Wednesday, September 18, 2013

A Quick Ethics Reminder

Hopefully, all educators have had a lesson in ethics -- there are certainly ethics guidelines that you should be following.

As such, I thought it would be helpful to give a succinct brief in ethical practice.

Have you seen all those mugshots over the last two years on Facebook or in your favorite news blog? Have you then read, or made, a comment or two? Well, here's my bottom line...

If you are practicing, in the public- or private-sector, what would the reactions be to your practice if they were posted on YouTube? What if some conniving co-worker took a video, within legal means, of your interactions with a learner and went public? What if a parent, within legal means, were standing outside of your child's classroom or treatment room and listening in? Would they think you were being ethical?

My point not being that you're doing anything wrong, with malfeasance, or out of boredom, but if someone were watching, would you practice the same. And boy, how would your life be if you were the YouTube educator who got caught in a moment of irrational attachment, took it personal, and did something news worthy?

Keep yourself in check. Ethics always come before outcomes.