Question

what is professional codes of ethics and conduct

Answer 1

The Codes are public statements developed for and by the teaching profession to:

reflect shared principles about practice, conduct and ethics to be applied to promote the highest standards of professional practiceenable registered teachers to reflect on their ethical decisionsinspire the quality of behaviour that reflects the expectations of the profession and the communityprovide a clear statement to the community about these expectations.

The Codes are not intended to be used as a rigid set of rules; they are designed to help teachers navigate and resolve difficult professional and ethical dilemmas.

While there may be no single correct solution, you should be able to account for your actions by referring to the Codes.

Use the Codes along with any other codes and/or policies developed by your employer or school, to guide your professional practice.

The Codes are intended to be inspirational.

They may also be used to challenge the ethical and professional behaviour of a teacher and could provide grounds for complaint if a teacher’s practice falls short of the expected standard.

The Codes should be treated as an educational tool to help the profession:

define and redefine its valuesassist individual teachers to be vigilant about ethical tensionshelp them develop principled ways to resolve issues.