Code of Professional Practice

What does it mean to be a professional?
Is it that you are very smart, very talented, the absolute best at what you do?
Does it mean that you take your career very seriously and there is no time for any nonsense? Do you wear sophisticated clothes? Use all of the latest and greatest technologies? Speak eloquently and demand respect the minute you walk into a room?

That was me simply stereotyping "the professional", however defining what a professional is, is no simple task. The dictionary itself provides not one absolute definition of what a professional is, but ten or more definitions of what a professional can be.

So here is the question, what does it mean to someone like me, just starting their teaching career, when someone hands you a Code of Professional Practice from the Manitoba Teacher Society? What are these thirteen statements summarized nicely on a single page document really about? How are they going to affect myself as an individual? My students, coworkers, administration, and parents? The people in my community and all others in my life? There's only one way to find out and that is to try. But let's talk about this before the day ever comes. It's always a good idea to have some idea of what you are doing before you get started.

You wouldn't just dive into the deep end without knowing how to swim, so before you start teaching, let's learn how to do it professionally.

The very first statement in the Code of Professional Practice states: A teacher's first professional responsibility is to her or his students. I truly believe that teacher's job is to provide the student with an learning opportunity. That means being responsible to and for the students, providing a safe and welcoming environment for one and all, and respecting ourselves and each other. Other statements that I find would influence the direct behavior, the actions, the personel of the teacher include number two, a teacher acts with integrity and diligence in carrying out professional responsibilities; Four, a teacher speaks and acts with respect and dignity, and deals judiciously with others, always mindful of their rights; And number six, a   teacher's conduct toward colleagues is characterized by consideration and good faith. The rest of the statements I believe would not affect myself as an individual so much as they are guidelines for how to go about problems and situations and how to represent myself as a member of the MTS.

I find the second statement to be a little vague in it's description. "A teacher acts with integrity and diligence in carrying out professional responsibilities." No where is it defined what professional responsibilities are. So, how does one ensure consistency across all teachers in the profession without a proper knowledge of what the professional responsibilities are? In the first statement we are told the first professional responsibility is to the student but what are the rest of the professional responsibilities that teachers must carry out?

I do believe that having such a guideline is very important and all teacher's should be well aware that they are being held up against a certain standard and provided with that standard for their own reference. I myself will do everything in my power to adhere to the criteria included in the code of professional practice, starting beginning, middle, and even after the end of my teaching career. I believe once a teacher always a teacher. There's no such thing as taking the teacher hat off so inside, outside, inside-out of the classroom, be professional, follow the code, and you will be a successful professional :)