t post it. We are held to the same standards electronically that we are physically. The same goes for digital communication. Double, triple, quadruple check those emails! If it’s not something you’d say aloud, or send home in a folder, don’t send it. Under no circumstance should you communicate with families of your students or your students through your personal phone number or email account. It is not appropriate and will not protect you if a message is misconstrued. Always, always use your school email account or a communication app approved by your admin (like Remind, ClassTag, or Bloomz, for example). 

Now, let’s go back to my point about ethics not making a lasting impression on me. Think about your students. Do they know how to be ethical individuals? Do they understand ethics both in person and digitally? Do they realize that their private social media accounts aren’t exactly private in the grand scheme of things? Probably not. It is our job as educators to effectively communicate ethics to our students in a way that they will understand, remember, and apply. We cannot simply focus one day on ethics in Social Studies class and move forward, expecting students to be able to act as ethical individuals. This goes for both in person and digital experiences.

Once more, return back to your students. Do you think each one that passes through your classroom was "raised right?" That their parents teach and model right from wrong? Many of our students come from challenges that we simply cannot even imagine. We can't expect these students to know how to behave online and professional, as future members of society, without instruction, practice, and models of good examples. So, be that model. Plan that lesson they’ll remember. Help to foster an ethical classroom community of learners, in class and online, as you work to contribute toward an ethical community of working individuals and members of society. 

On our Site, you’ll find more about ethics in our technological world and how to incorporate ethics into your classroom in the “Ethics in Technology” section.

Let’s reflect together on the following questions, taken from the PA Professional Standards and Practice Commission Toolkit training. Share your thoughts and comments below!

On my Teaching Diverse Learners page, you'll find tools, strategies, and resources to help all of your learners, who are all diverse in some way. In the comments below, share how technology has impacted one of your students in a positive way.