Link to Standards: http://www.gtcs.org.uk/web/files/the-standards/standards-for-registration-1212.pdf

The standards in Section 1 within the documentation in the link above is split into four categories:

1. Social Justice
2. Integrity
3. Trust & Respect
4. Professional Commitment

Despite each section being briefly summarised by bullet points in this documentation our workshop last week encouraged us to expand on these to fully understand the meaning behind each category.

Social Justice:

• This section highlights how we should look at social backgrounds, different cultures and gender and try and achieve equality for all. As professionals we must not only implement equality but we should also promote this idea to our pupils. By making children aware of the importance of equality now we have more of a chance of having an inequality free world in the future.
• Sustainability is also mentioned in this section. As teachers we must make a conscious effort to raise awareness of the importance of sustainability. This could include planning lessons on areas such as recycling and renewable energy in order to educate pupils on this topic.
• Discrimination comes under this term too. This means that teachers should not be seen to be discriminating against any pupil in their class. If any sort of discrimination occurs between pupils it must be dealt with straight away.
• Pupils need to be made aware of diversity under this area of the standards. Pupils need to understand that within society there are different groups of people. No one person is the same. It is important we explain this in an appropriate way in order to meet the standards.
• An important aspect of this section is being able to teach in an unbiased manner. There are many controversial issues that may come up when teaching in the classroom but teachers must be neutral and explain all sides of the story. We want to enable pupils to create their own views and opinions without being influenced by their teacher.
• This section also touches on how we must make children aware of the rights and responsibilities they hold. This may also include looking at the role they take in their local community and how they can improve this.

Integrity

• “Demonstrating openness, honesty, courage and wisdom” is one of the bullet points under this heading. I think it is important to look at each word individually to cage what they mean in this context.

– Openness: It is vital that teachers make themselves approachable which will in turn hopefully eliminate pupils feeling intimidated. Teachers are not only there to teach but we are here to support pupils. Many may want to talk about issues that they feel they cannot bring up with their own family so being approachable will mean pupils feel comfortable with confiding in you.

– Honesty: This is key within teaching. Not is it only important to be honest with pupils and colleagues but it is also important to be honest with yourself. If a lesson clearly isn’t working and pupils are struggling you must admit to yourself that the way you taught the subject initially possibly isn’t right for your pupils. Going back to the drawing board and changing your outlook on the topic may be necessary but first we must be honest with ourselves and admit that we may have made the wrong decision.

– Courage: This means that we must stand up for what we believe in and not be intimidated by others opinions if we do not agree with them. Courage is important in teaching as it is easy to just go along with the crowd but if you feel something needs to be done, for example if a pupil needs more support and you feel like you cannot solely provide this you must speak up. Have confidence in your opinions.

– Wisdom: In my opinion wisdom is based around experience. It is my job to build my wisdom as I gain more experience in the profession. Although I may not be able to help the fact that I don’t have a great deal of experience in the classroom compared to others I can develop my knowledge by studying. Being knowledgeable on the curriculum and teaching styles will lead to greater wisdom. Furthermore it is vital to have a good sense of judgement.

• We must critically examine our own beliefs under this heading. We need to question whether they are solid beliefs and whether there is a better approach that we need to adopt. We must also look at school values and whether they are efficient or whether they need to be altered. We need to constantly asses these areas to ensure we are doing the best for our classes.

Trust and Respect

• The main focus of this section is implementing mutual respect between pupils and teachers.  This is vital when creating a positive working environment. The same can be said with colleagues. Working well with staff will set a good example to the children.
• This section highlights how it is important to set boundaries within a classroom – some things are not appropriate to say or do in this environment and pupils must be aware of this. Teachers must state what is appropriate behaviour within the classroom so that pupils respect the rules.
• Manners also come into play within this section. It is important that teachers implement manners from an early age. By using please and thank you this will show children how to respect one another which is a key lifeskill they must learn.
• Safety must also be looked at. This may involve bringing up the issue of bullying and taking any forms of it that may arise seriously. As teachers we must also be aware of the physical boundaries within the classroom and continue to act professionally whatever the circumstance. Safety also includes openly talking about issues such as mental health and reporting any cases or signs you have seen that may suggest a pupil is suffering from health problems like this.

