Thomas W. Bailey
PDE Approved Provider of Act 45 & Act 48
PA Educator Ethics Classes
Below are Reviews of our Act 45 class from School & System Leaders and their educators...
The PLC conversations were helpful in educating the members regarding their roles and responsibilities as it relates to professional responsibilities. The documents (MCEE/PA Code of Conduct and corresponding case studies) shared during the process allowed for rich dialogue with the members.
The creation of this PLC allows for a template for future school initiatives.
The students responded very positively to the lesson which covered our school's expectations for achieving success...discipline and violations. As a career center, we accommodate students in grades 9-12 from various sending districts. Overall, everything went exceptionally well.
I found the PLC meetings with my teachers to be very effective. It gave me an opportunity to explain the PA Code of Conduct and the purpose as to what we were trying to accomplish. It also allowed the opportunity for the teachers to bounce ideas and thoughts off me.
I was unsure why we were asked to do this in the beginning. Our Principal assured us that it would be beneficial to both teachers and students. I remember talking about the code of conduct in my classes at college but was not aware of all the other information.
Our students were familiar with our rules but the refresher lesson was able to go a little more in detail. This allowed them to voie their thoughts on the topic, which was very useful. Overall, I found the whole experience very beneficial.
The PLCs were interesting because I realized how little our faculty knows about the MCEE, Code of Conduct and Educator Discipline Act. We had great discussions about the case studies as everyone comes at each situation with a unique perspetie and response.
We all agree that we need to continue to deepen our understand of the standard in the MCEE and Code of Conduct, as well, share this information with teachers.
The ethics PLC was a valuable experience that fostered open discussions and critical thinking about social responsibility and personal values within the school community. It proved particularly helpful in navigating complex issues and providing a framework for educators to consider the long term consequences of their actions.
By creating a safe space for exploration and debate, this PLC promoted empathy and self-awareness in individuals, ultimately contributing to a more respectful and compassionate environment throughout the school.
I'd like to continue to meet as a PLC with a focus in regards to discussions around ethics and code of conduct. I thought the information presented and the conversations were very informative. I feel more confident with handling my duties and responsibilities with colleagues and teachers.
Having the PLC meetings with educators in my school was an interesting and eye-opening experience. Based on conversations and their limited awareness of the MCEE and PA Code of Conduct, teachers have been relying on a "common sense" approach to their professional responsibilities and have been "getting away with it".
The conversations we held within the PLC created in the high school were effective. The discussion was focused and lively and created a thoughtful and meaningful feedback.
Educators need to have a good understanding of the ethical parameters they operate within. The PLC brought to light that many of them do not regularly engage with the MCEE or Code of Conduct and many do not consider them when making decisions.
Creating awareness about these would go a long way in helping educators make better and more consistent ethical decisions in their everyday operations.
Erie County High School Assistant Principal • 11-3-24
I do think that the conversations did help educate the ethis PLC members. I had never heard of the MCEE before joining this PLC, and I was surprised at how extensive it is. However, the people that truly need to know about this and need to be reminded of professional responsibilities are more than likely not going to voluntarily join a PLC like this.
Erie County High School Educator 1 • 11-3-24
I did feel that our PLC was educational. I would like to see the MCEE and PA Code of Conduct brought up at new teacher mentoring. I understand that ignorance of the code does not excuse us from repercussions, it might be beneficial to let everyone know of it's existence. Thank you for the PLC, It was a valuable experience for me. Also, thank you for the lesson in the classroom.
Erie County High School Educator 2 • 11-3-24
In the beginning of our PLC I wasn’t sure of what to expect. Are the teachers aware of what the MCEE and the PA Code of Conduct? To my surprise, all three teachers were aware. However, when it came to reviewing them and discussing them, there were deep discussions of ethics when it came to student access to the curriculum. Teachers felt that our “inclusion model” for our special education students did not give students the appropriate access to the curriculum at their specific level. This will be a continued discussion point.
Allegheny County Middle School Assistant Principal 2 • 11-1-24
I enjoyed exploring the discussions relating to the MCEE and code of conduct. The PLC provided us rich discussion points that I was able to continue with other educators both inside and outside of the building regarding the ethical decisions we make as educators on a daily basis.
This PLC was a safe space and provided us with great prompts and topics to open up conversations around these topics.
Allegheny County Middle School Educator • 11-1-24