New York State New York State Code of Ethics for EducatorsCode of Ethics for Educators

Code of EthicsCode of Ethics

The Code of Ethics…The Code of Ethics…

“ “ … … is a public statement by educators *is a public statement by educators * that speaks to the core that speaks to the core

values values of our profession of our profession

…”…”

* * “Educators” includes classroom teachers, school “Educators” includes classroom teachers, school leaders, and leaders, and pupil personnel service providers. pupil personnel service providers.

“It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge.” Albert Einstein

““A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.” Henry Brooks Adams

Principle 1Principle 1Educators nurture the intellectual, Educators nurture the intellectual, physical, emotional, social, and civicphysical, emotional, social, and civicpotential of each student.potential of each student.

Potential of each studentPotential of each student

• Respect the inherent dignity and worth of each Respect the inherent dignity and worth of each individualindividual

• Engage students in valuing their identity, Engage students in valuing their identity, learning more about their cultural heritage, and learning more about their cultural heritage, and practicing social and civic responsibilitiespracticing social and civic responsibilities

• Help students reflect on their learning and Help students reflect on their learning and apply learning to their life experienceapply learning to their life experience

• Encourage diverse approaches and solutions to Encourage diverse approaches and solutions to issuesissues

• Foster development of all studentsFoster development of all students

Principle 2Principle 2

Educators Educators

create, support, create, support,

and maintain and maintain

challenging challenging

learninglearning

environments environments

for all.for all.

Challenging learning Challenging learning environments for allenvironments for all

• Utilize a range of strategies and assessments to Utilize a range of strategies and assessments to teach to higher levels of learning for all teach to higher levels of learning for all studentsstudents

• Support a challenging learning environmentSupport a challenging learning environment

• Establish clear standards of behavior and civilityEstablish clear standards of behavior and civility

• Develop and apply knowledge as role models for Develop and apply knowledge as role models for active, enthusiastic learningactive, enthusiastic learning

• Invite students to reflect upon and monitor their Invite students to reflect upon and monitor their own learningown learning

Principle 3Principle 3

Educators Educators commit commit

to their own to their own learninglearning

in order to in order to developdevelop

their practice.their practice.

Commitment to continued Commitment to continued learninglearning

• Know subject matter and understand how Know subject matter and understand how students learnstudents learn

• Respect the reciprocal nature of learning Respect the reciprocal nature of learning between educators and studentsbetween educators and students

• Engage in a variety of individual and Engage in a variety of individual and collaborative learning experiencescollaborative learning experiences

• Draw on and contribute to various forms of Draw on and contribute to various forms of educational research to improve practiceeducational research to improve practice

Principle 4Principle 4

EducatorsEducators

collaborate withcollaborate with

colleagues and colleagues and

other other professionals professionals

in the interest ofin the interest of

student learning.student learning.

Collaboration with colleagues Collaboration with colleagues and other professionalsand other professionals

• Participate in decisions regarding curriculum, Participate in decisions regarding curriculum, instruction and assessment designsinstruction and assessment designs

• Share responsibility in governance of schoolsShare responsibility in governance of schools

• Cooperate with community agencies in Cooperate with community agencies in building comprehensive servicesbuilding comprehensive services

• Work with new educators and participate in Work with new educators and participate in professional developmentprofessional development

Principle 5Principle 5

EducatorsEducators collaborate withcollaborate with

parents andparents andcommunity, community,

building trust building trust andand

respectingrespectingconfidentiality.confidentiality.

Collaboration with parents Collaboration with parents and communityand community

• Partner with parents and other members of the Partner with parents and other members of the community to promote student learningcommunity to promote student learning

• Recognize the role of culture, linguistic heritage, Recognize the role of culture, linguistic heritage, gender, family and community in shaping gender, family and community in shaping experience and learningexperience and learning

• Respect privacy of students and their families Respect privacy of students and their families

• Act only in the best interest of the studentAct only in the best interest of the student

• Advocate for fair opportunity for all childrenAdvocate for fair opportunity for all children

Principle 6Principle 6

Educators Educators advanceadvance

the intellectual the intellectual

andand

ethical foundationethical foundation

of the of the

learning learning community.community.

Intellectual and ethical Intellectual and ethical foundationfoundation

• Pursue further knowledge and contribute to Pursue further knowledge and contribute to knowledge- base of the learning communityknowledge- base of the learning community

• Serve as confidantes, mentors, and Serve as confidantes, mentors, and advocates for student growth and advocates for student growth and development development

• Embody intellectual honesty, diplomacy, Embody intellectual honesty, diplomacy, tact, and fairnesstact, and fairness

BackgroundBackground

• The State Professional Standards and Practices Board for The State Professional Standards and Practices Board for Teaching facilitated development, review, and Teaching facilitated development, review, and disseminationdissemination

• Broad spectrum of suggestions and comments received Broad spectrum of suggestions and comments received from:from:– Classroom teachers, school administrators, pupil Classroom teachers, school administrators, pupil

personnel professionalspersonnel professionals– Teacher education students and college facultyTeacher education students and college faculty– Professional organizations and Boards of EducationProfessional organizations and Boards of Education– Parents and the general publicParents and the general public

• Final version presented to the Board of Regents, July Final version presented to the Board of Regents, July 20022002

• Board of Regents Task Force on Teaching called Board of Regents Task Force on Teaching called for a Code of for a Code of Ethics in its 1998 report, Ethics in its 1998 report, New York’s Commitment: New York’s Commitment: Teaching to Teaching to Higher StandardsHigher Standards

This Code shall not be used as a basis for This Code shall not be used as a basis for discipline by any employer and not be used discipline by any employer and not be used by the State Education Department as a by the State Education Department as a basis for procedure under Part 83 of basis for procedure under Part 83 of Commissioner’s Regulations, nor shall it Commissioner’s Regulations, nor shall it serve as a basis for decisions pertaining to serve as a basis for decisions pertaining to certification or employment in New York. certification or employment in New York. Conversely, this Code shall not be Conversely, this Code shall not be interpreted or used to diminish the interpreted or used to diminish the authority of any public school employer to authority of any public school employer to evaluate or discipline any employee under evaluate or discipline any employee under provisions of law, regulation, or collective provisions of law, regulation, or collective bargaining agreement.bargaining agreement.

Presentation prepared by the New York State Professional

Standards and Practices Board for Teaching and the

New York State Education Department

2003

Credits