Ethical Leadership (Standard V)
Ethical Belief Statement
“They won’t remember what you taught them, but they’ll always remember the way you treated them.” - Tom Hyslop, Education Professor, Northern Michigan University
My college advisor says this on the first day to each of his education classes at Northern Michigan University. Based on my own experiences as both a student and a teacher, I have no doubt that he is right. A teacher’s job is to help students acquire knowledge and skills and develop students’ abilities in a variety of subjects. To prepare for this role, I spent nearly $30,000 learning about English literature, language and principles of effective instruction. However, Professor Hyslop’s words are my greatest guide when teaching. While I expect my students to develop their writing skills, and comprehend the literature and other class materials, I know that my greatest priority is to model strong character and work ethic and to help students develop their own ethical compass. My ethical beliefs are that one should do everything in his power to help and care for others. I strive to be genuine, honest, fair and compassionate, and most of all, I want those that encounter me to see me as someone who is guided by strong morals and values.
I have a unique experience in the classroom this year that serves as a great reminder to why my ethical beliefs are important. This school year, I am teaching a two-hour block Freshman Language Arts and Study Skills class, where I meet daily with 15 students all of whom failed eight-grade English. This experience has reminded me once again the importance of building relationships and community in the classroom. Many of these students struggle with their reading and/or writing skills, but the social implications of my teaching I believe will have a much greater impact. The most important thing I can teach these students is that they CAN do the work required of them. At some point, most of these students decided that they were not intelligent enough to succeed in a school setting. I feel like my primary job as an educator is to build their confidence, raise their own standards and build intrinsic motivation to learn. I have not been successful with all of these students, but I feel that many work harder to learn because they feel respected and cared for. I also teach very high achieving, talented journalism students, but I try to hold the same standards in each class, and, most importantly, I try to treat each group of students the same way.
I try to maintain the same attitude with teaching as I do toward family, friends, or acquaintances. I make an effort to get to know those that are in my life and try to put their needs first whenever possible. Though I try to right thing, I would be lying if I were to say it is simply for the benefit of others. Usually, the more I work for others, the more my life is enriched. I learn from students, family and friends more than they learn from me. I try to be genuine, and at my funeral someday, I hope that that know me will see me as honest, hardworking, and hopefully somewhat fun. In the meantime, I will continue to try to model the characteristics I value and others, and I will always remember, like my professor said the social and ethical aspects of teaching are far more important than nouns and verbs or similes and metaphors.
My accomplishments with Standard V
Led Communication Camp each of the last two years. This 3-day camp seeks student leaders and trains them how to communicate and work with students from other social groups. This camp each year helps improve the school environment by bringing kids with differences together and showing them how similar and connected they are
“They won’t remember what you taught them, but they’ll always remember the way you treated them.” - Tom Hyslop, Education Professor, Northern Michigan University
My college advisor says this on the first day to each of his education classes at Northern Michigan University. Based on my own experiences as both a student and a teacher, I have no doubt that he is right. A teacher’s job is to help students acquire knowledge and skills and develop students’ abilities in a variety of subjects. To prepare for this role, I spent nearly $30,000 learning about English literature, language and principles of effective instruction. However, Professor Hyslop’s words are my greatest guide when teaching. While I expect my students to develop their writing skills, and comprehend the literature and other class materials, I know that my greatest priority is to model strong character and work ethic and to help students develop their own ethical compass. My ethical beliefs are that one should do everything in his power to help and care for others. I strive to be genuine, honest, fair and compassionate, and most of all, I want those that encounter me to see me as someone who is guided by strong morals and values.
I have a unique experience in the classroom this year that serves as a great reminder to why my ethical beliefs are important. This school year, I am teaching a two-hour block Freshman Language Arts and Study Skills class, where I meet daily with 15 students all of whom failed eight-grade English. This experience has reminded me once again the importance of building relationships and community in the classroom. Many of these students struggle with their reading and/or writing skills, but the social implications of my teaching I believe will have a much greater impact. The most important thing I can teach these students is that they CAN do the work required of them. At some point, most of these students decided that they were not intelligent enough to succeed in a school setting. I feel like my primary job as an educator is to build their confidence, raise their own standards and build intrinsic motivation to learn. I have not been successful with all of these students, but I feel that many work harder to learn because they feel respected and cared for. I also teach very high achieving, talented journalism students, but I try to hold the same standards in each class, and, most importantly, I try to treat each group of students the same way.
I try to maintain the same attitude with teaching as I do toward family, friends, or acquaintances. I make an effort to get to know those that are in my life and try to put their needs first whenever possible. Though I try to right thing, I would be lying if I were to say it is simply for the benefit of others. Usually, the more I work for others, the more my life is enriched. I learn from students, family and friends more than they learn from me. I try to be genuine, and at my funeral someday, I hope that that know me will see me as honest, hardworking, and hopefully somewhat fun. In the meantime, I will continue to try to model the characteristics I value and others, and I will always remember, like my professor said the social and ethical aspects of teaching are far more important than nouns and verbs or similes and metaphors.
My accomplishments with Standard V
Led Communication Camp each of the last two years. This 3-day camp seeks student leaders and trains them how to communicate and work with students from other social groups. This camp each year helps improve the school environment by bringing kids with differences together and showing them how similar and connected they are