PROF ED 9 – The Teaching Profession

LESSON 1 - The Code of Ethics for Professional Teachers:

The Preamble and Article 1
PREAMBLE
Teachers are:
- Duly licensed professionals
- who possess dignity and reputation
- with high moral values
- as well as technical and professional competence.
In the practice of their noble profession,
- they strictly adhere to observe
- and practice this set of ethical and moral principles, standards,
and values.
ARTICLE I. Scope and Limitation
SECTION 1
The Philippine Constitution provides that all educational institutions shall offer
quality education for all Filipino citizens, a vision that requires professionally
competent teachers committed to is full realization. The provisions of this Code
shall apply, therefore, to all teachers in all schools in the Philippines.
SECTION 2
This Code covers all public and private school teachers in all educational institutions
at the preschool, primary, elementary, and secondary level whether academic,
vocational, special, technical, or non-formal. The term “teacher” shall include
industrial art or vocational teachers and other persons performing supervisory
and/or administrative functions in all schools at the aforesaid levels, whether on full-
time or part-time basis.
QUESTION AND ANSWER
1. ARE TEACHERS WHO HAVE NO LICENSE CONSIDERED PROFESSIONAL?
- A review of the Preamble and Article I tells that teachers who have no license are
not included in the group of professional teachers.
2. ARE PRIVATE SCHOOL TEACHERS REQUIRED OF A LICENSE? WHAT ABOUT PRE-
SCHOOL TEACHERS, VOCATIONAL TEACHERS, ALS TEACHERS, SCHOOL HEADS,
EDUCATION SUPERVISORS AND SCHOOLS DIVISION SUPERINTENDENTS?
- All teachers both public and private in all levels from preschool to secondary
whether they are academic, vocational, special, technical or non-formal – are
included in the definition of professional teachers and are therefore required of a
professional license and are subject to the Code of Ethics for Professional
Teachers.

LESSON 2 - The Code of Ethics for Professional Teachers: Relationship with the
Secondary and Tertiary Stakeholders
Principle I
A. THE TEACHER AND THE STATE
The education of a child is not the sole responsibility of school heads and teachers. In
fact, school heads and teachers cannot do it by themselves. As the African proverb
says, “It takes a whole village to raise a child.” The Code of Ethics cites different groups
of external stakeholders with whom schools and teachers have to relate and work for
 PROF ED 9 – The Teaching Profession

the education of the child. These are the state (Article II), the Community (Article III),
parents (Article IX).
- Secondary stakeholders indirectly receive the service. These are the learners’
parents. Tertiary stakeholders are indirect but crucial participants in the process of
children’s education. These are the future employers, the government or the state
and society in general.
ARTICLE II. SECTION 1
The schools are the nurseries of the citizens of the state. Each teacher is a trustee
of the cultural and educational heritage of the nation and is under obligation to
transmit to learners such heritage as well as to elevate national morality, promote
national pride, cultivate love of country, instill allegiance to the Constitution and
respect for all duly constituted authorities, and promote obedience to the laws of
the state.
SECTION 2
Every teacher or school official shall actively help carry out the declared policies of
the state and shall take an oath to this effect.
SECTION 3
In the interest of the State of the Filipino people as much as of his own, every
teacher shall be physically, mentally and morally fit.
SECTION 4
Every teacher shall possess and actualize full commitment and devotion on duty.
SECTION 5
A teacher shall not engage in the promotion of any political, religious, or other
partisan interest and shall not, directly, or indirectly, solicit, require, collect, or
receive any money, service, other valuable material from any person or entity for
such purposes.
SECTION 6
Every teacher shall vote and shall exercise all other constitutional rights and
responsibilities.
SECTION 7
A teacher shall not use his position or official authority of influence to coerce any
other person to follow any political course of action.
SECTION 8
Every teacher shall enjoy academic freedom and shall have the privilege of sharing
the product of his researchers and investigations, provided that, if the results are
inimical to the declared policies of the State, they shall be drawn to the proper
authorities for appropriate remedial action.
QUESTION AND ANSWER
1. THE SCHOOLS ARE THE “NURSERIES OF THE CITIZENS OF THE STATE?” WHAT ARE
NURSERIES FOR? WHY ARE SCHOOLS CALLED THE “NURSERIES OF THE CITIZENS OF
THE STATE?”
- The Cambridge English Dictionary defines a “nursery” as a “place where
babies and young children are cared for while their parents are somewhere
else.” In horticulture, a nursery is a place where young plants and trees are
cultivated and grown.
 PROF ED 9 – The Teaching Profession

