INDEPENDENT EDUCATION UNION OF AUSTRALIA – QUEENSLAND AND NORTHERN TERRITORY BRANCH
SUBMISSION
REVISED DRAFT CODE OF ETHICS FOR TERRITORY TEACHERS
February 2009
IEUA-QNT CONTACT: CHRIS SEYMOUR Telephone: (07) 3839 7020 Fax: (07) 3839 7021
C:\Users\bhogan\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Temporary Internet Files\OLK579\Submission NT Revised Code of Ethics.doc
1
REVISED DRAFT CODE OF ETHICS FOR TERRITORY TEACHERS TABLE OF CONTENTS
1.
INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................. 3
2.
GENERAL STATEMENT OF ETHICS FOR TERRITORY TEACHERS ............... 3
3.
PRINCIPLES UNDERPINNING THE IEUA-QNT SUBMISSION............................ 3
4.
SPECIFIC RESPONSES TO THE DRAFT CODE OF ETHICS FOR TERRITORY TEACHERS.............................................................................................. 4
5.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ................................................................................................ 6
C:\Users\bhogan\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Temporary Internet Files\OLK579\Submission NT Revised Code of Ethics.doc
2
1.
INTRODUCTION
1.1 The Independent Education Union of Australia – Queensland and Northern Territory Branch (IEUA-QNT) welcomes the opportunity to provide feedback on the Revised draft Code of Ethics for Northern Territory Teachers. 1.2 IEUA-QNT consistently engages in education debate at both State and National levels through the IEUA-QNT Branch Education Committee (a group of registered and practising teachers) and through its national counterpart the Independent Education Union Education Committee which receives input from teachers in all States and Territories. 1.3 In preparing this submission, IEUA-QNT has engaged in a process of consultation with its members through electronic surveys and through a committee process. 1.4 IEUA-QNT is a federally registered union which represents teachers, support staff and ancillary staff in non-government education institutions in Queensland and the Northern Territory. IEUA-QNT currently has a membership approaching 14,500. 2.
GENERAL STATEMENT OF ETHICS FOR TERRITORY TEACHERS
IEUA-QNT notes that the current draft document Revised Code of Ethics for Territory Teachers has emerged from an ongoing process of consultation throughout 2008 and was based on the following core values which state that:
3.
Northern Territory Standards of Professional Practice for Teaching are based on a commitment to learners, to the profession and to the community. Teachers accept the responsibility to provide meaningful learning experiences to students in their care in the belief that all students have the capacity and the right to learn. In carrying out their duties teachers will act with honesty and dignity, respecting the rights of parents to be partners in the education of their children and of families to have their privacy protected and their cultures acknowledged and valued in the school community. Teachers will honour the trust placed in them by students, parents and colleagues by ensuring that they have the professional knowledge required for quality teaching, and at all times behave in ways that promote the profession. PRINCIPLES UNDERPINNING THE IEUA-QNT SUBMISSION
IEUA-QNT notes and supports the following shared values which emerged from extensive consultation within the education community nationally and were reported in the Australian Curriculum Studies Association (ACSA) Report on the National Values Education Forum. The shared values include: 3.1 Tolerance and understanding (accepting other people’s differences and being aware of others).
C:\Users\bhogan\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Temporary Internet Files\OLK579\Submission NT Revised Code of Ethics.doc
3
3.2 Respect (treating others with consideration and regard). 3.3 Responsibility – personal, social, civic and environmental (being accountable for and in charge of a course of action – responsibility for one’s own actions, including the exercise of self-discipline; responsibility for the way in which one interacts and co-operates with others, especially for resolving differences in constructive, non-violent and peaceful ways; responsibility for one’s role in and contribution to society; and responsibility for one’s own role in the maintenance and preservation of the environment). 3.4 Social justice (being committed to the pursuit and protection of the common good where all persons are entitled to legal, social and economic fair treatment). 3.5 Excellence (seeking to accomplish something noteworthy and admirable individually and collectively, and performing at one’s best). 3.6 Care (caring for self and showing interest in, concern for and caring for others). 3.7 Inclusion and trust (being included and including others, listening to one another’s thoughts and feelings actively and creating a climate of mutual confidence). 3.8 Honesty (being truthful and sincere, committed to finding and expressing the truth, requiring truth from others, and ensuring consistency between words and deeds). 3.9 Freedom (enjoying all the rights and privileges of citizenship free from unnecessary interference or control, and standing up for the rights of others; ensuring a balance between rights and responsibilities). 3.10 Being ethical (acting in accordance with generally agreed rules and/or standards for right (moral) conduct or practice. 4. SPECIFIC RESPONSES TO THE DRAFT CODE OF ETHICS FOR TERRITORY TEACHERS 4.1 General Statement (i)
IEUA-QNT notes that the document is intentionally brief and aims to set out the critical values from which an individual teacher might determine their ethical responsibilities.
