Ethics in PE
What are ethics?
A system of moral principles governing the
appropriate conduct for a person or group
(Encarta, 2009)
Ethics Defined
Why talk about ethics in physical education?
 What are some ethical issues you might face while teaching?

◦ Think/pair/share – put a response on the board (may not duplicate
another group)
Ethics introduction (youtube)
 You will be indirectly “teaching” ethical behavior and in a
sense are on stage once you pull into the parking lot.
Teaching is a conservative profession and teachers must act

accordingly.
The Being
Form groups of 3-4
 Make an outline of a
figure with your group
and on the inside of the
figure, write words that
signify what ethical
principles, dispositions
or characteristics
teachers should exhibit.
The Being

On the outside, write
words that signify
what unethical
behaviors,
dispositions or
characteristics
teachers should NOT
exhibit.
Ethics
 Teachers
and coaches are considered
responsible for promoting ethical
behavior.
◦ Part of the reason teachers are held to such
high standards
◦ OK to stress character virtues (avoid the
word “values”), they serve as the foundation
for an individual’s way of life.
CHARACTER
VIRTUES/ETHICS
ADDRESSED IN PE
What can we teach
students and players…
Fair and equal treatment of all students (skill,
attractiveness, race, SES, gender etc)
 Perseverance and effort should be
acknowledge but not graded

◦ How many of you were graded primarily on
whether you changed clothes and participated?
What can we teach
students and players…
Respect for Rules and Authority
 Respect for rules and authority
Without rules and authority society could not
function.
“dirty” play
Character Development
through Participation
Six Pillars of Character (any guesses?)

Trustworthiness
 Respect
 Responsibility
 Fairness
 Caring
 Citizenship
Sportsmanship

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yaXVk
5GBx-s&feature=related

Sportmanship
FYI: Sportsmanship and
Coaching Websites
Positive Coaching Alliance

http://www.positivecoach.org/
Arizona Sports Summit Accord

http://josephsoninstitute.org/sports/resou
rces/accord/index.html
Citizenship Through Sports Alliance

http://sportsmanship.org/
Ethical issues in teaching…

Some ethical issues in case they weren’t
mentioned thus far
◦
◦
◦
◦
Equipment – athletes or whole students
Prep periods for coaching v. for all students
Grading and its implications
Can teachers only teach the activities they enjoy
and are already capable of teaching and ignore
the needs of the students, the curriculum and
state/national standards?
Ethical issues in teaching…
◦ Do I continue to grow and improve as a
teacher or stick with what I know b/c that is
easier?
◦ Access to confidential records
◦ Student vulnerability (physical, emotional, etc)
◦ Teaching in a manner outside one’s comfort
zone
◦ “Towing the party line” even when you might
disagree at times
Ethical Guiding Documents
Pennsylvania's Code Of Professional
Practice And Conduct For Educators
 NASPE P-12 Code of Ethics
 Professional Teaching Attributes

◦ Student Teaching Manual
P-12 Ethical Breaches
This is a list of a few in no particular order.



Having inappropriate relationships with students
Failing to perform duties (no teaching, chaos,
inappropriate practices, wrong attitude toward
the teaching profession, etc)
Imposing on students personal views unrelated to
the subject of a lesson or promoting such,
especially some that do not represent the main
stream (extreme political or religious views, views
on controversial social issues, interest of a
particular social group, etc).
P-12 Ethical Breaches

Improper grading, partiality, and lack of fairness (based
on who is liked, who is not; race, past performance,
background, etc)
Invading students' privacy
Accepting gifts and favors, quid pro quo
Deceiving students and their parents

Any others you have heard about or experienced?



DISPOSITIONS
How are ethics and dispositions different
 Dispositions defined:

◦ the predominant or prevailing tendency of
one's spirits; natural mental and emotional
outlook or mood; characteristic attitude: a girl
with a pleasant disposition (dictionary.com)
Looking at the original list, how many of
them are dispositions.
 That is why dispositions are important to
students and therefore important to the
WCU PETE staff.
 Disposition Policy
