Educators act ethically and maintain the integrity, credibility and reputation of the profession.
When looking at this second standard and the importance of ethical behaviour in educators, I think of the third principle. According to FPPL 3, learning involves recognizing the consequences of one’s actions. How does this relate to educator behaviour, though? I want to come back to a question I posited in my introductory discussion of the standards and principles to explore how: what is the relationship between teaching and learning?
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Learning Principle 3: Learning involves recognizing the consequences of one’s actions.
Right now, I think that teaching and learning are something different from how I grew up understanding the–though I can’t fully articulate how. Perhaps it is a limitation of my cultural context. Regardless, I think they are related in a way I don’t yet fully understand, and that my conceptualization of them is already changing. So, even though the principles are all about what is involved in learning, I believe that there is then something to be said in each principle about teaching. So, starting with the principle that recognizing the consequences of one’s actions is learning, I would then move to say that showing the consequences of one’s actions, then, is teaching–whether intentionally done or not.
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For example, much social learning is done through experiential learning. Either through reflection on personal practice or reflection on the practice of others, we learn how to socialize. Thus, one would think that in a more teacher-led class, the bulk of the students social learning is based on their observations of the teacher. In a student-led classroom, students would learn from their peers. Either way, when we notice that someone’s behaviour earns a particular consequence, we suppose that similar action’s on our part would earn alike consequences. So, in the context of learning, we can see why we would want teachers to model ethical behaviour. This relates back to the fourth FPPL about learning involving generational roles and responsibilities. An educator has the responsibility to show the learner ways of behaving and to do so in their best interest. An educator is meant to be like an Elder to the learner. They are a “person who understands things that need to be learned by younger generations” and so, they are “a model for learners” (Chrona). In Indigenous cultures, “the Elders’ actions and words serve as models for learners”, and since teachers are meant to have broad knowledge in their subjects, they are also meant to model their understanding to learners (Chrona).
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Learning Principle 4: Learning involves generational roles and responsibilities
But what is the importance of the reputation of the profession?
Here is where the sixth principle comes in. There are many narratives and stories about teachers, the public and private education system, and more. These narratives are, exactly, as the principle states, embedded in history, memory and story, and learning comes from them. The reputation of the education profession is also a narrative. It tells people about educators, and if the reputation keeps learners from being able to safely, and authentically engage in learning in the classroom, then, back to standard one, educators are not acting in the best interest of the students, nor are they caring for them. Thus, the importance of educators maintaining the integrity, credibility, and reputation of the profession, falls back onto valuing the learners and acting in their best interest. It’s obvious that if teaching becomes disreputable, teachers will no longer be desired, and educators will be out of gainful employment. That’s a clear reason for upholding standard two. Yet, when reframing the point of view to recenter it on the learning, it is made apparent that the instant that teaching falls into disrepute, the teacher ceases to be, so of course, they are no longer wanted.
Learning Principle 6: Learning is embedded in memory, history, and story.
This circles back to the fourth principle, as almost all the standards will, since it is the responsibility of the teacher, in their privileged position as an elder to the learner, to serve the community and themselves, by valuing the learner. In fact, without the learner, there can’t be an educator. Hence, another underlying reciprocity in the relationship.