This project has three tasks, each representing a different facet of the role of the professional educator. Task 1 evaluates your ability to recognize and respond to violations of the Texas Educator Code of Ethics. Task 2 evaluates your ability to communicate professionally and appropriately with parents. Task 3 evaluates your ability to respond appropriately to your colleagues. Your paper will be evaluated on multiple criteria, including your thorough response to each of the prompts, including your ability to write professionally. To successfully complete this project and avoid resubmission, you must review the rubric with which you are evaluated.
Part 1: Educator Code of Ethics
As you have learned in this course, teachers serve as role models and your conduct, both on
and off the job, can significantly impact your professional image. In this project, you are to
read each scenario and answer the questions that follow.
Your Task:
For each scenario (2), you are to write a paragraph of at least 1/2 page in length that will:
Identify the ethical behavior/dilemma,
Cite the standard of professional behavior from the Code of Ethics the action violates
using the number and letter and exact language of the standard.
Provide justification for your selection of the standard, and
Describe an alternate behavior that is detailed and appropriate to take in that situation.
You are expected to use professional language, spelling, and grammar.
Scenario 1
The Life Skills classroom at Hasting High provides Community Based Instruction to its small group of students with severe disabilities. The district provides some funds for transportation and community outings, but it isnt usually enough to keep the students busy throughout the school year. To help with the funds, the principal allows the students, with the support of the teachers, to sell breakfast items to the school three days a week. This fundraiser becomes very popular with the rest of the student body because the breakfast items are inexpensive, delivered straight to their 1st period classes, and they get to feel good about helping the Life Skills classroom in a positive way. Ever since the Life Skills fundraising began, the Student Council sponsor, Mrs. Sumner, has noticed that support for their daily candy fundraiser has declined, and she believes it is due to the popularity of the breakfast items being sold. One day she notices a Life Skills student and one of the teachers, Mr. Moore, out making deliveries and collecting money. The student is clearly struggling with handling the money, so Mr. Moore helps her by taking some of the money and putting it into his own pocket. Mrs. Sumner sees only this small interaction and has no other context for the exchange. Later that day, when speaking to a group of other teachers she mentions seeing Mr. Moore putting some of the breakfast fundraiser money into his pocket. Over the next several days, this comment makes its way through the faculty, and when she is questioned by other faculty members, Mrs. Sumners response is that she did see Mr. Moore pocket the money, but she doesnt know what he did with it after that. In the same conversations, she also casually mentions the expensive new car Mr. Moore recently started driving.
Questions:
Identify the behaviors (if any) that you believe violate standards in the Educator Code
of Ethics.
2. Which standards do you think were violated? Explain your reasoning. If you feel that
no standards were violated, explain your reasoning.
3. Should Mr. Moore and/or Mrs. Sumner have handled this situation differently so as
not to violate the Code of Ethics, or (if you feel that there was no violation) to avoid
their actions being called into question?
Which standards do you think were violated? Explain your reasoning. If you feel that
no standards were violated, explain your reasoning.
3. Should Mrs. Nelson have handled this situation differently so as not to violate the
Code of Ethics, or (if you feel that there was no violation) to avoid her actions being
called into question?
Scenario 2
Mrs. Nelson is a 5th grade teacher at Xander Elementary School. Mrs. Nelson is very tech-savvy and uses many forms of social media to communicate with her parents and students. At the beginning of the year she asks parents to follow her on a communication app, Remind, so that they can receive important text reminders about upcoming events. Remind is typically used for group communication. For example, Mrs. Nelson might send out a reminder to the class that they have a field trip and will need to remember to bring their lunch. After receiving a group text, parents then have the option to respond individually to Mrs. Nelson and they can then carry on a conversation in a private environment if they need to discuss more student-specific information. Many of her students have their own cell phones and have also begun following Mrs. Nelson on the Remind app. While Mrs. Nelson does not encourage this, she doesnt remove them when they do. It has never been an issue in the past, and she assumes it might help them to know about upcoming and important events too. Mrs. Nelson is a very loved and respected teacher, and she is known for providing a very safe and nurturing environment in her classroom. Whenever a student is struggling with an issue, he or she knows that Mrs. Nelson will listen and support them. Because of the precarious nature of 5th grade, students often come to Mrs. Nelson with all kinds of problems. After sending out a Remind text about the upcoming early dismissal day, a student, Maddie, responded with a private message to Mrs. Nelson telling her that she needed to talk to her about a problem. Mrs. Nelson tells her to come to her first thing in the morning, so they can talk before class begins. The next morning, Maddie shows up early to class as instructed and tells Mrs. Nelson that she thinks something is wrong with her because she doesnt like boys the way her friends do, but she really doesnt want to be gay. She is afraid of what her parents and friends would say if she never likes boys the way she thinks she is supposed to. Though she was a little taken aback by this confession, Mrs. Nelson assures her that she will be ok, and that it is ok that she doesnt have the answers to those questions right now. Thinking about it later that evening, Mrs. Nelson was concerned that she hadnt been supportive enough in talking with Maddie, so she sends her a private Remind text saying, I want you to know that you are a very smart and beautiful young lady, and that wont change if you like boys or girls. I wont say anything to anyone about our conversation.
