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Professional Boundaries:
The CTABC endorses the "Standards for Education, Competence and Professional Conduct of Educators in BC" set by the BC Teachers Regulation Branch. Two of the eight standards address the principles that undergird the perspective taken with respect to "professional boundaries."
o Educators value and care for all students and act in their best interests.
Educators are responsible for fostering the emotional, esthetic, intellectual, physical, social and vocational development of students. They are responsible for the emotional and physical safety of students. Educators treat students with respect and dignity. Educators respect the diversity in their classrooms, schools and communities. Educators have a privileged position of power and trust. They respect confidentiality unless disclosure is required by law. Educators do not abuse or exploit students or minors for personal, sexual, ideological, material or other advantage.
o Educators are role models who act ethically and honestly.
Educators act with integrity, maintaining the dignity and credibility of the profession. They understand that their individual conduct contributes to the perception of the profession as a whole. Educators are accountable for their conduct while on duty, as well as off duty, where that conduct has an effect on the education system. Educators have an understanding of the education system in BC and the law as it relates to their duties.
Professional Boundaries:
1. The Student-Teacher Relationship: One of the benefits of being a teacher is to have the opportunity to establish quality relationships with students. Most teachers can tell stories about certain students with whom they have had an exceptional relationship that was based on trust and respect. Those students later in life may comment on the positive formative influence had on them. However, there have also been student-teacher relationships that have been destructive. To ensure the student-teacher relationship can thrive in a healthy way the following guidelines are worth following:
a. You are the Teacher: The role of teacher is different from that of a parent, a friend, coach, drill sergeant, employer or a counselor. The teacher is responsible for establishing a positive, exciting learning environment so the students can learn. Your first priority has to be the education of all the students placed in your care. That means they need to feel safe and secure in your classroom and when they meet you in the hall, the playground or in an organized extra-curricular event.
b. Know your students: To develop a healthy classroom environment includes getting to know your students and developing a relationship of trust and respect. This does not mean that you are there to solve the serious social and emotional problems they may have. There are others who take on that responsibility. You may need to manage those with special issues and schools need to have protocols in place to handle these students.
c. Respect your students: Most students are easy to respect and love. Some require incredible patience. Whatever character or learning deficit your student may have; you are their advocate in the classroom, in the staff room, and with administration. Do not verbally malign a student in front of the class or in the staff room. Speak to the student one-to-one if their behaviour undermines the learning process. Discipline is a good thing; but must always been done in a way that allows the student the opportunity to change. Corporal punishment is unacceptable.
d. Avoid private one-to-one contact: Under no circumstance should a teacher be in a room or private space alone with a student. If a student needs some one-to-one instructional assistance or a chance to be heard, arrange a setting that cannot be deemed secretive or private. This may include a corner in the library, a room with a window, or a classroom with the door open. In no way should a male/female teacher be counseling a female/male student in the privacy of room that has no public visibility. Avoid tutoring students 45 minutes after school has been dismissed. After that time most teachers and students will have gone home.
e. Electronic Communication with students: Avoid “Facebook” friendships with students. E-mail communication between teacher-student should follow school protocols. Always ensure that electronic communication is saved and can be verified if questions are raised.
f. Physical Touch: Be careful how you physically touch someone. A “handshake” or a “high five” is culturally acceptable. A hug may be appropriate during a time of loss or happiness but requires permission and should only be done in the presence of others. Physical-corporal punishments are not permissible.
g. Coaching: The coach is often a teacher. The teacher-as-coach presents its own challenges. Often the relationship between a coach and his or her team can be very special; but the relationship needs to be defined by the expectations surrounding the sport. The coach should never be training or travelling alone with a student. Male coaches have a special responsibility to ensure female athletes have a safe environment.
h. Avoid student initiated parties: School organized parties require staff leadership. Parent organized parties require discretion; particularly if alcohol is being served. Avoid any party setting where public displays of sexual and alcoholic indiscretions are possible. Students and society expect teachers to set a higher standard of behaviour.
i. Model Appropriate Behaviours: Don’t expect your school community or CTABC to come to your defense if you were caught drinking and driving above the legal limit. Each school community will establish its standards. Learn to live with-in them.
2. Teacher-Teacher Relationship: Another benefit of working in the CTABC family of schools is the opportunity to develop a collegial relationship with teachers. For some teachers this can expand into friendship for life and in a few cases turned into romance and marriage. However teachers hired to lead the children and youth are not expected to be friends of one another; but they are expected to treat each other with Professional respect. What does this mean?
a. Respect a Teacher’s Authority: It is the school principal’s job to define and evaluate the teacher’s teaching responsibility. Each teacher must respect the other’s authority unless it is clear that a student’s safety and health is placed at risk because of teacher negligence or misconduct. Should this happen, administration needs to be notified. Teachers should never say anything disrespectful to others about their colleagues. A teacher who notes an indiscretion of a colleague should “in confidence” address the matter with that teacher. If the “indiscretion” persists, alert administration to determine if the concern has any validity.
b. Conflict: When there is a difference of opinion or an irritant between two or more teachers that creates conflict and division, resolution needs to be initiated by the teachers. If this does not happen, the administration needs to own the problem, and if this fails the school’s dispute resolution protocols need to be followed. A school community suffers when conflict is left to fester. This is one of the reasons the CTABC offers “facilitation” to its members if the school community is unable to find resolution. It is unacceptable to allow conflict to fester in a school community. Teachers are examples to the community and the students as to how a healthy community can function.
c. Teacher as Parent: The role of teacher and that of parent can sometimes create tensions and conflicts. How does a teacher and parent of a child relate to the child’s teacher if as parent there are issues that are not being addressed? This can be very difficult; but needs not be insurmountable. The parent-teacher needs to realize that respect of the child’s teacher has two dimensions: the normal parent-to-teacher respect and the teacher-to-teacher professional respect. Finding that balance will be a challenge. Publically discrediting a teacher is unacceptable.
d. Teacher as Spouse/Friend: Teachers that are married, dating or engaged need to be intentional in showing that at school their relationship is defined by their professional status as teacher. The same can be said of those who have a close friend or group of friends on staff. Every effort must be made to project a “professional stance” at staff gatherings and meetings. Each individual teacher must be regarded as bringing their unique gifts to the teaching community. Cliques undermine a healthy professional learning community.
3. Teacher-Community Relationship:
In 2001 the SCSBC and CTABC developed a model community standards policy. The teacher’s contract has a ‘community standards” provision. It would be advisable for each teacher to review their contract to make certain that ‘lifestyle provisions” are understood.
During the 2011-2012 school year the community standards recommendations will be reviewed and updated. One area that will need attention has to do with the use of electronic Media. The BC Teachers Regulation Branch cautions teachers in using Facebook with students.
Teacher access and contributions to social websites, e-mail, blogs and websites, places a huge responsibility on the teacher to ensure that their message (words, pictures) is positive, professional, public and above repute. It can no longer be assumed that on-line communication is private, protected, personal and off limits to correction.
PVH Jan 2012
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