Why is it that everyone once in a while a news story circulates about a teacher and/or administrator who does something that just defies common sense. For example, having them watch a questionable movie without permission or playing pranks that just go wrong. How can educators think this is a good thing? (I'm not addressing the truly egregious acts of educators sleeping with their students - just the normal decisions that seem to defy login when looked back upon.) A little common sense would stop inappropriate actions in their tracks. The truth is, and for some it is a hard truth, educators are held to a higher standard. We are expected to teach, guide, coach, and protect our students. There are so many excellent teachers. Sadly, the more educators that are in the news for making poor decisions, the worse it is for all educators. A good question to always ask yourself is what are the possible consequences of any action or simulation. For example, if you are planning to have a debate on a controversial issue, take a few moments to think about what might happen. How will you handle issues that arise? How will you message what you're doing in class to parents and administrators? A little pre-planning can go a long way towards helping you make the best decisions and head off possible problems before they arise.
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I agree with this 100%. Being a teacher aide and becoming a special education teacher in a few years, I can not stress enough to my fellow college classmates how important it is to maintain professionality at all times. It’s sad that one or two teachers have to make decisions such as those regarding this topic. The good news is that for every teacher who makes a mistake….and we all do, there are still teachers who stress acting like a professional both inside and outside of school. You never know when you’ll run into one of your students and/or their parents outside of the school building!