Questions:
1. Identify the behaviors (if any) that you believe violate standards in the Educator Code
of Ethics.
Part 2: Effective Communication with Parents
The Situation
Brandon, a student in Ms. Jennings 7th grade science class, had his phone out during a major exam. Ms. Jennings established testing procedures at the beginning of the year. Phones are to be put away during tests and quizzes. All students are to place their phones in their backpacks. Students know that if they do not follow this rule Ms. Jennings will take up their phone for the duration of the class. If a student violates this rule twice, Ms. Jennings takes up the phone, notifies the parent, and assigns a detention. When Ms. Jennings calls Brandons mother, she explains the situation and that, when she questioned him, he indicated to her that he knew he wasnt supposed to have his phone out but kept it anyway so he could check the time. The mother became upset that Brandon had received a detention for this and sent the following email after the conversation. I am highly disappointed in how this issue was handled with my son. I really believe the teachers at this school are out to get him. It is evident by how you seemed happy to tell me that Brandon was going to have a detention. It is obvious he does not understand the seriousness of this. However, you all are so quick to punish him. Did anyone triple check if he understood the penalties of having a phone? He did not engage in taking pictures or use it for cheating. However, he was treated like he did. I disagree with after school detention.
Mrs. Jackson
Your Task
Respond to Mrs. Jackson in a paragraph or two. Your response should reflect effective communication skills such as setting aside judgement and remaining calm. You should address her concerns and assert yourself through the values of the district. You are expected to use professional language, spelling, and grammar.
Part 3: Relations with Colleagues
The Situation
In order to illustrate the importance of early trade in her world history class, Ms. Jeffries asks students to bring snacks the next day of class to use in a simulation activity. Several students forget and Ms. Jeffries sends them to the vending machine in the cafeteria at the very beginning of class to purchase some. A short time later, Mrs. Daniels, an assistant principal, escorts them back to Ms. Jeffries room. While still about 100 feet from the classroom Mrs. Daniels yells Did you send these kids to the cafeteria? Ms. Jeffries acknowledges that she did and starts to explain when Mrs. Daniels remarks, Dont you know that you arent supposed to send students out of the classroom for snacks? Dont ever do that again! Ms. Jeffries students try to explain but Mrs. Daniels cuts them off. Once the students are inside the classroom, Ms. Jeffries starts to give instructions for the activity, but she is fuming. She was just reprimanded in front of her students.
Your Task
In a paragraph or two explain how Ms. Jeffries should handle the situation. Be sure to consider the
following:
1. Did Ms. Jeffries do anything inappropriate? If so, what should she have done instead?
2. Did Mrs. Daniels do anything inappropriate? If so, what should she have done instead?
3. According to guidelines of effective communication, what should Ms. Jeffries do next? Be
specific in how she should approach the situation and Mrs. Daniels.
SCORING CRITERIA
Code of Ethics portion:
Identification of behavior
Standard(s) cited and justification
Identification of alternative, ethical behavior
Professional Writing
Communication with Parents
Effective Communication
Concerns Addressed
Professional Writing
Relations with Colleagues
Identification of inappropriate behavior and alternatives
Explanation of Next Steps
Professional Writing
You will submit your responses to each of the tasks in one document, all three parts must be in one document.
You must use the TNT 700.1P Professional Communications Response Guide to respond and submit.
Attached is:
SAMPLE PROJECT TNT- use a reference to complete project
TNT 700.1P Performance Based Assessment – Scenarios and Instructions. use as a reference while completing the task.
TNT 700.1 Professional Response Guide- use document to record answers MUST BE RETURNED IN THIS FORMAT
TNT 700.1P Rubric- Follow rubric to get a passing score of at least an 80
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