ProCADS and Ethics

Attitudes towards Teaching Methods: Content and assessment change alongside changes in the broader society, and a teacher must understand and address those changes through effective planning, instruction, and assessment. Lesson plans and methods should not be understood as guidelines written in stone but as a reflection on possibilities that can be adapted to new and diverse situations.Attitudes toward Students: Diversity exists across students and teachers and within students and teachers. Effective teaching values that diversity and includes it in all areas of planning, instruction, and assessment.Attitudes toward Schools: While a teacher may be isolated to a single classroom, no classroom exists divorced from other classrooms or from its social context. A teacher must value the input and experience of others in the development of effective planning, instruction, and assessment.Open-Mindedness Dispositions: The classroom is the first time many students are placed in close proximity to those from other backgrounds and cultures. In this space, a teacher must provide safety and challenge to all students, which requires a stance of open-mindedness to the ways and knowledge of diverse people.Self-Reflection Dispositions: The most important posture in a teacher’s toolkit is self-reflection that drives changes and development in knowledge and action. Teaching is an art and a science, and a teacher must determine what a classroom needs, year after year, class after class. A teacher must use self-reflection as the foundation for effective planning, instruction, and assessment for all students.Curiosity Dispositions: In common parlance, a good teacher is a lifelong learner. To this end, effective teachers demonstrate a disposition toward curiosity, both toward understanding how things work and toward imagining how things might be made better.

Educational Equity Dispositions: It is difficult to imagine that one teacher can change the world, but effective teachers are willing to try. While much can be accomplished within a single classroom, a strong educational equity and advocacy disposition also means forming alliances across classrooms and communities.

Professional Competencies: Teaching competencies include proficiency in planning, teaching, and assessing, but there are other duties and responsibilities that transcend a learning segment. Professional competencies include self-presentation, self-representation, professional collegiality and demeanor, and taking responsibility for assigned tasks.

TN Teacher Code of Ethics

As outlined above, UTK teacher candidates are required to maintain acceptable ProCADs through the preparation program as well as abide by the TN Teacher Code of Ethics. Failure to do so can result in removal from the program, regardless of academic performance.

Candidates are encouraged to carefully review the information on the following website regarding the consequences of violating the TN Teacher Code of Ethics and/or not developing and demonstrating proficient levels of ProCADs throughout the teacher preparation program:

ProCADs for Literacy Specialist Candidates