Integrity

The Ethical Standards for the Teaching Profession

Focus: Integrity (p. 9)




OCT expectations 

       "Honesty, reliability, and moral action are embodied in the ethical standard of Integrity. Continual reflection assists members in exercising integrity in their professional commitments and responsibilities" (Ontario College of Teachers Foundations of Professional Practice, 2012, p. 9).

Curated Materials

Tanaka, Lester. Aligning Integrity with Identity. TEDxCalicoCanyon. 2012.

Analysis/Reflection

Definition of Integrity (drawn from curated artifact)

       According to Tanaka, it is essential that we understand our own identities for our integrity to flourish.  That is, identity and integrity must be compatible for us to live productive lives.  He states towards the end of his lecture, "Are you about how are your going to give or about what your going to get? If your in your passion you can't help but give, it flows out of you...but if your not your concern is a little different. So...combining identity with integrity is simple...integrity...says be who that person (i.e. our personal identity) is" (Tanaka, 2012).

Why the Resource Informs my Understanding of the OCT Standard Integrity

       Tanaka's Ted Talk identifies what he views to be of pivotal importance for the occurrence of integrity.  Tanaka explains how he was employed in careers outside of education.  He found that this work failed to fulfill him and his integrity and job performance suffered as a result.  He explains how he found his passion in teaching.  He argues that once he gained a better understanding of his identity and his passion for teaching his integrity became manifest.  His advice is that we should understand our own identity and the passions that interest us.  Hence, it is only by means of understanding that our identities are passionate about teaching that we can develop integrity in the teaching practice.  In other words, teaching should not merely be a job for the purpose of collecting a pay cheque.  Rather, to have integrity in teaching a person must know that their identity is compatible with that passion.

Level of Reflection

       I believe that Tanaka's Ted Talk identifies best with self-reflection.  According to Cooper and Larrivee, self reflection "refer(s)...(to) reflection as dialogic, personalistic, and reflection-within...highlighting the dimension of dialogue with oneself...It is a process of search and discovery that uncovers the relationship of self to situation, of personal to professional" (Cooper & Larrivee, 2005, p. 16).  I believe this essentially what Tanaka is attempting to do in his talk.  He desires that people know they have a passion for teaching before engaging in such a career.  Without such a passion, there will be a distinct lack of integrity in the teaching practice.

References

Cooper, James M., Larrivee, Barbara. An Educator's Guide to Teacher Reflection. Houghton Mifflin, 2005.
Ontario College of Teachers Foundations of Professional Practice, 2012.
Tanaka, Lester. Aligning Integrity with Identity. TEDxCalicoCanyon. 2012.