2. IN WHAT WAYS CAN THE PROFESSIONAL TEACHER HELP ELEVATE NATIONAL

MORALITY, PROMOTE NATIONAL PRIDE AND CULTIVATE OF COUNTRY?
- There are many things in our Filipino culture that we can be proud of and
are therefore worth preserving and passing on to maintain Filipino identity,
promote national pride and cultivate love of country.
3. WHAT STEPS DO EMPLOYERS TAKE TO ENSURE THAT A TEACHER IS PHYSICALLY,
MENTALLY, AND MORALLY FIT?
- According to Sec 22 of RA. 4670, teachers shall undergo annual physical
examinations free of charge not less than once a year during the teacher’s
professional life.
4. EVERY TEACHER SHALL ENJOY ACADEMIC FREEDOM. WHAT DOES ACADEMIC
FREEDOM MEAN? IS THIS ACADEMIC FREEDOM ABSOLUTE?
- The professional teacher shall enjoy academic freedom so he/she can share
the product of his/her research and investigations in support of the endless
search for truth. However, it is not absolute, it has limits and must be called
out by authorities for appropriate action.

B. THE TEACHER AND THE COMMUNITY

The community is another tertiary stakeholder.
The teacher works in, for and with the community. He/she rubs elbows with leaders
and members of the community who, like him/her, aspire for the development of
the young. He/she works in a community with its own established customs and
traditions which are sometimes different from the practices of the community where
he/she belongs.
ARTICLE III.
SECTION 1
A teacher is a facilitator of learning and of the development of the youth; he shall,
therefore, render the best service by providing an environment conducive to such
learning and growth.
SECTION 2
Every teacher shall provide leadership and initiative to actively participate in
community movements for moral, social, educational, economic and civic
betterment.
SECTION 3
Every teacher shall merit reasonable social recognition for which purpose he shall
behave with honor and dignity at all times and refrain for such activities as
gambling, smoking, drunkenness, and other excesses, much less illicit relations.
SECTION 4
Every teacher shall help the school keep the people in the community and shall,
therefore, study and understand local customs and traditions in order to have
sympathetic attitude, therefore, refrain from disparaging the community.
SECTION 5
Every teacher shall help the school keep the people in the community informed
about the school’s work and accomplishments as well as its needs and problems
SECTION 6
 PROF ED 9 – The Teaching Profession

Every teacher is intellectual leader in the community, especially in the barangay,

and shall welcome the opportunity to provide such leadership when needed, to
extend counseling services, as appropriate, and to actively be involved in matters
affecting the welfare of the people.
SECTION 7
Every teacher shall maintain harmonious and pleasant personal and official
relations with other professionals, with government officials, and with the people,
individually or collectively.
SECTION 8
A teacher possesses freedom to attend church and worships as appropriate, but
shall not use his positions and influence to proselyte others.
QUESTION AND ANSWER
1. HOW CAN A TEACHER BE A FACILITATOR OF LEARNING?
a. By providing a conducive learning atmosphere
b. By earning social recognition from the community
c. By relating officially with community officials
d. By keeping community leaders informed of school development
2. HOW CAN A TEACHER SHOW RESPECT FOR COMMUNITY CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS?
a. Reject local customs and traditions which are different from his.
b. Divide the community by pointing out the negative elements of given local
customs and traditions.
c. Disparage the community.
d. Study and strive to understand local customs and traditions.
C. THE TEACHER AND THE PARENTS
Parents are secondary stakeholders while their children (learners) are primary
stakeholders. Teachers observe professional ethics in dealing with parents by
maintaining regular work hours, having knowledge of students, planning and
teaching with care, reflecting and improving their teaching, cooperating with
colleagues and parents, and positively addressing disagreements.
ARTICLE IX
SECTION 1
Every teacher shall establish and maintain cordial relations with parents, and shall
conduct himself to merit their confidence and respect.
SECTION 2
Every teacher shall inform parents, through proper authorities, of the progress and
deficiencies of learner under him, exercising utmost candor and tact in pointing out
learners deficiencies and in seeking parent’s cooperation for the proper guidance
and improvement of the learners.
SECTION 3
A teacher shall hear parent’s complaints with sympathy and understanding, and
shall discourage unfair criticism.
QUESTION AND ANSWER
1. HOW IS PROFESSIONALISM MANIFESTED WHEN A PARENT COMPLAINS TO A
TEACHER FOR HER SON’S FAILING GRADE?
a. Blames the son for his failure.
b. Inquire on what home is doing to help son cope with his failure
c. Explains that failure is due to learner’s indifferent attitude.
 PROF ED 9 – The Teaching Profession

d. Objectively shows how the failing grade came about and assures that the son
is given all the academic help he needs

2. HOW SHOULD A PROFESSIONAL TEACHER RESPOND TO UNFAIR CRITICISM RAISED

BY PARENTS?
a. Listen to the criticism but discourages it.
b. Reject the criticism outright
c. Ignore the criticism.
d. Probe into the criticism and joins the parents afterwards,