Handout in Ethics

For BEED 4-A & B

Prepared by: Prof. Rudolf T. Vecaldo, EdD
READING 1
(Moral Code) Rules- set of guidelines used to guide and monitor interactions of humans in
the society
- a well-developed system of rules help humanity to avoid chaos and problems caused
by lack of regulations
- important in (a) protecting the weaker class in the society, (b) providing a stable
environment and human co-existence, (c) maintaining peace and order

Ethics- “ethos” which means custom

- system of moral principles
- fundamental issues of practical decision-making by which human actions can be
judged right or wrong
- It is important in (a) understanding better what conscience is, (b) deepening of moral
convictions, (c) broadening one’s view of humanity

Normative or Prescriptive Ethics- “Do unto others what you want others do unto you”
- How should people act?
- actions are judged by merits allowing societies to develop codes
- claims about what is right or wrong (Ex. It is wrong to torment the dog.)

Descriptive or Comparative Ethics- What do people think is right?

- morals are created by culture
- claims about what people believe to be right or wrong (Ex. Your father believes it is
wrong to torment a dog.)

Morality- standards that an individual or a group has about what is right or wrong, or good
or evil
- descriptive morality (code of conduct put forward by a society, a group such as
religion, or accepted by an individual for his/her behavior)
- normatively (code of conduct that given specified conditions, would be put forward
by all rational persons)

Features of Morality
1. People experience a sense of moral obligation and accountability
2. Moral values and moral absolutes exist
3. Moral law or Law of Nature does exist
4. Moral law is known to humans
5. Morality is objective (Factual truths)
6. Moral judgements must be supported by reasons

Man as Moral agent- anything that can be held responsible for behavior or decisions.
- An intelligent being who has the power to choose and to act
- Living creature responsible for their decisions and behaviors

Moral action- action that springs from choice (free, intelligent, and accountable)
Handout in Ethics
For BEED 4-A & B
Prepared by: Prof. Rudolf T. Vecaldo, EdD
Moral Responsibility – Aristotle (Virtuous Life)
- About human action and its intentions and consequences
- Status of morally deserving praise, blame, reward or punishment for an act or
omission

Reading 2
Ethics in Teaching Profession
ABSTRACT
Ethics is the most concerning issues now a day. The society is becoming corrupted and youth generations
are doing unethical activities randomly. Family plays an important role to make the children ethical, but
teacher has a great role too regarding this issue. A teacher can raise the morality of a student by
encouraging the ethical practices. This paper tried to focus on what is ethics and what is the relation of
ethics with the teaching profession and finally tried to recommend a code of ethics for teachers.

INTRODUCTION

In recent years awareness regarding ethical aspects has been increase in the general people. When
an occupation organizes itself as a profession, a code of ethics appears. Educational ethics apply to
those professionals that are active within education. Ethics is a branch of philosophy concerned with
the study of what is good and bad. Ethical behavior is the way a living creature acts. A teacher’s
work covers many things and ethics is one of them.

According to Moral agency and ethical knowledge, ethics in teaching is the practice of ethical codes
and a formal perception of behavior and relevant disposition of the teacher. Ethics consider as one
of the elements of human virtue through attitude, intentions, words and actions. It is the realization
of good and identifies the bad which they apply in everyday practice of teachers as a professional
individual and group. Ethics focus on honesty and fairness which teachers are actually going to imply
on teaching profession (Moral agency and ethical knowledge). A teacher has to contextualize in
classroom with own morale disposition problems and uncertainties. Ethics reflect the implications of
what a teacher say or do and do not do not only in critical and confusing situation but also in their
routine class time.

WHAT IS ETHICS
Ethics, also known as moral philosophy, is a branch of philosophy that involves systematizing,
defending, and recommending concepts of right and wrong conduct. The term comes from the
Greek word ethos, which means "character".

Ethics is a complement to Aesthetics in the philosophy field of Axiology. In philosophy, ethics studies
the moral behavior in humans, and how one should act.

According to Tomas Paul and Linda Elder of the Foundation for Critical Thinking, "most people
confuse ethics with behaving in accordance with social conventions, religious beliefs, and the law",
and don't treat ethics as a stand-alone concept.

