Are you familiar with the Ethical Standards for the Teaching Profession?

As members of a regulated profession, teachers’ daily practice is guided by ethical standards.

Ontario Certified Teachers (OCT) were among the first in the world to be directly involved in the development of their own ethical standards.

The College has recently initiated a review of the professional standards to reflect the evolving nature of the teaching profession and OCTs will have opportunities to provide input.

More details about how to contribute to the professional standards review will be shared as they become available. In the meantime, consider how you can continue holding the current standards both in and out of the classroom.

The ethical standards are:

• Trust
• Respect
• Integrity
• Care

Ethical standards provide an important foundation for teacher education courses and programs, the College’s professional advisories, and the ongoing professional learning of OCTs.

In next month’s Your College and You, we will cover the profession’s Standards of Practice.

Focus on Teaching: A survey of Ontario Certified Teachers

One of our guiding principles in our 2024 Focus on Teaching survey is to develop this survey in collaboration with teachers who are the core of the profession and education system stakeholders.

To that end, we conducted the first of two series of focus groups involving Ontario Certified Teachers (OCTs). Our objective of this first round of focus groups was to evaluate the clarity and content of the survey questions that had been drafted to date and identify any gaps in the data to be collected.

More than 70 OCTs participated in 17 focus groups from July 2 to 11. Based on their feedback, 97% of the survey questions have been refined, and two new questions have been added.

The survey includes questions in several key areas of relevance to College members and the education sector, including certification, employment, motivation and mobility, services offered by the College, teacher education, demographics, and sense of belonging.

The College is grateful to the OCTs who were able to commit their time and thinking to help draft or refine the survey questions. They have contributed to a survey that is clearly worded, relevant to their experiences, and reflective of the opportunities and challenges currently facing both the education system and the profession.

Here is some of the feedback we received, particularly on the utmost importance of including teachers in survey development:

“It is wise for the College to involve teachers in the development of questions. People who are boots on the ground can develop questions that are relevant and meaningful.  Surveys without teacher input tend to be removed from the grassroots of what’s happening in the classrooms and school buildings.”

“Teachers are giving up on surveys because they feel like the organizations are using surveys to make it look like they are doing what they need to do…”

“Involving teachers in developing survey questions was good. I felt that College valued teacher’s opinion and voice.”

Sincere thanks to all OCTs who participated in the first series of focus groups.

Our second series of focus groups will evaluate how easy it is to complete the survey. Our goal is to develop a survey that consists of clear, straightforward questions that can be completed in 10 minutes or less.

The survey will be distributed to all OCTs this fall.

Myth/Fact

Myth: As an Ontario Certified Teacher, I can express my personal opinions at any time, regardless of the context and without repercussions.

Fact: Members of the teaching profession recognize that both their on-duty and off-duty behavior, including sharing personal views in public or on social media, can alienate students. Teachers are role models in our society and they promote, contribute to, and participate in collaborative, safe and supportive learning communities.

OCTs know the importance of maintaining professional standards and a safe learning environment for every student.

According to the Ethical Standards for the Teaching Profession, “In their professional practice, [members] model respect for spiritual and cultural values, social justice, confidentiality, freedom, democracy and the environment.”

In their position of trust, OCTs demonstrate responsibility in their relationships with students, parents, guardians, colleagues, educational partners, other professionals, the environment, and the public.

Stay informed

The College encourages OCTs to review the Professional Advisory on Electronic Communication and Social Media and the Professional Advisory on Anti-Black Racism for guidance on appropriate behaviour, and advice on how to approach complex and controversial topics with students or in the community at large.

As professionals, it is your responsibility to always model behaviour that aligns with the Standards of Practice for the Teaching Profession and the Ethical Standards for the Teaching Profession, fostering a safe learning environment for students.

Additionally, OCTs are also encouraged to review their employer’s policies on online behaviour and how to handle complex and controversial topics with students or in the community at large.

Are you a magazine lover?

Members, check out the Margaret Wilson Library’s selection of online magazines, with 24/7 access to publications including Maclean’s and L'Actualité.

1. Log into your online College account on oct.ca, under Members.
2. On the right navigation pane, click Library.
3. At the top of the page, click Online Magazines.

Explore the Margaret Wilson Library’s FAQs to learn tips and tricks to navigate Flipster, and more!

Still have questions? Contact the library team at library@oct.ca or 1.833.966.5588