Ethics

Matt McConnell
4-12-11
Instructional Technology
Ethics

Ethics is an important quality for any professional to possess, and it should be on display consistently. Practicing good ethics is a sign of integrity. Simply defined, ethics deals with concepts of right and wrong. If an act is ethically right, then it might also be called virtuous. More strictly, ethics requires following the law to the best of one’s ability according to the accepted norms of society. In education, ethics is setting a standard of always following the system of moral principles predetermined by one’s self, the school administration, the law, and society.
The implications for teachers in regards to ethics are numerous. Teachers must always abide by the strictest moral principles. By doing this, teachers model proper ethical behavior for students. If teachers did not model ethical behavior, what motivation would students have to act ethically? However, students will not always be around to observe the behavior of the teacher. Educators should always feel compelled to practice good ethics because teachers are not just role models for students, they should also be model citizens. When teachers interact with other teachers, it might be tempting to compromise ethics under the guise of collaboration. This would be a sad mistake because teachers need not bend or break rules and laws in order to provide a riveting lesson plan for students. Plenty of high quality material exists that is openly available for legal use.
Obviously, it would be easy to ignore ethics and do as we please in order to enjoy personal gain. This would not just be wrong it would be selfish. Although ethics can seem like a set of moral handcuffs at times, teachers can take solace in the knowing that the ethical decision is the right decision. One positive byproduct of consistently making ethically sound decisions is that the person making them need not worry about legal problems because of poor ethics. In the end, each teacher must decide for him or herself whether sound ethical decisions outweigh the risk or reward of unethical decision. At the end of the day, I am confident the vast majority of teachers will reach the conclusion that sound ethics is a worthwhile decision.