Paul and Elder define ethics as "a set of concepts and principles that guide us in determining what
behavior helps or harms sentient creatures". The Cambridge Dictionary of Philosophy states that the
Handout in Ethics
For BEED 4-A & B
Prepared by: Prof. Rudolf T. Vecaldo, EdD
word ethics is "commonly used interchangeably with 'morality' ... and sometimes it is used more
narrowly to mean the moral principles of a particular tradition, group, or individual."

WHAT IS PROFESSIONAL ETHICS

Professional people and those working in acknowledged professions exercise specialist knowledge
and skill. How the use of this knowledge should be governed when providing a service to the public
can be considered a moral issue and is termed professional ethics. Professionals are capable of
making judgments, applying their skills and reaching informed decisions in situations that the
general public cannot, because they have not received the relevant training. Professional ethics is a
set of standards adopted by a professional community. Professional ethics are regulated by
standards, which are often referred to as codes of ethics.

The code of ethics is very important because it gives us boundaries that we have to stay within in our
professional careers. The one problem with the code of ethics is that we can't always have the
answers in black and white. Sometimes there are grey areas where the answers aren't so simple.
Professional ethics are also known as Ethical Business Practices. Components: A number of
professional organizations define their ethical approach as a number of discrete components.
Typically these include:

 Honesty,
 Integrity,
 Transparency,
 Accountability,
 Confidentiality,
 Objectivity,
 Respectfulness, and
 Obedience to the law
A professional ethics course is not about disseminate virtue to raise morality among immoral and
amoral students, it also the ability to concern the respective citizens to first recognize and then
responsibly confront moral issues.

CODE OF ETHICS AND PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT

Code of ethics is a written set of guidelines issued by an organization to its workers and
management to help them conduct their actions in accordance with its primary values and ethical
standards.

Code of ethics also can be defined that a guide of principles designed to help professionals conduct
business honestly and with integrity. A code of ethics document may outline the mission and values
of the business or organization, how professionals are supposed to approach problems, the ethical
principles based on the organization's core values and the standards to which the professional will
be held.

Codes of ethics give consent of the profession on ethical issues. Codes of ethics at a time educate
the general people about the ethical norms and values of profession. A code of ethics should be
considered as conventions between professionals. Having a code of ethics allows a professional to
object to pressure to produce standard work not only bind in moral agent but also as a professional.
Davis (1991) said that “as a professional, I cannot ethically put business concerns ahead of
professional ethics.”
Handout in Ethics
For BEED 4-A & B
Prepared by: Prof. Rudolf T. Vecaldo, EdD
Harris (1995) summarized in his analysis that code of ethics first serve as a collective recognition by
members for its responsibility. Second, it helps to create the environment where ethical behavior is a
norm. Third, it can act as a guide in many situations. Fourth, process of developing and modifying
the code of ethics help in profession. Fifth, it acts as an educational tool to give focus point in classes
and meetings. Finally, it indicates others that the profession is concern about responsible and
professional conduct.

ETHICS AND TEACHING PROFESSION

Teachers work cover many things and ethics is one of them. Burger 1999 discussed in his speech that
education has three goals: 1. Get Value, 2. Get Knowledge and 3. Acquire Skills and it is the duty of
a teacher to work on the values and morals of our children. Students can learn about values by the
day to day living examples of teachers- both in campus and private lives.