(ii)
We further note and support the intent that the core values are aspirational and aim to resonate with the values of all Northern Territorians who value a caring, community based and tolerant society.
4.2 Introductory Statement Teaching is a moral craft and teachers have to make ethical decisions daily. The development and maintenance of a code of ethics by the profession provides a means of clearly identifying and communicating the core values that underpin the professional standards for teaching.
C:\Users\bhogan\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Temporary Internet Files\OLK579\Submission NT Revised Code of Ethics.doc
4
IEUA-QNT notes that this statement emerged from a previous draft which stated: Professional standards must necessarily be underpinned by values. The teaching profession is unique in that it has ethical responsibilities through relationships with students, parents, colleagues and the wider community. Teaching is a moral craft and teachers have to make ethical decisions daily. The maintenance of a code of ethics by the professional will provide a means of clearly identifying the values held by teachers and communicating those values within the professional and the community. The implications are that the Code of Ethics will be a precursor to and underpin the Code of Conduct. Whilst this may well be the case, IEUA-QNT believes that the opening statement should be written in a way that gives immediate and “stand alone” integrity to the Code. This integrity could be achieved by the following statement: The teaching profession recognises that it has ethical responsibilities through relationships with students, parents, colleagues and the wider community. This should be followed by a second paragraph which states: The development and maintenance of a code of ethics by and for the profession provide a means of clearly identifying and communicating the core values that underpin the professional standards for teaching. IEUA-QNT does not believe the statement “Teaching is a moral craft and teachers have to make ethical decisions daily” should sit in the introductory statement. 4.3 The Purpose of Our Code of Ethics This section lacks a stem to sit above the dot points. IEUA-QNT suggests that the following be included: An explicit Code of Ethics informs and influences school communities by:
Inspiring quality behaviour that reflects the honour and dignity of the profession; Identifying the core values and ethical responsibilities of the profession; Guiding ethical decisions and actions of the teaching profession; Promoting public confidence in the profession.
C:\Users\bhogan\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Temporary Internet Files\OLK579\Submission NT Revised Code of Ethics.doc
5
4.4 The Core Values of Our Profession IEUA-QNT believes that an introductory stem is needed to introduce the “Core Values”. We believe the stem should read: Teaching is a profession in which practitioners have to make ethical decisions daily. To assist in informing these ethical decisions the following core values are paramount. IEUA-QNT endorses the five stated core values but notes that the core values are not explained. This may be intentional and based on earlier feedback but a shared understanding of a core value is important and as such we believe there is a need to elaborate the core, eg. Respect (respect for the dignity and well being of students, colleagues and the wider school community through courtesy, consideration and sensitivity). 4.5 Our Ethical Responsibilities IEUA-QNT supports the stem and dot points in the section “Our Ethical Responsibilities”. 5.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The Independent Education Union of Australia – Queensland and Northern Territory (IEUA-QNT) thanks the Northern Territory Teacher Registration Board for the opportunity to respond to the Draft Revised Code of Ethics for Territory Teachers.
C:\Users\bhogan\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Temporary Internet Files\OLK579\Submission NT Revised Code of Ethics.doc
6
IEUA-QNT REVISED DRAFT CODE OF ETHICS FOR NORTHERN TERRITORY TEACHERS The teaching profession recognises that it has ethical responsibilities through relationships with students, parents, colleagues and the wider community. The development and maintenance of a code of ethics by and for the profession provide a means of clearly identifying and communicating the core values that underpin the professional standards for teaching.
THE PURPOSE OF OUR CODE OF ETHICS An explicit code of ethics informs and influences school communities by:
Inspiring the quality of behaviour that reflects the honour and dignity of the profession Identifying the core values and ethical responsibilities of the profession Guiding ethical decisions and actions of the teaching profession Promoting public confidence in the profession
THE CORE VALUES OF OUR PROFESSION Teaching is a profession in which practitioners have to make ethical decisions daily. To assist in informing these ethical decisions the following core values are paramount: Respect
(respect for the dignity and well being of students, colleagues and the wider school community through courtesy, consideration and sensitivity).] Integrity } Justice } elaborate each core value – see example above Empathy } Dignity }
OUR ETHICAL RESPONSIBILITIES As teachers, we have ethical responsibilities to ourselves, our students, parents and carers, colleagues and members of the wider community. As teachers in the Northern Territory, it is our ethical responsibility to: create learning experiences which engage, inspire, motivate, delight, affirm and challenge our learners; understand our unique position of trust and influence by acting with professionalism and integrity; be truthful, honest and trustworthy; recognise our shared humanity by acting with care, compassion and empathy; uphold the rights and responsibilities of self and others; demonstrate dignity in relationships with others; respect the uniqueness and diversity of our community; develop by example the principles of social justice and equity. Teacher Registration Board of the Northern Territory - February 2009
C:\Users\bhogan\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\Temporary Internet Files\OLK579\Submission NT Revised Code of Ethics.doc
7