Tuesday, July 9, 2013

Ethics

Reflections on Short Course 2013


Reflections on Short Course 2013

Day 1:
I spent the day with my group at Short Course discussing our key values, of ourselves as professionals and of our schools. We all agreed that there are some common core values, and that the list is also quite diverse. The big question of the day for me was how best to reflect my values in daily school life and how to articulate and sustain them in the face of competing values, morals and ethics.

We spent some time brainstorming what essential values we’d have posted above the door of our schools? Here’s my list:
1.       Respect
2.       Responsibility
3.       Dignity
4.       Kindness
5.       Cooperation
We also arrived at several other key ideas: honesty, fairness, tolerance/acceptance, courage, caring, humour, integrity, effort, attitude, understanding, inclusion, compassion, fairness, civility.

I am impressed by the experiences some participants brought to the table in sharing examples of how they modeled moral courage in their professional lives. They are already leaders with impressive backgrounds. Although they are a group of beginning school administrators, collectively they are an inspiring resource, a rich repository of knowledge and experience.

Questions:
·       What does the evidence point to at your school? Where is the moral barometer at your school? Is everyone on the same page?

·       What five values would you have above the door of your school?