John (2004) classified two relevant aspects of teaching: 1. Ethics in teaching and 2. Deal with
academic commitment. A teacher should know about ethics and the ethics in teaching:
1. Code of ethics and ethical norms
2. Understanding teacher-student relationship
3. Tension in teacher-student relationship
4. Pedagogical issues
One valuable source of information about ethical teaching is an issue of New Directions for Teaching
and Learning. The editor produced a special edition of the journal, titled Ethical Dimensions of
College and University Teaching: Understanding and Honoring the Special Relationship Between
Teachers and Students, in which several authors provided theoretical and practical guidelines for
honing ethical college teaching skills. Some of the authors' recommendations are listed below.
Four Norms to Govern Teaching
 Honesty
 Promise-Keeping: Promise-keeping requires the instructor to fulfill the "promises" made at the
beginning of the semester. Syllabi, assignments, grading principles, and class and office hour
schedules involve promises made to students.
 Respect for Persons: Teachers ought to encourage mutual respect among students. Additionally,
instructors ought to show respect and common courtesy for students both during interpersonal
interactions and in responding promptly to students' need for guidance and feedback.
 Fairness: Recognizing the inherent subjectivity involved in grading, instructors ought to ensure
that their grading practices are as objective as possible by creating and adhering to unambiguous
criteria.
Principles of Ethical College and University Teaching
1. Content Competence - A university teacher maintains a high level of subject matter knowledge
and ensures that course content is current, accurate, representative, and appropriate to the
position of the course within the student's program of study.
2. Pedagogical Competence - A pedagogically competent teacher communicates the objectives of
the course to students, is aware of alternative instructional methods or strategies, and selects
methods of instruction that are effective in helping students to achieve the course objectives.
3. Dealing with Sensitive Topics - Topics those students are likely to find sensitive or discomforting
are dealt with in an open, honest, and positive way.
4. Student Development - The overriding responsibility of the teacher is to contribute to the
intellect development of the student, at least in the context of the teacher's own area of
expertise, and to avoid actions such as exploitation and discrimination that detract from student
development.
Handout in Ethics
For BEED 4-A & B
Prepared by: Prof. Rudolf T. Vecaldo, EdD
5. Dual Relationships with Students - To avoid conflict of interest, a teacher does not enter into
dual-role relationships with students that are likely to detract from student development or lead
to actual or perceived favoritism on the part of the teacher.
6. Confidentiality - Student grades, attendance records, and private communications are treated as
confidential materials and are released only with student consent, for legitimate academic
purposes, or if there are reasonable grounds for believing that releasing such information will be
beneficial to the student or will prevent harm to others.
7. Respect for Colleagues - A university teacher respects the dignity of her or his colleagues and
works cooperatively with colleagues in the interest of fostering student development.
8. Valid Assessment of Students - Given the importance of assessment of student performance in
university teaching and in students' lives and careers, instructors are responsible for taking
adequate steps to ensure that assessment of students is valid, open, fair, and congruent with
course objectives.
9. Respect for Institution - In the interest of student development, a university teacher is aware of
and respects the educational goals, policies, and standards of the institution in which he or she
teaches. Visit the Association for Practical and Professional Ethics' Web site to learn more about
ethics in college teaching.

IMPORTANCE OF THE ETHICS IN TEACHING

The code of ethics for teachers is designed to protect the rights of the students, all the students. It is
important that teachers understand that when they get a teaching position they are agreeing to
follow the code of ethics.

Teachers are expected to be fair to all their students and not to take advantage of their position in
any way. For example, teacher can't accept expensive gifts from students because it might appear to
bias. Teacher can't push their personal beliefs on students because they are a "captive audience".
Teacher need to have a professional relationship with all students and not let it get too casual and
familiar. Apparently, there is quite a bit of abuse that is happening in the school. Teacher need to
protect his/her students' safety and not believe that this is someone else's job. The main thing is not
to abuse the power that the position, over the students, might give the teacher.

Caetano and Silva (2009) explained in their research that ethical dimensions are important in our
education system and are in several legislative documents, both with regard to the student and
teacher and as well as important for professional performance. The ethical issues are associated
with social, spiritual, moral and civic values. And it is the teacher who can give a right direction to
the student to raise their morality.

Ethical issues arise when there are differences of judgment or expectations about what a proper
course of action. An individual makes the ethical decision as a member of different groups. When an
individual faced with a dilemma, a professional must be able to take rational and well motivated
decisions and in this case the code of ethics help the individual by providing tools and methods
suitable in such situations.

John Clark (2004) in his paper discussed that for teachers ethics is more than code of ethics which is
the set of principles and rules which serve in disciplinary processes. Teachers as a professionals are
responsible in one of the most ethically demanding jobs, to provide education in young people. It is
teachers’ duty to reflect on their activities to make sure the best ethical example to those who are
educating morally.
Handout in Ethics
For BEED 4-A & B
Prepared by: Prof. Rudolf T. Vecaldo, EdD
A teacher has to play various roles both inside and outside of classroom. Teacher can develop the
morality among the student by setting the examples of their ethical behavior. Ethics and morals are
often associated with religion, but schools can also provide important lessons in ethical thinking
and action.

