I am a strong proponent of secular education and believe that educators – particularly in social studies – need to find a way of presenting information about other cultures or worldviews that is fair, sensitive, and inclusive.  This is ethical because everyone in the public school system comes from a different background, with a different family, different values and understandings of the world.  It behooves me as an educator to allow all such students to feel welcome and validated in class.  This is what I mean when I assert that I am a secularist.

I believe that all students need to be treated with dignity and respect.  While it is impossible to expect a teacher to not get frustrated or disappointed with students if they misbehave, it is important that the teacher take behaviour issues in stride and refrain from voicing expressions of disappointment with a third party whose awareness of the issue is not necessary.  Though dignity and respect go further than discussions about classroom management that may take place in the staff room or in other venues, I have noticed that many teachers are prone to engage in gossip.  I am against such needless gossip.

As a teacher I believe that equity is more important than equality.  Many students come from different walks of life that may make it more difficult for them to attend or participate in class.  For example, maybe some high school students need to help take care of their siblings because their parents cannot afford babysitters.  It’s not fair to impose the same expectations on such students as we would on those who can afford to do their homework every day.  This moral framework is in effect for the common good, because the student being punished for not doing her homework when she has hungry siblings who need to be fed will not benefit from such punishment.  Every student needs to be treated as a separate entity.  This makes my practice equitable.

Finally, as an educator I believe in the need to care.  This is a tricky concept because there needs to be an established boundary between behaviour that is too close or intimate with students.  Such a violation could be perceived as too ‘friendly’ and could disrupt the teacher’s role as a role model and a person of authority of the student(s).  I think that it is OK to joke around appropriately with students, to ask or answer certain personal questions (e.g. hobbies, likes, dislikes, weekend plans, etc.), to attend and get involved with extra-curricular activities with students, and to attend community events where students can be seen.  There are some areas that serve as boundaries that should not be crossed.  Students, for example, should not go to teachers’ homes without the parent or guardian of said student.  Students should not be allowed to ‘hang out’ with teachers outside of the context of the school or its events.