On the PH Code of Ethics for Professional Teachers

THE PREAMBLE

According to the Code of Ethics for Professional Teachers Preamble, teachers are licensed professionals with dignity and reputation. More to that, teachers must maintain high moral values as well as technical and professional competence in the practice of the teaching profession.

These definition in the preamble gives a weight and emphasis on the characteristic and morale of the teachers. Characteristics which are heavily anchored on the personality and identity of a person as a professional, and as a teacher, much more of a professional teacher. It is difficult however, to measure and objectify these characteristics. How would you measure a person’s dignity? How is reputation assessed? Would the idea of one person be the same as of the others when judging a professional teacher’s dignity and reputation? If high moral values are as easy as identifying one professional teacher’s competence based on his submitted certificates, units, and credentials, then it would be easy to set standards where this preamble will be based from.

In the early years, teachers are looked upon and as treated as one of the highest positions in the society. It is such an honour and pride to wear the national uniform of teachers. Most people would know what a teacher looks like. Everyone regards a teacher as someone deserving of respect and fear altogether. In fact, a teacher cannot pass a hallway without hearing the chorus greetings of the people in the area.

“Good morning, ma’am, sir.”

Oftentimes, the students are seen carrying the books or the bag of the teacher. The teacher cannot be seen haggard or stressed. Teachers maintain that fresh and welcoming look from 7:00AM to 5:00PM. It is considered a sin not to obey teachers. Even at home, parents would comment about how their children obey their teachers, thus the cliché, “kapag sinabi ni ma’am na ganito ‘yan, ganito dapat ‘yan!” True enough, after all, it is the teachers who gave grades to the students, and not the parents. Sad to think, this kind of perspective about teachers slowly diminishes.

The high moral values stated in the preamble of the code of ethics was given a different definition or at least, interpretation. People can be heard at times saying “Teaching na lang kunin mo kasi wala tayong pera.” Given that the education course is way affordable than taking medicine or law courses, the “lang” has extended to the morale and dignity of the teacher. There is a big gap if we are to compare the ways of the teacher before, and the ways of the teacher now. I would like to think that the gap is for the betterment of the learners. The practice of traditional teaching before has evolved and it is a good change. I cannot do away from the 21^st century teaching of personalizing learning and teaching strategy and adhering to the development of the learners towards lifelong learning.

Not to stereotype or generalize teachers, but there are educators who find it hard to maintain what is being required in the preamble – dignity, reputation, high moral values and competence. Surely, these are hard to maintain. That is why I salute all my teachers in the elementary and secondary for maintaining these traits all throughout their teaching career. I salute all my professors in the CIT (Certificate in Teaching) program, and the professors in the post graduate.

We are new teachers, and we may find this noble career challenging, but with all the guidance we can get, we are on our way to producing future citizens with dignity, reputation, high moral values, and competence.