“There’s a big fear out there that somehow teaching ethics in school will seep into students a
particular religious viewpoint,” says Dr. Bruce Weinstein, aka The Ethics Guy. “But ethics must be
taught and are being taught in school. It’s impossible not to teach ethics in a school.”

Weinstein, who writes a weekly column for BusinessWeek.com and recently released the popular
book Is It Still Cheating if I Don’t Get Caught?, says if schools have a code of conduct, they are
teaching ethics.

Teachers are essential to preaching these values and ethics towards students. According to
Weinstein, there are five basic principles of ethics that are common to all faiths:

 Do no harm
 Make things better
 Respect others
 Be fair
 Be loving
These values are defined differently in different parts of the world, but they are cross-cultural and
expected among all groups of people. And Weinstein says they should extend beyond the walls of
the sanctuary and should be taught and expected in homes and classrooms as well.

SUGGESTED CODE OF ETHICS FOR TEACHERS

As a Professional Educator:
Strive to make foremost responsibility the education and welfare of all students in care, and respect
the uniqueness and dignity of each student.

Strive to build relationships with students’ families, as appropriate, that contribute to students’
welfare and education.

Strive to promote mutual respect and trust in relationships with colleagues, assist newcomers to the
profession, and behave in a way which enhances the status of the profession.

Do best to fulfill the responsibilities to employer, community and society.

Responsibility toward Students

 Provide learning equally to each student
 Recognize students’ potentiality
 Encourage students’ in learning, health and safety
 To be fair to each student, justify each student equally
 Resolve problem regarding discipline, law and policy.

Responsibilities toward Parents/Guardians and Families and Community

 Establish relationships with parents based on courtesy, mutual trust and open communication.
 Respect the privacy of a family.
 Share the information with parents regarding the interest of the student.
 Respect the family backgrounds of each student.
Handout in Ethics
For BEED 4-A & B
Prepared by: Prof. Rudolf T. Vecaldo, EdD
 Play an active role in community relations.
 Be truthful to the society.
 Provide the standard of professional service.
 Develop the values in students of a democratic society.

Commitment to the Professional Colleagues

 Build an atmosphere of trust, mutual respect and openness with the respective colleagues.
 Act accordingly to the educational and wider community which enhances the status of the
profession.
 Do not reveal confidential information about colleagues unless required by law and policy.
 Assist, support and encourage newcomers to the profession.
 Do not provide false statement about colleagues.
 Do not interfere with colleagues’ personal freedom which can violate individual professional
integrity.

Responsibilities to Employers
 Be truthful when making statements about qualifications and competencies.
 Obey the contractual commitments.
 Positively promote the improvement of institutional policies.
 Promote cooperation among all agencies and professionals working in the best interests of
students and families.
Perform those laws and policies that do not conflict with code of organizational ethics.

 Operate all the committee accounts honestly to his/her charge.

 Maintain sound mental health, stamina social prudence necessary to perform his/her task.

CONCLUSION
Teacher has a responsibility to the society and in our society teachers are respected all over.
Students usually want to be like their favorite teacher in their personal life. So if the teacher can set
example by their ethical behavior, then it will be easy to preaching ethical issues among the
students. And if the young generation be aware about ethical issues than the total society and
country will be benefited. Therefore, as an important part of society teacher should be ethical and
they should follow the code of ethics of a teacher and should reflect their ethical behavior to their
students.

READING 2
Moral Dilemma- is a decision making problem between two possible moral imperatives,
neither of which is unambiguously acceptable
- It is a situation where a person has the moral obligation to choose between two
options both based on moral standards, but he/she cannot choose both, and choosing
means violating the other
- Example: if you tell your friend about the affair, their wedding day will be ruined, but
you don’t want them to marry a cheater. What do you do?
- Example: A man has robbed a bank but instead of keeping the money for himself, he
donates it to poor orphanage that afford to feed children.

