Professional Expectations and Ethical Conduct Overview
Teacher candidates represent Marshall University, the College of Education and Professional Development, and the teaching profession throughout all clinical experiences. As developing professionals, candidates are expected to demonstrate the knowledge, skills, dispositions, and ethical behaviors required of effective educators. Professionalism extends beyond classroom instruction. It includes how candidates communicate, interact with students and colleagues, respond to feedback, make decisions, and represent themselves in school and community settings. Clinical experiences provide opportunities for candidates to develop their professional identity while learning from experienced educators and engaging in authentic school environments.
Professional Dispositions
Professional dispositions are the attitudes, values, and behaviors that influence how educators approach their work and interact with others. Throughout the clinical experience sequence, candidates are expected to demonstrate:
- Commitment to student learning and success.
- Respect for students, families, colleagues, and communities.
- Responsibility and dependability.
- Ethical decision-making.
- Openness to feedback and continuous improvement.
- Collaboration with educators and school partners.
- Reflection on professional practice.
Candidates should understand that professional dispositions are demonstrated through daily actions, interactions, and decisions.
Professional Conduct Expectations
Teacher candidates are expected to conduct themselves in a manner consistent with the standards of the education profession. Candidates are expected to:
Demonstrate Professional Communication – Candidates will:
- Communicate respectfully with students, families, educators, and university personnel.
- Use professional language in written and verbal communication.
- Respond to communication in a timely manner.
- Maintain appropriate professional boundaries.
- Seek clarification when expectations are unclear.
Demonstrate Reliability and Responsibility – Candidates will:
- Attend all clinical experiences as scheduled.
- Arrive on time and prepared.
- Complete assigned responsibilities.
- Meet deadlines and program requirements.
- Follow through on commitments.
- Notify appropriate individuals when circumstances affect participation.
Reliability is an essential characteristic of effective educators and a positive professional reputation.
Demonstrate Professional Appearance – Candidates are expected to dress appropriately for their clinical setting and follow school and district expectations regarding professional attire. Professional appearance should:
- Reflect the responsibilities of an educator.
- Support a positive classroom environment.
- Demonstrate respect for students, families, and colleagues.
Candidates should seek guidance from their mentor teacher or school administrator when questions arise regarding professional expectations.
Confidentiality and Student Privacy
Maintaining confidentiality is a fundamental ethical responsibility of educators. Teacher candidates must protect the privacy of students, families, and school personnel.
Candidates are expected to:
- Follow all school, district, state, and federal confidentiality requirements.
- Avoid discussing student information outside appropriate professional settings.
- Protect student records and personal information.
- Use student information only for legitimate educational purposes.
- Maintain confidentiality in written reflections and assignments.
Candidates should not share:
- Student names.
- Student records.
- Personal information.
- Classroom situations that could identify individual students.
When completing assignments or reflections, candidates should remove identifying information and maintain appropriate confidentiality practices.
FERPA Considerations for Teacher Candidates Completing Clinical Experiences in Public Schools
Teacher candidates completing field experiences, residencies, internships, or student teaching placements in public schools may have access to confidential student information as part of their educational responsibilities. Under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), candidates are considered school officials with a legitimate educational interest only when they are performing assigned educational duties under the direct supervision of the school district and educator preparation program.
Teacher Candidate Responsibilities
While completing clinical experiences, teacher candidates are expected to:
- Maintain the confidentiality of all student records and personally identifiable information (PII).
- Access student information only when it is necessary to fulfill assigned educational responsibilities.
- Use student information solely for educational purposes related to instruction, assessment, and clinical requirements.
- Follow all FERPA requirements and the confidentiality policies of the school district and Marshall University.
- Protect paper and electronic records from unauthorized access or disclosure.
- Securely dispose of any documents containing student information when they are no longer needed, following district procedures.
Prohibited Activities
Teacher candidates may not:
- Discuss individual students, grades, disabilities, behavior, or other confidential information with anyone who does not have a legitimate educational interest.
- Share student names, photographs, assessment data, or other identifying information in class assignments, presentations, emails, or social media.
- Remove confidential student records from the school unless specifically authorized by the school district.
- Maintain copies of student records after the completion of the clinical experience.
- Use personal devices or personal cloud storage to retain confidential student information unless expressly permitted by the school district.
Course Assignments
When completing university assignments that require reflection, lesson planning, case studies, or analysis of student work:
- Remove all personally identifiable information from student documents.
- Refer to students using initials, pseudonyms, or generic identifiers.
- Do not include information that could reasonably identify an individual student, family member, school employee, or school.
Social Media and Electronic Communication
Teacher candidates should:
- Never post photographs, videos, or information about students or school activities on personal social media accounts.
- Follow district policies regarding electronic communication with students.