Personal Commitment

• This section focuses on engagement. We must engage with pupils staff and extra-curricular activities. Enthusiasm must be shown in all areas of the curriculum and treat each area with the same amount of importance.
• We must work as one with all the members of staff by supporting one another and treating each other with mutual respect. When working collaboratively we must put the child at the core and establish what is best for them.
• We must commit ourselves to the whole profession, not just the educational part. Teaching isn’t simply about educating pupils, it is also about doing our best to shape them into good people. Teaching is about going the extra mile and not just doing the bare minimum.
• We must be open to new opportunities and experiences that will enhance our professional development. We must be willing to learn throughout our profession and not stop simply because you gain your qualification.
• We must furthermore be able to keep a good standard of professionalism in our leadership roles throughout our whole career. This involves: being on time, having plans for class, dress code, professional conduct, always being organised…

Overall I really enjoyed looking into the GTCS Standards for Provisional Registration in deeper context. At times it was hard to get my head around what each point meant but by taking my time and working through each one I was able to gain a deeper understanding of everything. I think it is important to constantly refer back to these during the next 4 years and after I qualify in order to become the best teacher I can be.

There are a range of values which need to be applied in the teaching profession but I have chosen 5 that that I would regard as the most important to me.

Patience:  Firstly I feel that patience is a crucial element of teaching. Working with children is job commonly stereotyped as being stressful due to having to deal with what seems like menial and irritating issues. However, this is a misconception often made by people with a lack of patience themselves. Children learn best when they are taught effectively and some children are going to both take longer to learn certain aspects of their curriculum but will also often not perform well in certain areas. It is important to remain patient and help children like this just as every other child in the class should be shown how to complete a task regardless of the time it takes them. This insures that the child learns and thus by remaining patient a teacher is able to succeed in completing their job, assisting with and helping the child learn.

Respect:   Respect needs to be present in a variety of areas in the life and work of a professional teacher. It is vital for teachers to respect their pupils and their differences to create a happy learning environment. By exercising high levels of respect the relationship between teacher and pupil can be improved considerably. It is also incredibly important to maintain respect for colleagues, parents and those whom we may work with from time to time for example with social work. We do have to bear in mind that respect is not the same as obedience. A child may obey you due to your temperament. However if they respect you, they will in turn obey you because they know you have their best interests at heart.        

Fairness:   Fairness is not only in the classroom but also in the child’s development and confidence. It’s important that when dealing with situations that the teacher must take all aspects into account and I understand that at times this may be difficult. In regards to work in the classroom all of the children must be given the chance to excel in parts of the curriculum that they show strong ability in. This can be shown by having allocated ability groups in the class. However, not only the strongest group can be focused on. A fair teacher will treat all groups equally. Providing the appropriate assistance to everyone who requires it regardless of how skilled they may already be. This insures fairness in the aspect of learning. Fairness however exceeds being only in the classroom. In regards to more social issues. Disagreements between pupils, for example, are an important area where teachers must be fair. Both sides must be heard with additional information from third parties (eg. Their friends) So to provide a fair and justified response to the issue. This is an effective way of handling situations and by doing this a lesson can also be shown to the children by in turn also teaching them about an aspect of fairness. Thus a fair teacher not only best helps children to learn but also provides knowledge for life.

Compassion:  In my opinion compassion is one of the key qualities a teacher should possess. How is it possible for pupils to enjoy learning and actively engage in various activities when a teacher lacks compassion? If teachers incorporate compassion into their work it will undoubtably result in positive growth  and development within their pupils. Not only is it important for teachers to have a compassionate outlook but schools in general need to adopt this. Working to create a compassionate school will support the needs of pupils and their families which is key to making education successful. Compassion is so important in a child’s education – it is hard to learn unless you are comfortable. It is multiple times better when you feel supported and know that the people teaching you want to teach for your benefit.   

Honesty:    The saying ‘honesty is the best policy’ is very fitting for the teaching profession. I think as teachers we need to accept that nobody is perfect and we all have our flaws. Everyone is susceptible to making mistakes and when these occur we have to be honest with our pupils. Being honest can lead to building strong relationships with pupils furthermore making you an aspiring role model in a child’s life. Furthermore being honest with children in the classroom  will have a knock on affect and allow pupils to realise the importance of this attribute in day to day life.