AITSL Standard 7

Standard 7.1
As a teacher, we all must meet professional and ethical standards expected of us. The recognised 3
core values of a teacher are integrity, respect and responsibility. The professional and ethical
standards expected of teachers are governed by the South Australian teachers registration board,
the ethics and code of conduct of particular schools, and codes of conduct and ethics for the
teaching profession generally.
The use of ICT tools in education and the general use of the internet requires that teachers have
sufficient knowledge about cyber safety, and that they are monitoring the student use of the
internet, to ensure that it is being used safely. As the internet has become so easily accessible, the
presence of the concept of 'cyber-bullying' is a critical issue in the lives of many young teens. It is
crucial that educators have enough information to be able to train students how to be 'cyber- safe.'
The Australian government provides education on the matter for teachers and schools:
http://www.cybersmart.gov.au/Schools.aspx.
It is important that teachers are not only educating students on the safe use of the internet, but also
educating themselves on their responsibility to have a duty of care that applies to student and
teacher use of social media and digital tools. Teachers must also be aware of their own conduct
codes: http://www.trb.sa.edu.au/code-of-ethics.
Standard 7.2
Teachers must comply with legislative, administrative and organisational requirements. To become a
teacher in South Australia, a teacher must be registered by the South Australian Teachers
Registration Board.
A teacher must also comply with the code of conduct and ethics for South Australian teachers, and
be aware of the responsibilities that this bestows upon a teacher: http://www.trb.sa.edu.au/codeof-ethics. The particular school that a teacher is employed at will have their own rules and
administrative procedures that teachers must comply with, such as cyber bullying policies. This will
often be found on the schools website. Depending on whether the school is government, Catholic
education or an independent school, there will be different administrative and organisaitonal
requirements upon the teacher. It is the responsibility of the teacher to be aware of these
requirements that are easily accessible through websites of the particular institution.
Through communication with other teacher's and co-workers, teachers can also make themselves
aware of the responsibilities required of them as a teacher. It is always a good idea to speak to coworkers about their experiences with cyber bullying, and how this is usually dealt with within the
school and in line with the schools policies.

ALANA THOMPSON

Standard 7.3
It is critical that teachers are aware of how to communicate effectively, sensitively and confidentially
with parents and carers of students. Efficient communication allows the teacher to keep parents and
carers informed of their child's learning progress and journey throughout school.
A teacher must be sensitive and confidential when creating contact between the parents and carers
and the school. Communication must always be professional and well thought out. The use of ICT
tools such as Edmodo and Facebook are a way that teachers can monitor and have clear records of
student participation and work. This is therefore a great way to show parents the progress of their
child. The use of email has widened the scope in which teachers can communicate with parents and
carers, in a time effective and efficient way. Teachers can save the emails of the parents of the
students, and email them as groups.
A teacher should always email the parents through the Blind Carbon Copy (BCC) option, that way
the email becomes personalised to the parent and or carer, whilst saving the teacher time. A teacher
can at the beginning of a class, set up an instant communication avenue with parents. It is an easy
way to establish a communication pathway for the rest of the school year. If there is an issue that
arises with a student, the teacher has already set up a method of communication with the parent. It
may also be a good idea to email Unit plans to the parents and carers, so that they have something
to refer to with regards to their child's learning.
Standard 7.4
This AITSL standard addresses the importance of teachers engaging with teaching networks and
broader communities to ensure that their knowledge as a teacher is constantly being expanded.
Teachers now have wide access to different groups that discuss varying curriculums, and this has
been greatly aided by ICT.
The internet has promoted the establishment of curriculum or general teaching groups for
particular states. You only need to open Facebook and search 'South Australian teachers' to see the
multiple groups that are available. These platforms are a fantastic idea to share concepts and ideas
about teaching in general, and in particular areas. Teachers are able to share lesson or unit plan
ideas, and even share useful information sites that you might not be aware of as a teacher.
As a History teacher, I have made myself aware of HTASA - the History Teachers Association of
South Australia: http://www.htasa.org.au/. The website and the association supports effective
teaching of History in South Australian classrooms, and aims to promote interest in the subject of
History. There is the option for teachers to attend meetings, lectures and seminars through HTASA,
and generally promotes the love of History for teachers and their students.

ALANA THOMPSON