As you know I am currently working at an Academy in Hackney. I have been there for over 8 weeks now and have finally caught up with most of their rules and regulations. I will be using this place of work to consider the ethics which might apply there.
As it is a high school there are a lot of rules and regulations set in place to get the best out of the students, also the teachers, and for everyone's safety and protection.
General Rules-
Treat others as you would like to be treated
Silence in class unless you are being addressed by the teacher or involved in practical work
No running around the school
No fighting
No swearing
Respect members of staff
Plagiarism - this applies to both teachers and pupils.
With the Internet so accessible these days it is becoming a lot easier for students to type a question into search engines, such as google, and copy the answer down word for word. This is plagiarism as it is not their own work and also means that they haven't thought about the answer resulting in them not reaching their full potential that they could have by completing the task. They need to use other people's work as a stimulus and for the facts and then proceed to put it into their own words.
This also applies for teachers. They need to keep their work fresh and don't do a carbon copy of someone else's work. Everyone has a different style of teaching, different things will work for different people. Also when it comes to productions it's important to be creative and come up with your own ideas, as work could be copyrighted, again use other people's work to inspire you - don't just copy.
Protecting data - as a teacher we get informed about information that may affect a students behaviour in the class room. I.e problems at home, medical conditions, problems in school etc. This is protected data and is down to the school to be private and confidential, it's strictly between staff and the pupil in question. If the student wants to talk to his/ her peers about things then that's their choice to make.
Preventing Harm - all members of staff should be CRB cheeked.
It is important that teachers do not put themselves in a position where they can be falsely accused of a situation.
Always ask permission of the student if they are ok with any physical contact before it is made.
If you find yourself in a uncomfortable or aggressive position try and make sure that another colleague is in the room with you for your own safety.
Covert-v-overt observation
I tend to use both types of observation.
Overt - I make the class fully aware at the beginning, that they are being marked on all aspects of the class, their practical work (rehearsal and performance), participation in group discussions and how they evaluate.
Covert- random inspection of their books. This allows me to see the level of their work and if they are fully grasping the tasks at hand and can support the practical with the theory.
Random practical lessons when we are not working on a project I will observe the class and give them a mark for that lesson and see if the result differs to when they are aware they are being marked, more centralised around personal focus, effort and team work.
Both types of observations allow you to see a wider picture of the students capabilities.
All these different aspects help to create a safe atmosphere allowing the students to be focused and stimulated in class. The main aim of the school is to make sure every student reaches his / her full potential, what ever level that may be. It is important that we offer equal opportunities to each and every single student and not leave anyone behind.
