Task 5a - Ethics

Task 5a – Ethics

“Moral principles that govern a person’s behaviour or the conducting of an activity”

As a Freelance Dance Teacher working in multiple schools it is essential that I am aware of my professional ethics and each individual code of conduct or policy that the schools follow.

Each School is run differently, but most of the time your contract with them ensures you sign an agreement to work by the Schools policy and outlines the contact details of members of staff. It is essential that within the workplace, a) I know where the policy is kept or have my own copy b) That I have read it and comply with the code of conduct c) I have a copy of Emergency contact numbers with me at all times d) I am aware that in my position as a Teacher, I may have to pass information on to someone superior in the workplace/outside support worker/parent and when it is correct to do so e) I keep a copy of my DBS and ID with me/wear ID tag.

These are simply the things we must be aware of and practice before we even begin to look into the individual codes of conduct and ethical practice.

As my line of inquiry will be undertaken in an educational setting, I must consider ‘Ethics’ that could apply to ensure the safety of the students, the school and myself.

Having read Steph Jones’ blog I definitely agree with her when she says that “children do what children see”. If, as a teacher, you keep this phrase in mind it will definitely affect how you present yourself around children. In some of my previous research in Task 4d I have outlined the enormous influence that teachers have on their students, the positive and negative effects. It is essential that we are the best “role-model” we can possibly be and deliver lessons of high quality with enthusiasm, as Steph points out.

Good professional practice is ensuring a safe and encouraging environment for children to learn. In each school I therefore carry out a visual risk assessment of the area and set up accordingly. To create an encouraging and productive atmosphere I ensure my students are aware of the rules and that I stick to them, children respond best to routine when it comes to discipline and behaviour. I try to make visible our rules such as the ‘FUN’ agreement which the children can all recite “it means we have Fun, we show Respect, we Learn and we are Safe”. Visually the classroom should be encouraging and appropriate. I think good practice is arriving early to the class with a clear lesson plan and learning objective. As a Dance Teacher we must also ensure we have substantial time for a warm up and cool down allocated in our lesson plan to prevent risk of injuries and harm to the children. A Teacher must be respectful but authoritative and talk to the children in an appropriate manner; we must protect our own personal space and the child’s own personal space. The last point I am going to mention is respect. Respect for the students, respect for the Teacher, other colleagues, the School, the Company.

If the School/Company and I adhere to appropriate measures put in place in order for me to complete my inquiry then no physical or psychological harm should come to anybody involved in my line of inquiry. I will be observing students, as I already do in my role, which means no physical harm should come to the students. I will be sitting in the corner of the room and the class will be delivered as normal by their teacher. In terms of psychological aspects, throughout the observations I will remain vigilant and responsive to any signs that may display that they students feel uncomfortable. As I know most of the student’s behavioural patterns I will use my past knowledge and experience to witness if there are any anomalies in behaviour or if my presence affects them in any way.

For ethical reasons I will not include the names of any individuals, nor the name of the school in my inquiry. Any information/data that I do collect will remain in my possession only and anything I need approval for I will seek.  Furthermore, for security and child protection issues, no images/media I accumulate will be used without permission from the individual/parent or guardian, and the school itself.

In conclusion, it is within my duty of care of “to report any incidents of concern during the investigation period” as mentioned by Pip Spalton on her blog surrounding Ethics. If a child would like to disclose information to me, I would make sure they were aware that depending on the nature of what they tell me, in some instances the information may have to be passed on. I would encourage the child that it is important to talk to someone as you do not want them to then go away and keep their troubles to themselves but as long as the child is made aware prior to disclosure then you, as  a teacher, have in affect ‘covered your own back’.  Similarly in regulation with safeguarding, a child should not be left alone in a private/closed off area or classroom with you. If a child wants to speak to you, you can speak to them after the class one to one but leave the class room door open to avoid jeopardising your safeguarding legislation.

There is so much to learn and discover when it comes to ethics. Recently I went on a safeguarding course. One question that was asked was:

Joe goes to his local boxing club and often comes home with bruises; he regularly boxes against the older, stronger boys as he is exceeding his own group of younger boxers.

Is this abuse??

The correct answer is yes it is abuse, however it did stir up a discussion as to whether ‘in everyday life’ it is really abuse? Often, in sport and dance, we push and challenge our ability and work with either older or more experienced people in order to learn and progress. Should we consider it abuse when students under a certain age begin pointe work in their ballet class? If the child is voluntarily working with the stronger boxer to improve his technique should it still be classed as abuse?!

These are just a few of the questions which spiralled from this one statement. I have found myself doing a lot more research on ethics recently as I am faced with ethical questions daily in my career.