The primary ethical considerations for teachers in a K-8 classroom setting are to provide an ethical setting for the children to learn in and to assist the children in learning how to have their own ethical code. According to Sternberg (2011), “The question is not whether the people had sufficient knowledge; it's whether they used that knowledge ethically” (p. 34”). A great first step in helping children learn about ethics and learning how to apply those ethics to life is by showing them by example.
In the world we live in it is only too easy to see how ethics can fall by the wayside of what goes on in society. The primary ethical considerations in making sure that you are helping your students grow in their learning and applying ethical behaviors is very important to help combat this downslide. It can be easy to only act in an ethical manner and hope that your students pick up on your behavior or to teach ethics to your students without laying the ground work of your ethical example. Without having both sides of the coin it can be easy for students to not completely comprehend ethical behaviors or how to apply them to their lives. They may be able to understand what it is to be ethical, but not actually be able to apply it to situations that they are in.
As teachers we cannot expect our students to understand ethics without providing a good example for them to follow as being a role model and without letting them understand exactly what ethics and ethical behaviors are. According to Pass and Willingham, “Classroom teachers teach ethics all the time by modeling acceptable behavior. However, teachers who believe that students must learn to identify and make correct ethical decisions may also wish to give their students formal instruction in ethics” (p. 23). It is our primary ethical consideration to help the next generation become model citizens that we can be proud of.
“Teachers must embody the values of a solid code of ethics, because they have the responsibility of developing the minds and characters of our youth” (Almoni, 1999). The next generation of citizens depend on their teachers and family in helping them to have a good ethical base to make their future decisions on. It is easy to see the results of the failure to help with teaching ethics from a young age by turning on the news. Teachers must have the primary ethical considerations of providing a good example of ethical behavior along with having an open discourse on the topic as well.
References
Almoni, P. (1999). Why childhood educators need a code of ethics. Retrieved from http://www.ehow.com/about_6458245_childhood-educators-need-code-ethics.html
Pass, S., & Willingham, W. (2009, January/February). Teaching ethics to high school students. Social Studies, 100(1), 23-30.
Sternberg, R. J. (2011, March). Ethics from thought to action. Educational Leadership, 68(6), 34-39.