False Dilemma- is a situation where the decision-maker has a moral duty to do one thing, but
is tempted or under pressure to do something else
Example : You are for us, or you are against us.
Handout in Ethics
For BEED 4-A & B
Prepared by: Prof. Rudolf T. Vecaldo, EdD

Levels of Moral Dilemma-

- Individual- concern dilemmas that individual persons face
- Organizational – dilemmas between organizational benefits versus individual
members’ welfare
- Structural – faced by groups or individuals as result of structural relationships

How to overcome Moral dilemmas

- Choose the greater good and lesser evil
- Do only what you can where you are (Fletcher)
- Love and do what you will (St. Augustine)

Moral Agent- one who performs an act in accordance with moral standards
- Should have the capacity to rise above his/her feelings and passions and acts in
accordance with moral law
- Purpose-driven or end-driven
- For existentialists- e.g. Sartre, the human person becomes what he/she makes for
himself/herself by choice.
- For the process philosophers e.g. Whitehead, the moral agent is a result of creative
process. He/she has to create his destiny.
- For Heidegger, Marcel, & Buber, the moral agent is being-with-others. The person is
guided by messages unveiled in life of a dialogue.
- For Brabander, the moral agents directs his/her life to improve, refine, develops this
world in order to bring out the world to come
- For Francuer, moral agent should direct his/her life to spiritualization of this material
world.

Moral Development- process through which a human person gains his/her beliefs, skills, and
disposition that make him/her a morally mature person (Kay, 1970)
- Amoral stage (egocentric – self centered, hedonist, and prudential considerations)
- Pre-moral stage (authoritarian, ego-idealist, social and reciprocal considerations)
- Moral stage (personal, autonomous, altruistic, rational, independent, and responsible
considerations)

Kohlberg Stages of Moral Development

- Pre Conventional
o Obedience and Punishment Orientation (Avoidance of punishment)
o Instrumental Orientation (“You scratch my back; I’ll scratch yours”)
o Children obey, because adults tell them to obey.

- Conventional
o Good Boy, Nice Girl Orientation (seeking for approval and avoidance of
disapproval)
o Law and Order Orientation (awareness of wider rules of society, upholding the
law)
- Post-Conventional
o Social Contract (laws are seen as social contracts than rigid orders)
Handout in Ethics
For BEED 4-A & B
Prepared by: Prof. Rudolf T. Vecaldo, EdD
o Universal, Ethical, Principle Orientation (development of set of moral
guidelines, which may or may not fit the law)

based - action carried out voluntarily, whereas an act of man is an involuntary action
- For it to be moral, it must be free from all defect, must be good, or at least indifferent
- Under control
- Done with full knowledge

Acts of human- is the natural act of vegetative and sense faculties (e.g., digestion, beating of
the heart)
- Done with out knowledge
- Involuntaru actions

READING 3
Kant’s Freedom & Morality- acting freely and acting morally are one and the same thing

 Duty versus Inclination (morality)

- Only the motive of duty confers moral worth to an action

 Autonomy versus Heteronomy (freedom)

- Freedom emanates from the will determined autonomously

- Person is compelled to act according to laws of nature

 Categorical imperative (non-conditional) versus Hypothetical imperative (reason) o If the

action would be good solely as means to something else (hypothetical) o If the good action is
necessary for a will that of itself accords with reason (categorical)

Categorical Imperative
 Act only on that “maxim” (reason to action) whereby you can at the same time will that it
should become a universal law.
 Act in such a way that you always treat humanity, whether in your own person or in the
person of any other, never simply as a means, bnicewhtut always at the same time as an end.

Culture and Morality

 Culture is the integrated pattern of human knowledge, beliefs, and behaviors. It is people’s
way of life.
 Culture consists of non-material and material culture.
 Enculturation - Process of learning the components of one’s culture (Your own culture)
 Acculturation - Process by which people learn and adapt a new culture (Not your own
culture)
 Assimilation - Process whereby individual or groups of differing ethnic heritage are absorbed
into the dominant culture of a society (Immigrants)
 Inculturation - Process of making the Gospel take roots in a culture and introducing that
transformed culture to Christianity
Handout in Ethics
For BEED 4-A & B
Prepared by: Prof. Rudolf T. Vecaldo, EdD
- Ethnocentrism
- Belief that one’s culture is superior to others

- You use your own culture as the center and evaluate other cultures based on it. Like
you are judging other food.

