Standard #3- Demonstrate good moral character
Before student teaching, students at SUNY Cortland are required to do an eligibility check which asks for personal information regarding behavior and ethics. If anything questionable is found, judicial screenings are conducted by the judicial affairs office. Students are also required to demonstrate professional ethics throughout the observation and student teaching experience. New York State also requires candidates to get finger printed before student teaching as well. While at these placements, it is important for teachers to practice the moral behavior that he/she requires their students to practice, including professional dress and disposition.
In the classroom, it is important to create positive relationships with the students and allow the students to create positive relationships with one another. By developing an environment of trust, encouragement, and moral respect, students will foster both the desire to learn and the desire to be a good person. If children do not think they are in an atmosphere where they are respected and cared about, they are unlikely to correct any wrongful actions or be open to any values that they are being taught.
In our relationships with individual students and with our classes, teachers can maximize their positive moral influence through modeling the type of behavior we want our students to practice. We cannot expect perfect behavior without first demonstrating this type of behavior to them first. By proving a high level of respect and responsibility both inside and outside the classroom, teachers can model moral concern and reasoning by having discussions about morally significant events that occur not only in the classroom, but in the wider world as well.
At Whitney Point Middle School, our team of teachers extends our 'homebase’ period every Thursday in order to address bullying concerns. In this setting, the students are free to have discussions on bullying, with the teacher providing direct moral instruction and guidance. During one of the sessions, the entire class created posters of their name and drew pictures all around it of things that represent who they are as individuals. On the board I had written the quote, “There isn’t anyone you couldn’t love once you’ve heard their story.” I explained to the students that the idea behind this activity was to get to know one another a little better because the more you know about someone the less likely you are to bully them or hurt them in any way. After the posters were complete, we showed them to the class and everyone learned a little bit more about each other.
In another session of extended homebase, we talked about bus behavior and took a survey about each students experience on the bus. After the surveys were collected, we looked at them and discussed their written responses. Most of the surveys were disheartening, so we discussed why people act a certain way, what factors might be affecting their behavior, and what can be done to change it. Future teacher candidates must be trustworthy and reliable, which I have demonstrated by modeling good behavior and through open discussions. By providing moral instruction and guidance, the students are able to see what
behaviors are acceptable, what behaviors are not, and what can be done to change this.
Bus survey
Questions for discussion on bus behavior/bullying
Samples of class' posters
Before student teaching, students at SUNY Cortland are required to do an eligibility check which asks for personal information regarding behavior and ethics. If anything questionable is found, judicial screenings are conducted by the judicial affairs office. Students are also required to demonstrate professional ethics throughout the observation and student teaching experience. New York State also requires candidates to get finger printed before student teaching as well. While at these placements, it is important for teachers to practice the moral behavior that he/she requires their students to practice, including professional dress and disposition.
In the classroom, it is important to create positive relationships with the students and allow the students to create positive relationships with one another. By developing an environment of trust, encouragement, and moral respect, students will foster both the desire to learn and the desire to be a good person. If children do not think they are in an atmosphere where they are respected and cared about, they are unlikely to correct any wrongful actions or be open to any values that they are being taught.
In our relationships with individual students and with our classes, teachers can maximize their positive moral influence through modeling the type of behavior we want our students to practice. We cannot expect perfect behavior without first demonstrating this type of behavior to them first. By proving a high level of respect and responsibility both inside and outside the classroom, teachers can model moral concern and reasoning by having discussions about morally significant events that occur not only in the classroom, but in the wider world as well.
At Whitney Point Middle School, our team of teachers extends our 'homebase’ period every Thursday in order to address bullying concerns. In this setting, the students are free to have discussions on bullying, with the teacher providing direct moral instruction and guidance. During one of the sessions, the entire class created posters of their name and drew pictures all around it of things that represent who they are as individuals. On the board I had written the quote, “There isn’t anyone you couldn’t love once you’ve heard their story.” I explained to the students that the idea behind this activity was to get to know one another a little better because the more you know about someone the less likely you are to bully them or hurt them in any way. After the posters were complete, we showed them to the class and everyone learned a little bit more about each other.
In another session of extended homebase, we talked about bus behavior and took a survey about each students experience on the bus. After the surveys were collected, we looked at them and discussed their written responses. Most of the surveys were disheartening, so we discussed why people act a certain way, what factors might be affecting their behavior, and what can be done to change it. Future teacher candidates must be trustworthy and reliable, which I have demonstrated by modeling good behavior and through open discussions. By providing moral instruction and guidance, the students are able to see what
behaviors are acceptable, what behaviors are not, and what can be done to change this.
Bus survey
Questions for discussion on bus behavior/bullying
Samples of class' posters