Statement on Professionalism

This is a rigorous and intense program designed to fully prepare you to embark on your chosen career as a professional educator. Upon completion of this program, you will be expected to demonstrate the high degrees of skill, professionalism and personal responsibility which are hallmarks of exceptional educators.

Professionalism and personal responsibility are not qualities that magically appear upon graduation, but rather evolve and strengthen over time and with practice. As such, students in the Education program are expected to exhibit and practice professionalism and personal responsibility on a daily basis. Remember, as educators you will be seen as role models, and this position carries with it a great deal of responsibility. You will be judged by a higher moral and behavioral standard than your peers in other professions, and as such, the qualities of professionalism and personal accountability must extend beyond classroom and practicum experiences and into your daily lives.

In order to be seen as a professional, one must act as a professional and take responsibility for one’s actions. There are numerous qualities and behaviors that demonstrate professionalism and personal accountability. The list that follows is by no means meant to be exhaustive. Instead, it is offered as a starting point. The intent is to provide you with some ideas upon which you can expand as you move through your course of study and into your career.

- Come to class and study to learn, not to do well on tests. If you truly understand and can apply the information, test performance will come naturally.

- Do not ask if something will be on the test. Assume anything important enough to be discussed in class, the text, or the syllabus to be important enough to include on the test. There few things more aggravating to a teacher or more indicative of a lack of interest in learning than asking if something will be on a test.

- Know due dates, prepare in advance, and read the text. Every class comes with a syllabus, and every syllabus details due dates, test dates, and reading assignments. Take the responsibility to read the syllabus and prepare yourself accordingly. This includes reading the text, paying attention in class, and asking questions when you need clarification. Remember, the responsibility of the teacher is to provide and clarify information to enable you to learn, the responsibility for learning that information is yours.

- Plan ahead, recognize the consequences