- Use only district-approved communication platforms when interacting with students or families.
Consequences of FERPA Violations
Failure to comply with FERPA and district confidentiality requirements may result in:
- Removal from the clinical placement.
- Disciplinary action by Marshall University.
- Loss of eligibility to continue in the educator preparation program.
- Additional consequences imposed by the partnering school district.
- Potential legal consequences for unauthorized disclosure of protected educational records.
Acknowledgment
By participating in a clinical experience, teacher candidates acknowledge their responsibility to protect the privacy and confidentiality of all students and agree to comply with FERPA, Marshall University policies, and the policies and procedures of the partnering school district throughout their placement.
Professional Relationships and Boundaries
Developing positive relationships is essential to effective teaching; however, educators must maintain appropriate professional boundaries. Candidates are expected to:
- Maintain respectful educator-student relationships.
- Avoid inappropriate personal interactions with students.
- Follow school expectations regarding communication with students.
- Use professional judgment in all interactions.
- Model appropriate behavior for students.
Candidates should recognize their responsibility as educators and role models within the school community.
Acceptance of Feedback and Professional Growth
Feedback is an essential component of clinical learning and professional development. Candidates are expected to:
- Receive feedback professionally.
- Reflect on recommendations.
- Apply feedback to improve practice.
- Ask questions and seek clarification.
- Demonstrate growth over time.
Successful educators are lifelong learners who continually evaluate and improve their practice.
Ethical Decision-Making
Educators make decisions that affect students, families, and communities. Candidates are expected to practice ethical decision-making throughout their clinical experiences. Ethical professional behavior includes:
- Acting in the best interest of students.
- Demonstrating fairness and respect.
- Following school and university policies.
- Maintaining honesty and integrity.
- Taking responsibility for professional decisions.
- Seeking guidance when faced with ethical questions.
When uncertain about an appropriate action, candidates should consult their mentor teacher, university faculty and program support, or appropriate school personnel.
Technology and Social Media Expectations
Technology is an important tool for teaching and learning; however, candidates must use technology responsibly and professionally.
Candidates are expected to:
- Follow school and district technology policies.
- Protect student privacy when using digital tools.
- Use educational technology appropriately.
- Maintain professional online behavior.
- Consider how digital actions reflect on the teaching profession.
Candidates should not:
- Post student information, images, or classroom details without appropriate authorization.
- Communicate with students through inappropriate personal accounts or platforms.
- Use technology in ways that interfere with professional responsibilities.
Supporting All Learners
Effective educators recognize that students bring varied experiences, strengths, and learning needs to the classroom. Teacher candidates are expected to create supportive learning environments where students are respected, encouraged, and provided meaningful opportunities to learn. Candidates are expected to:
- Respect all students and their individual needs.
- Create a positive and productive classroom environment.
- Use instructional practices that support student learning.
- Recognize differences in student readiness, interests, and learning needs.
- Provide appropriate support to help students succeed.
- Maintain a classroom culture built on respect and responsibility.
Candidates should demonstrate professionalism by treating all students, families, and school community members with respect and fairness.
Attendance and Professional Commitment
Attendance is a reflection of professional responsibility and commitment. Candidates are expected to:
- Attend all scheduled clinical experiences.
- Notify appropriate personnel regarding absences.
- Follow school procedures for reporting absences.
- Complete required make-up experiences when necessary.
- Participate fully in classroom and school activities.
Patterns of excessive absences, tardiness, or lack of participation may impact successful completion of a clinical experience.
Additional attendance policies are addressed in Chapter 6: Clinical Policies and Requirements.
Professional Improvement Plans
When concerns arise regarding professional performance, candidates may receive additional support through a professional improvement process. A professional improvement plan may be developed when a candidate needs support related to:
- Professional conduct.
- Instructional performance.
- Attendance.
- Communication.
- Ethical expectations.
- Completion of clinical responsibilities.
The purpose of an improvement plan is to provide clear expectations, support growth, and assist candidates in successfully meeting professional standards.
Professional Commitment Statement
As members of the education profession, teacher candidates are expected to demonstrate a commitment to ethical practice, continuous improvement, and student success. By participating in clinical experiences, candidates agree to uphold the standards expected of professional educators and to represent Marshall University and the teaching profession with integrity.
Chapter Summary
Professionalism and ethical conduct are essential components of successful clinical experiences. Candidates demonstrate readiness for the teaching profession not only through instructional skill but also through their decisions, relationships, communication, and commitment to student success. By maintaining confidentiality, demonstrating professionalism, accepting feedback, supporting all learners, and engaging in continuous growth, candidates develop the professional identity necessary for effective teaching.
The next chapter addresses clinical policies and requirements, including attendance expectations, required documentation, clinical hours, and procedures for successful completion of clinical experiences.