The Teaching Council Act, 2001, 7 (2) (b), requires the Council to establish, publish, review and maintain codes of professional conduct for teachers. These include standards of teaching, knowledge, skill and competence. Accordingly, in 2007 the Council published Codes of Professional Conduct for Teachers.

Codes of Professional Conduct (bilingual, full colour)         
Codes of Professional Conduct (English, black and white)  

There is much to be gained by individual reflection on, and group discussion of, the Codes of Professional Conduct for Teachers. The Teaching Council has developed two prompt sheets to assist this reflection. These prompt sheets should be read in conjunction with the Codes.

Prompt Sheet for Teachers

Prompt Sheet for Principals and others arranging group discussions

 

Podcast of a lecture on the Codes of Professional Conduct for Teachers
As part of the Mater Dei Institute of Education series of lectures entitled ‘Ethics for All’, on 22 March 2011 Áine Lawlor, Director presented a lecture on the Codes.

Watch a podcast of the lecture

New Draft Code of Professional Conduct for Teachers

When the first Codes of Professional Conduct were published by the Teaching Council in 2007 the Council committed to reviewing them within a period of three to four years. A revised edition was published in late 2011, which takes cognisance of a number of developments in the intervening years, including the publication by the Council of its Registration Regulations, 2009, together with its Policy on the Continuum of Teacher Education.  The revised code seeks to be more concise and easier to navigate than the first draft. The proposed format and wording are intended to ensure the Code will serve its purpose well, having regard to the Council’s important investigative and disciplinary functions.  There is no change to the status of the Code and it does not set out to give an exhaustive list of examples.  Rather, it continues to rely upon the common sense and professionalism of teachers to make informed judgements in the circumstances in which they may find themselves.

Click here to download the revised draft Code.

The revised Code was subject to a consultation process which concluded on 27 January 2012.  Feedback from that process has been collated and is currently being considered by Council.  It is expected that the Code will be finalised by June 2012, following which it will be circulated to all teachers and the partners in education.