Being a teacher comes with many responsibilities and expectations. You are clocked in 24/7, in and out of the classroom. You are a professional. I remember hearing my teachers tell my class on past field trips that “we are representing our school, so we need to be on our best behavior.” I believe that the same thing applies when you become a teacher. As stated in the STF Teacher Professionalism Public Trust, “To act at all times in a way that maintains the honor and dignity of the individual teacher and the teaching profession.” This is not saying that teachers cannot have a social life outside of the classroom, it is saying that one should carefully consider their actions and who they are representing. Especially now, students have access to social media and the internet and can find and see things that they should not have to.
Becoming a teacher also means putting other’s needs before yourself. You are being trusted by the student’s parents to provide them with not only proper education but safety. It is being aware of beliefs, culture, gender, and equality within the classroom. The STF states that teachers are “To treat each student justly, considerately and appropriately in accordance with the beliefs of the profession.”
I believe the STF guidelines are clear and necessary for teachers to follow, teach, and live by. This document is just one of many that provide teachers with instructions and paths to apply in their workplace. Each classroom will look different, having its similarities and differences. I want to make an effort to truly understand the meaning behind the STF and apply it to my learning and my future classroom.