Hayden Koller A #1 Reflective Response #4

March 7, 2017

Standards Addressed:

Standard 1-Learner Development: The teacher understands how learners grow and
develop, recognizing that patterns of learning and development vary individually
within and across the cognitive, linguistic, social, emotional, and physical areas, and
designs and implements developmentally appropriate and challenging learning
experiences

Standard 9-Professional Learning and Ethical Practice: The teacher engages in

ongoing professional learning and uses evidence to continually evaluate his/her
practice, particularly the effects of his/her choices and actions on others (learners,
families, other professionals, and the community), and adapts practice to meet the
needs of each learner.

An instance of an ethical situation I observed was at my initial school

placement at a high school. 3 teachers were discussing a graduating senior student
who was struggling in a couple difficult classes. She had been doing pretty well
during the first half of the school year but was having some really hard issues
understanding the content during the second semester. These teachers collectively
decided to make sure she passed the test that they were correcting so that she
wouldnt be held back and would graduate on time. This situation seems like one
that may be ethically wrong but necessary for the good of everyone involved. It
doesnt make any sense to potentially hold back a graduating senior because she
isnt doing well in courses that are completely unrelated to her future goals. In
addition this student works really hard to do well in these classes but still struggles
despite her best effort. When they graded her exams they made sure to give her
enough credit so that she would at least get a 70% (often she got between a 55%
and 65% on these exams). This whole situation may be unfair to some of the under-
classmen students but I do feel as though this was the correct decision to make.

What I learned from this event is that ethics and morality in regards to school
and students is not always clear. Sometimes you have to make a choice that while
good for the students future, may go against your own moral compass. I also think
that this reinforces that one of the most important qualities a students can have is
the drive to work hard. This learner wasnt a lazy students who was just getting
passed so that the faculty could get rid of her. She was a talented, hardworking
student who was struggling in a subject that she would never need again in her
professional life. These 3 teachers decided to grade her a little less strictly then
than other students and give her a chance to still pass the year. I am not sure if I
would do this in my own classroom but it has made me very aware that issues like
this, with no clear cut answer, come up often in school.