- Temporocentrism

- Belief that one’s own time is the most important and represents a pinnacle of
achievement (Historical times as inferior to present days.) (Racism)
- Xenocentrism
- Belief that one’s culture is inferior to others

- Someone loves another culture more than their own

- Cultural Relativism - The ability to understand a culture on its own terms and not to make
judgments using standards of one’s own culture
- Culture influences the human person, who is a moral agent
- Culture affects human behavior. Not all cultural practices are morally acceptable.

READING 4 The Filipino Character (Strengths)

- Smooth Interpersonal Relationship (SIR) - Involves a shared identity, engagement on an
equal basis with others, and giving importance to the individual versus agencies or
institutions
▪ Pakikisama (Helping others)
• Fosters general cooperation and performing good or helpful deeds,
which can lead to others viewing you in favorable light
▪ Suki relationship (market-exchange partnership)
• Filipinos will regularly buy from certain specific suppliers who will
give them, in return, reduced prices, good quality, and often, credit.
▪ Compadre system (Ninong and Ninang)
• Bonds of ritual kinship, sealed on any of three ceremonial occasions
such as baptism, confirmation, and marriage
- Paggalang (Respect)
- Pagpapahalaga sa Pamilya
- Damayan/ Bayanihan - Extending sympathy for people who lost their loved ones.
- Fun-loving trait - Filipinos have something to be happy about, a reason to celebrate
- High regard for “amor propio” (self-esteem) - Filipinos are sensitive to attacks on their own
self-esteem and cultivate sensitivity to the self-esteem of others as well
Handout in Ethics
For BEED 4-A & B
Prepared by: Prof. Rudolf T. Vecaldo, EdD

The Filipino Character (Weaknesses)

- Based on Leticia Shahani’s report in 1988 titled “A Moral Recovery Program: Building a
People, Building a Nation”
- Extreme family centeredness - Excessive concern for family means using one’s office and
power to promote family interests and thus factionalism patronage, political dynasties, and
the protection of erring family members
- Extreme personalism -“Taking things personally” cannot separate objective task from
emotional involvement. There is a tendency to use personal contacts and gives preference to
family and friends
- Lack of discipline - A casual attitude toward time and space, manifested in lack of precision
and compulsiveness, in poor time management and procrastination
- Passivity and lack of initiative - Waiting to be told what to do, reliance on others,
complacence, and lack of sense of urgency
- Colonial mentality - Lack of patriotism, or of an awareness, appreciation, and love of the
Philippines and an actual preference for things foreign
- Kanaya-kanya syndrome (talangka mentality) - Done by tsismis, intriga, unconstructive
criticism
o Evident in the personal ambition that is completely insensitive to the common good

- Lack of self-analysis and self-reflection - The tendency to be superficial and somewhat

flighty o Satisfaction with superficial explanations and solutions
- Emphasis on “porma” rather than substance - Lack of analysis and emphasis on form is
reinforced by an educational system that is more form than substance

Causes of the Weakness of the Filipino Character

- Home, social and economic environment
- Culture and language
- History
- Religion
- Educational system
- Mass media
- Leadership and role models

Values to be Developed among Filipinos (Shahani, 1988)

- Sense of patriotism and national pride
- Sense of common good
- Sense of integrity and accountability
- Values and habits of discipline and hard work
- Value and habit self-reflection and analysis
- Internationalization of spiritual values
- Emphasis on essence rather than on the form

* The Filipino group-centeredness and “kami”-mentality make it difficult for the Filipino to stand up
against the group when that is the moral thing to do. For Filipinos to become the moral and ethical
person, they should capitalize on their strengths and eliminate their weaknesses. Hence, there is
Handout in Ethics
For BEED 4-A & B
Prepared by: Prof. Rudolf T. Vecaldo, EdD
much need for home, school, and society as a whole to help every Filipino grow in to the strong
moral person everyone is called to become.